Our History
Know & Grow Learning Depot began in 2019 as Friends of Dinsmore Elementary. Our president and co-founder, Linda Brunson, was recruited by the school principal, Wanda Reese, to help the school. Ms. Reese, also a co-founder, served on our board until her retirement in 2023.
At first, we had a generic mission of helping the school. Our projects included beautifying the grounds, building an outdoor classroom, providing teaching aids for the school-wide science program, and just being on call however requested.
Our efforts to help kindergarteners and first-graders get caught up to grade level was so popular with teachers, parents, and students that we realized we’d make a more lasting impact by limiting our focus. We changed our name to the Know & Grow Learning Depot, Inc.
In addition to our Kid-Sized Materials that align directly with the classroom curriculums, we started fulfilling requests from teachers for Early Learning Teaching Tools.
Our Know & Grow Tutoring Program was created and tested in two kindergarten classes. Teachers enrolled their lowest performers. Our volunteers went into the classroom armed with iPads to lead group sessions using the free, award-winning Khan Academy Kids software. During the tutoring, the children learn to navigate the very iPad they are allowed to take home at the end of each school day.
2022-23 school year:
We expanded our tutoring program to all five kindergarten classrooms. A handful of students went from “knowing nothing” to being among the top in their class. One of our enrollees even won the “most improved” award.
Consistent with our goal of collaborating with teachers, we provided Number Pattern Worksheets, Aussie Pouch chair backs, Big Book Displays, Secret Stories, and more.
Know & Grow Learning Depot now has an employee. This is a first and a giant step for our nonprofit! This part-time teaching assistant tutors kindergarteners. Using the award-winning Khan Academy Kids, she tutors groups of up to 10 students at a time. With the learning software, each child progresses at his/her own pace.
Waterford, the official assessment tool for kindergarten, reports Dinsmore Elementary ranked #2 in reading growth and #4 in math and science growth. This is quite an accomplishment as Duval County Public Schools has nearly 100 elementary schools and is the 20th largest school district in the nation.
Two breakthroughs were made this school year to our tutoring program that are “game changers.” First, our iPads can now access the school’s wi-fi system. This provides considerable savings as previously any iPad – even if used only at the school – incurred a $16/month cellular internet fee. Second, we can now supplement the district-provided laptops with affordable Generation One iPads to ensure all kindergarteners and first-graders can be online at the same time. With the shift towards digital learning becoming increasingly important, we want our kiddos to have modern classrooms. Combined, these changes will significantly improve how we tutor and the number of students we serve.
Thank you to the volunteers, donors, partners, teachers, and school staff who have made our mission possible.
January 2019:
Know & Grow Learning Depot began in 2019 as Friends of Dinsmore Elementary. Our president and co-founder, Linda Brunson, was recruited by the school principal, Wanda Reese, to help the school. Ms. Reese, also a co-founder, served on our board until her retirement in 2023.
2019-20 school year:
At first, we had a generic mission of helping the school. Our projects included beautifying the grounds, building an outdoor classroom, providing teaching aids for the school-wide science program, and just being on call however requested.
2020-21 school year:
Our efforts to help kindergarteners and first-graders get caught up to grade level was so popular with teachers, parents, and students that we realized we’d make a more lasting impact by limiting our focus. We changed our name to the Know & Grow Learning Depot, Inc.
2021-22 school year:
In addition to our Kid-Sized Materials that align directly with the classroom curriculums, we started fulfilling requests from teachers for Early Learning Teaching Tools.
Our Know & Grow Tutoring Program was created and tested in two kindergarten classes. Teachers enrolled their lowest performers. Our volunteers went into the classroom armed with iPads to lead group sessions using the free, award-winning Khan Academy Kids software. During the tutoring, the children learn to navigate the very iPad they are allowed to take home at the end of each school day.
2022-23 school year:
We expanded our tutoring program to all five kindergarten classrooms. A handful of students went from “knowing nothing” to being among the top in their class. One of our enrollees even won the “most improved” award.
Consistent with our goal of collaborating with teachers, we provided Number Pattern Worksheets, Aussie Pouch chair backs, Big Book Displays, Secret Stories, and more.
2023-24 school year:
Know & Grow Learning Depot now has an employee. This is a first and a giant step for our nonprofit! This part-time teaching assistant tutors kindergarteners. Using the award-winning Khan Academy Kids, she tutors groups of up to 10 students at a time. With the learning software, each child progresses at his/her own pace.
Waterford, the official assessment tool for kindergarten, reports Dinsmore Elementary ranked #2 in reading growth and #4 in math and science growth. This is quite an accomplishment as Duval County Public Schools has nearly 100 elementary schools and is the 20th largest school district in the nation.
2024-25 school year:
Two breakthroughs were made this school year to our tutoring program that are “game changers.” First, our iPads can now access the school’s wi-fi system. This provides considerable savings as previously any iPad – even if used only at the school – incurred a $16/month cellular internet fee. Second, we can now supplement the district-provided laptops with affordable Generation One iPads to ensure all kindergarteners and first-graders can be online at the same time. With the shift towards digital learning becoming increasingly important, we want our kiddos to have modern classrooms. Combined, these changes will significantly improve how we tutor and the number of students we serve.
Thank you to the volunteers, donors, partners, teachers, and school staff who have made our mission possible.
