New NHPS grant writer Lauren Strillacci.
New Haven Public Schools hired Lauren Strillacci at a $90,000 salary in late August. Three and a half months later, she has helped the district secure over $2 million in new income to upgrade its wireless networks and support pandemic food delivery.
Monday was the first time the district’s Chief Financial Officer Phillip Penn introduced his department’s new hire to the public. He described her role in securing three grants on the Board of Education’s Finance and Operations Committee agenda.
“We’re already seeing the benefits of having a dedicated grants person,” commented board member Matthew Wilcox.
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, support from the state had more or less flatlined and grant support had decreased dramatically, leaving the city on the hook for a larger share of school needs.
Penn suggested that the school district hire a grant writer, and board members supported the decision, asking for frequent updates on the hiring process. When Strillacci’s name showed up on the superintendent’s personnel report on Aug. 24, six board members and the one present student representative voted in favor of the hire. Board member Darnell Goldson was skeptical that Strillacci had enough experience working for nonprofits and abstained from the vote.
Strillacci graduated from the University of Connecticut in 2014 and went straight into a master’s degree in education at the University of New Haven. She taught history for a few years before working for an engineering and design company Arcadis, where she helped the company pitch itself to clients.
Board of Ed member Matthew Wilcox: Already a valuable position.
Despite Strillacci’s lack of experience as a grant writer for a school district, she has helped the district win three new grants so far, totaling $2,275,675.66.
The largest chunk of change is roughly $2 million from the state to help Alliance Districts (the state’s lowest-performing school districts) with building maintenance. These dollars are going to be divided up among 25 schools to help replace boilers, wireless access points and the aquaculture set-up at Sound School.
A $250,000 grant from the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, Inc. continues the goal of upgrading the district’s WiFi system. The city and school district’s efforts to bring WiFi to families in New Haven’s poorest neighborhoods during the pandemic using access points on school buildings has stressed the school’s system, the grant memo reveals.
The Nellie Mae grant covers the most urgently needed internet upgrades, and the Alliance grant covers the next levels of need, Penn said. Strillacci said that the foundation is interested in continuing to support New Haven schools.
“We would have spent a three- to four-year process going through wireless upgrades. This grant funding reduces the pressure on the capital [fund],” Penn said.
The smallest of Strillacci’s wins on Monday was a $25,000 grant from the No Kid Hungry Organization to buy insulated containers and food carts to help the district deliver food or provide meal pick-ups to students during the pandemic.
The Finance and Operations Committee unanimously approved the three grants and passed them along to the full Board of Education for a final vote.