Grants go to Irvine schools

The Irvine Public Schools Foundation announced this week that it received grants from Google Inc. and Montessori International that will fund programs for 27,000 students.

The grants will benefit schools across Irvine Unified School District.

Google provided $15,000 and Montessori provided $173,000 in one-time grants funds.

“The Irvine Unified School District would like to thank Google Inc. and Montessori International for making such generous and worthwhile investments in education,” Supt. Terry Walker said in a prepared statement. “In these challenging economic times, every penny counts, and we are incredibly fortunate to receive grant funding for valuable educational opportunities through IPSF.”

The funds from Google will go toward materials and supplies to middle and high school science classrooms.

The grant from Montessori will provide middle and high school students with access to Naviance, a web-based college counseling program, other technology related equipment and supplies, and fund IUSD’s Montessori and Alternative Program for Academically Accelerated Students programs.

—Sarah Peters