Mokena PTA Donates Over $8,000 for Student Enrichment Programs
Mokena School District 159 Meeting | November 19, 2025
Article Summary: The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education gratefully accepted a series of donations totaling $8,040 from the Mokena PTA. The funds will support a variety of curriculum-enhancing experiences for students in kindergarten through fifth grade during the school year.
PTA Donation Key Points:
-
Total Donated: $8,040 from the Mokena PTA.
-
Purpose: To fund in-house and field trip experiences that reinforce the district’s English Language Arts curriculum.
-
Key Programs Funded: A $2,600 fossil exploration for second graders and a $2,200 field trip to Big Run Wolf Ranch for fourth graders.
-
Beneficiaries: Students in kindergarten through fifth grade.
MOKENA, IL – The Mokena School District 159 Board of Education on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, formally accepted $8,040 in donations from the Mokena PTA to fund a range of enrichment programs for elementary and intermediate school students.
According to a memo from Dr. Kristin Johnson, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, the donations are designed to “reinforce, support, and extend learning” within the district’s English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum.
The approved funds will cover costs for several hands-on learning opportunities, including:
-
$2,600 for “T-Rexplorers,” an in-house experience about fossils for second-grade students.
-
$2,200 for a fourth-grade field trip to Big Run Wolf Ranch to learn about animals and their defense mechanisms.
-
$1,425 for “Storm Science,” an in-house program about thunderstorms and tornadoes.
-
$665 for “A Tree is Nice,” an in-house experience from the Morton Arboretum.
-
$500 for birdhouse materials for a first-grade family event.
-
$500 for “The Frog Lady,” an in-house program for third graders about live frogs and amphibians.
-
$150 for a “Starlab” in-house experience about the sun, moon, and stars for first graders.
“We thank the PTA for their generosity and continued support of our students’ learning!” Johnson stated in the memo. Board members echoed the sentiment, expressing their gratitude for the PTA’s ongoing contributions to student experiences.
Community Events
Latest News Stories
Improved Vendor Service Creates $1.2 Million Shortfall in Sheriff’s Medical Budget
Will County Public Works Committee Unveils 25-Year Transportation Plan, Projects $258 Million Gap
Will County Animal Protection Services Seeks New Facility Amid “Gaping Wound” of Space Crisis
Board Confronts Animal Services Crowding, Explores Future Facility Options
Will County Board Members Demand Transparency in Cannabis Tax Fund Allocation
Homer Glenn Residents Push Back on 143rd Street Widening as Officials Signal “Tentative Agreement”
Will County Forges 2026 Federal Agenda Amid D.C. Policy Shifts, ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Impacts
Health Department Seeks $1 Million Levy Increase to Prevent “Weakened System”
County Rolls Out New “OneMeeting” Software to Improve Public Access
Meeting Summary and Briefs: Will County Board Finance Committee for August 5, 2025
Will County PZC Approves Rezoning for Truck Repair Facility on Manhattan Road Amid Resident Concerns
Key Stretch of Bell Road on Track for Thanksgiving Reopening, Committee Approves Additional Funds
Will County Leglislative Committee Opposes Federal Push for Heavier, Longer Trucks
Will County Reports Progress in Opioid Fight, Highlights New FDA Labeling Rules
