Grants - 2012-2013 (fall)

S.T.E.M. Opportunities
Julie Miller, Instructional Resource Center, $2,830

Students in the science, technology, engineering and math programs in the district will be able to attend seminars and workshops provided by the Science Pioneers group in Kansas City. Meet the Science Mentor Day, The Greater Kansas City Science and Engineering Fair, Saturday Science Seminars and Expanding your Horizons(focusing on STEM careers for girls) are all great opportunities for students to connect with real-world STEM programs.

The Falcon Studio
Sarah Blakesley, Tiffany Pinter, and LeAnne Erker, Fairview Elementary School, $1,000

Students receive small group instruction all throughout the day but often the time allocated for learning is spent retrieving materials or finding a location for various staff and volunteers to begin working with the students. These funds will provide materials needed to create a permanent small group workspace for these first-grade students.

Magnificent Mathematicians - Extended Learning
Jenny Downs, Havencroft Elementary School, $385

Monday mornings before school, Havencroft fourth-graders will be tutored by a veteran teacher in state standards in basic multiplication and division facts as well as state standards in math to reach goals required for this Title I school.

Phoenix Learning Library
John Laffoon, Claire Learning Center at Kids TLC, $3,145

The Foundation provided funds to this specialized school to turn a small conference room into a learning library. These students with traumatized histories will now have a place to read, relax and learn.

Reading Rock Stars - Extended Learning
Jenny Downs, Havencroft Elementary School, $480

Every Tuesday morning before school this winter, Havencroft fourth-graders will be tutored by a veteran teacher in state standards in reading to reach goals required for this Title I school.

Little Striders
Pat Robison, Westview Elementary School, $800

Strider bikes are bicycles without pedals designed for children from 18 months to five years of age. They easily adjust to individually fit each child and aid students in learning balance, steering, coordination and self-confidence while promoting a lifetime activity. These bikes will provide students with special needs with an opportunity to do something their peers take for granted.

Monarch Waystation
Kristin Ramshaw, Olathe South High School, $880

Monarch butterfly populations are declining due to loss of habitat. This project will create the opportunity for students to research, design, create and build an official Monarch Waystation in the form of a butterfly garden. Seeds from the garden will be harvested and shared with other Olathe schools so they can create their own Monarch Waystation. This grant gets students outside, experiencing the positive effect of learning about nature.

Saturday Scholars Sessions
Amy Hillman, Sante Fe Middle School, $2,850

Washington Elementary ELL fifth graders will pair with SFT Middle School sixth graders to improve targeted math skills. Olathe North and Olathe Northwest AVID students will serve as "teacher leaders" to assist certified educators during four-hour long Saturday sessions through the winter months.

Fact Finding Fridays
Janee Boswell, Black Bob Elementary School, $1,000, Nancy Smith, Bentwood Elementary School, $1,000

Every Friday, these two first-grade teachers will give lessons on non-fiction writing to their classes. Students will then use grant-purchased nonfiction books to gather the knowledge they need to write reports on science and social studies topics. In a culminating activity, students will use the iPad application, Face Time, to read their reports out loud to a student at the partnering school and receive feedback from their peer, making research and writing fun!.

Voting to Success
Melissa Tobaben, Mahaffie Elementary School, $1,300

Mimio Vote lets students using Mimio Teach technology to click in an answer through the course of the lesson allowing the teacher to see immediately if students are grasping the correct concepts. Quick polling of students during a teaching moment can change the course of a lesson to ensure learning is happening accurately and completely and, as a bonus, makes learning fun for these students of the 21st century.

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