Ariss Family Fund

Updates & News | 2021/2022 School Year

Three years ago, Mike Ariss made a $10,000 gift to the Perrysburg Schools Foundation with the goal of making it easier for teachers who work with children with autism to buy needed classroom supplies.

“This is truly about giving every child with special needs an opportunity to access an education,” Ariss said. “In my son’s case, it is an exercise bike in the classroom just to get some mobility.”

The Ariss Family Fund allows Perrysburg Schools employees to purchase these needed items, and in a timely manner.

“It is so, so much easier to get different things we need for the classroom and the kids,” Fort Meigs Elementary Intervention Specialist Miranda Evans said.

Julie Jagodzinski is an Intervention Specialist at Frank Elementary School and works closely with Jonah Ariss preparing him for his transition to Hull Prairie Intermediate School. She was able to acquire simple teaching supplies such as number one pencils and a four-pack of pencil weights, which cost about $15.

“The number one pencils are best in teaching fine motor skills and typically cost more than everyday pencils,” Jagodzinski said.

The Ariss Family Fund also helped Jagodzinski obtain thicker lamination sheets, which allow more durability for students who have fine motor needs.

Evans worked with Ariss’ son, Jonah, when the family made the initial gift to Perrysburg Schools three years ago.

Looking Ahead

“Now, we are working on a lot of job training skills and introducing these at the elementary level,” Evans said. “One of the items we are using the Ariss Family Fund for today is a sensory box subscription. Every month, we have different sensory boxes that arrive and it provides us with all of the resources to make multiple sensory boxes to meet our students’ needs.”

Perrysburg Schools’ student population continues to grow and enrollment forecasts show Fort Meigs Elementary School will have about 600 students for the 2022-23 school year.

“There are more kids like Jonah,” Evans said. “With this fund, we are able to get the tools that we need to include them in general education such as music and STEM.”

Ariss says his family will contribute another $1,000 to the fund in 2022.

“When people look to give, they never think about schools, especially public schools,” Ariss said. “Public schools like Perrysburg have fully embraced special needs and special needs programs.”

PHOTO CAPTION: Donor Mike Ariss with Fort Meigs Elementary Intervention Specialist Miranda Evans.