In celebration of its newest store, Burlington Stores donated $5,000 to Pine Level Elementary through their partnership with Adopt-A-Classroom program. Pine Level administrators, teachers, community members, JCPS representatives, and local dignitaries were present for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
As part of the collaboration, Burlington Stores recognized the closest Title 1 school in the district to the new store, Pine Level Elementary School.
“We are grateful to be partners with Burlington Stores. Their generous act will be used to further the education of some of our most brilliant students, in one of our most remarkable schools, Pine Level Elementary,” stated Johnston County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Eric C. Bracy. “We are fortunate to have businesses that value education and support our community in ways such as this.”
The donation is intended for the teachers at the school to help purchase supplies that they need for their classrooms and students. The school will not receive cash or checks. The funds will be available to the school as a credit on AdoptAClassroom.org.
The JCPS Curriculum, Instruction, and Accountability team and members of the Johnston County Board of Education gather for a photo during the check presentation. Holding the check are (from left) Linsey Martinez, Title 1 Family and Community Engagement Specialist, Pine Level Elementary Principal Allen Sasser, and Faitha Batten, JCPS Executive Director of Title 1.
Teachers will use their credit to shop through the AdoptAClassroom.org marketplace of school speciality and supply vendors. The vendor products are curated to ensure funds are used as intended, on classroom supplies, which will belong to the school and be used for years to come.
The donation was well received by the school district and the community. “I simply want to say thank you to the Burlington Corporation for supporting our community,” expressed Pinel Level Elementary principal Sasser. “We look forward to a great partnership with them opening a new store here in Pine Level Elementary's attendance district.”
The JCPS Curriculum, Instruction, and Accountability department was instrumental in the process. Linsey Martinez, Title 1 Family and Community Engagement specialist, worked diligently to ensure this partnership was in place, and ensured a smooth collaboration between Burlington and JCPS.
"Community partnerships are highly valued in our district, especially for our Title 1 schools," said Faitha Batten, JCPS Executive Director of Title 1. "We are grateful for Burlington Stores' generosity and are excited about the opportunities this new store will help us build."
JCPS looks forward to the new store, located at Eastfield Crossing, 630 Saint Mark Avenue, Selma, being an asset to the community and a champion for education for many years to come.