Educational Improvement Tax Credit Programs

Act 4 of 2001, as amended, authorizes tax credits for businesses that make contributions to educational improvement organizations. Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living, Inc. is recognized as an educational improvement organization by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED). Additional information is available on the website www.inventpa.com refering to the Educational Improvement Tax Credit Program. Tax credits are authorized for contributions to educational improvement organizations. Tax credits may be applied to the Corporate Net Income Tax, Capital Stock Franchise Tax, Bank and Trust Company Shares Tax, Title Insurance Company Shares Tax, Insurance Premiums Tax or Mutual Institutions Tax. Tax credits (pre-K) are 100% of the business contribution, with a maxium of $10,000 annually. Tax credits (K-12) are limited to 75% of the business contribution, with a maximum of $200,000 annually. If a business agrees to make the same contribution to an organization for two consecutive years, it may receive a tax credit (K-12) equal to 90% of its contribution, again up to $200,000 annually. Tax credits are awarded to businesses on a first come, first served basis. The guidelines provide the process and forms for businesses to apply for tax credits. They are found in a packet available at Quiet Creek Herb Farm. Because these tax credits are awarded on a first come, first served basis on July 1, Claire Orner will be taking completed applications to Harrisburg on that day so that your business and Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living, Inc. have the best chance of being awarded these tax credits and tax dollars, respectively, to benefit local school students. Claire Orner will be taking completed applications to Harrisburg on July 1, so that your business and Quiet Creek Herb Farm & School of Country Living, Inc. have the best chance of being awarded these tax credits and tax dollars, respectively, to benefit local school students. With your tax credit contribution Quiet Creek will provide hands-on seminars in schools and/or at the farm for local Pre-Kindergarten students and K- 12 students from Brockway, Brookville, Clarion, Clarion-Limestone, DuBois, and Keystone.

Claire Orner of Quiet Creek School of Country Living thanked PA House Majority Leader Sam Smith recently (July 2005) for his support of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program based in the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Quiet Creek School of Country Living is offering a state-approved, tax credit funded, free, Pre-K – twelfth grade program for students in Clarion, Clearfield and Jefferson counties beginning in September of this year. This program will teach children to discover the benefits of organic farming. Quiet Creek is a 501(c) 3, non-profit, educational facility near Brookville, Pennsylvania. To make tax credit contributions or to schedule Quiet Creek programs for students from private and public schools, please call 814-849-9662.

Sustainable Lifestyle Systems Intensive 1-3 day workshops for students, K-12. Students will have the opportunity to learn about natural medicines, organic gardening, worm composting, integrated pest management, responsible shelter construction, herbal soap making, papermaking, bee keeping, cheese making, healthful nutritional and fitness habits, and renewable energy sources. Naturalist in Residence:  These K-12, in-school seminars demonstrate the Sustainable Lifestyle Systems listed above at area school locations.   Work Experience/Career Enhancement Program:   In this program, ninth through twelfth grade students learn one or more of the following careers: retail sales, food service management, landscape gardening, greenhouse vegetable production, and the production of value-added farm products.  Environmental Encounters:  In these week-long summer day camps, sixth through eighth grade students, will create an action plan addressing local environmental concerns.   Pre-Kindergarten:  Growing Naturally Quiet Creek instructors will facilitate pre-Kindergarten learning in the context of an organic farm.  Topics and activities may include whole foods nutrition, physical fitness on the farm, natural medicine, organic gardening, worm composting, alternative construction techniques, herbal soap making, recycled papermaking, bee keeping, beneficial insects for controlling pests, cheese making, and renewable energy sources.  To benefit your child’s educational experience regular attendance and punctuality is highly encouraged. All programs utilize the specialized resources and the qualified instructors of Quiet Creek that are aligned with the Brookville Area School District’s recommendations in preparation of students for Kindergarten.  A typical day for students of GROWING NATURALLY will involve: ·        Stretch and Tell—students will warm up their bodies stretching into a pose of their favorite animal and vocalizing the animal sound. ·        Letter of the Week—students will discover a new letter with its corresponding sound.  They will participate in activities that begin with that sound.  For example if “T” is the letter of that day students will pick, count and weigh tomatoes.  They will make and eat tomato juice and tomato sandwiches. ·        Personal Hygiene – students will learn and apply good hygiene procedures ·        Artistic Expression –students will enhance their artistic learning style by learning a variety of techniques:  painting on rocks, leaf prints, tie-dying with natural dyes, etc. ·        Musical Enrichment—students will participate in making and using musical instruments made from products found in nature. ·        Story Time –students will interactively participate in the story of the day related to the letter/sound of the day.   Pre-Kindergarten Registration Form   Student Name________________________________________________________   Parent/Guardian Names__________________________________________________   Address ________________________________City, State Zip______________________________   E-Mail address for parent/guardian ______________________________________________   Child’s Birthday with year _____________________________________________________   Child’s Favorite Color __________________________________________________________   Child’s Favorite Animal _______________________________________________________   Child’s Favorite Vegetable ____________________________________________________   Child’s Favorite Letter _________________________________________________________   Phone Number ______________________________________________________________   Emergency Contact Phone (cell # if available) _____________________________________   Emergency Contact Name ____________________________________________________   Child’s pertinent allergies (i.e. food, bees, etc) __________________________________   Medication that will be brought to school ______________________________________   Refrigeration needed for medication? _______________________________________   I (parent/guardian) __________________________ am committed to volunteer two days a semester in my child’s classroom.  I grant permission for photographs to be taken of child (photos used for documentation of Quiet Creek’s Education Improvement Tax Credit Program).   Signature parent/guardian ______________________________________________________________   The cost of Growing Naturally is $30 per week with tuition due the first of each month.  On a limited basis Quiet Creek will award partial or full scholarships on the first of October to students who are members of a household with an annual household income of not more than $50,000 and an additional income allowance of $10,000 is permitted for the student and for each dependent as defined by the IRS living within the same household.  For example, a family of four earning $70,000 or less will be eligible for the scholarship.  Please send most recent year’s IRS 1040 form with the enclosed application.    Please contact Quiet Creek Herb Farm at quietcreek@windstream.net for more information and an application packet.