 |
Mission | Board of Directors | Grants | Events Committee | Fundraising Committee | Grants Committee | Public Relations Committee |
Grant Committee Awards for Super Z Grants
Meet SAM (Skills Assessment Manager)
Wendy LeBlanc, Business Teacher, Oakmont
SAM is a proficiency-based assessment and training environment for Microsoft Office. It combines dependable web- based software along with an engaging user interface which provides maximum teaching and learning flexibility. SAM builds students’ skills and confidence with a variety of real-life simulations. In addition, SAM provides projects that educate students for today’s workplace. SAM benefits students by improving and testing their proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite as well as other computer concepts. SAM combines assessment, training, and projects for a thorough lab and testing solution.
Total Award $1000
We Both Read
Robin Murphy, Title 1 Reading Teacher, JR Briggs
We Both Read books are books that offer a unique shared reading format. These books are designed specifically to help foster and encourage parental involvement in reading. Each book offers an interactive format, in which a child takes turns reading aloud with a parent. The books invite the parent to read the left-hand pages. Then, for their turn, children are encouraged to read the right-hand pages, which feature less complex text and storyline, specifically leveled to their ability. The series presents a text format that includes modeling of fluent reading, repetition of key vocabulary on the child’s page, and shared and repeated reading.
Students would check out books on a weekly basis to share and read with their parents
Total Award $730.66
Oakmont Robotics Engineering
David Lantry/Greg Secino, Technology Engineering Teachers, Oakmont
The project is to continue the expansion of robotics engineering at Oakmont. We have created a monster… We are one month away from our 5th robotics competition, but our first Vex Robotics Challenge. We are leaping from 4 robotics teams competing in previous challenges to 22 robotics teams this year and counting. The number of engineering courses for next year has doubled. Plain and simple, we do not have enough vex components to provision the amount of students involved in this endeavor.
The study of robotics, as it is set up at Oakmont, is not an after school activity, it is an essential part of the Technology Engineering Design curriculum. Robotics and Mechatronics is the weaving of math, science, technology and engineering into one amazing package. To be successful at a robotics endeavor, the machine that one witnesses on the court is the result of skills in critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and the application of their entire education.
Total Award $1000
Listening Centers in Grade 4
Grade 4 Teachers WES
Our grade level would like to develop literacy stations during language arts centers through the use of MP3 players and audio books. Our team would like to purchase 5 MP3 players per classroom ($21.64 per player). In addition, we would like purchase audio books through downloads of leading books and series (ex. Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief) ranging in price from $10-$20 per download.
Audio books provide essentials to literacy tools for students who struggle with language arts, have auditory and attention issues, or for students who want to experience literature in a multi-sensory way. Audio books and literacy centers provide all the researched benefits of reading aloud to students in an independent way.
Total Award $732.80
Reading and Writing Strategies through Literature Circles
Kristin Belkin/Lori Shattuck Overlook Middle School
The purpose of this proposal is to purchase thematically linked sets of books and audio that are appropriate for the ability of each individual student. These books will be used to differentiate within the classroom and engage students in high interest reading while still teaching common reading strategies and language skills throughout the year. Multiple copies of trade books will allow for a literature circle approach encouraging students to read, discuss, and respond at their individualized reading level and pace. Co-teaching to these book groups will help students and teachers create building blocks to effective reading comprehension while teaching and applying basic skill sets in vocabulary, grammar, and reading conventions.
Total Award $990.09
Interactive White Board Collaboration in Grade 4
Cori Litalien and Kate Romano, Grade 4 Teachers, WES
The use of interactive white boards expands the walls of the traditional classroom and introduces students to a new level of technology. Lessons in all academic areas will be enhanced through pod casts, online presentations, and interactive white board use which allows children to respond, and interact immediately with the information being presented.
Studies have found that the use of interactive white boards with individual student question responder technology increases student engagement during lessons. Teachers who used interactive white boards were found to monitor student learning by asking questions more frequently that their match classroom (without the technology). Teachers were also able to simultaneously monitor the learning of all students more frequently than their match teacher. Teachers were able to incorporate 21st century skills in the area of communication, problem solving, and collaboration more often than their match teachers.
Total Award $500
J.R. Briggs Elementary
Tiffany Davis
Lynne Pinsoneault
Joy Weiss
Julie Fredette
Katie Bennett
This group of teachers will use money from the Foundation to create a mobile, Interactive Bright Board System to support language arts instruction in grades 3-5 at John R. Briggs Elementary School. Many elementary students approach the task of revising their writing with disinterest. An interactive brightboard system can help teachers make the revision process more visible and motivating for students. Teachers can display a piece of writing on a big screen, using the computer and projector. Teachers and students can then interact with the text from anywhere in the room using wireless tablets. For example, the teacher could focus on word choice by displaying a three paragraph essay and asking small groups of students to identify and underline the “tired” words that need to be replaced.
In researching the purchase of equipment required to implement this innovative idea, teachers at Briggs intentionally selected a system that can be moved from classroom to classroom. As a result, one classroom at each of the upper grades (3-5) will initially benefit from the technology (approximately 80 students), with the goal of purchasing 2 addition systems after this pilot program has proven successful. These teachers also intend to use additional funding sources to achieve their goal of bringing this innovative technology into their classrooms. This includes $940 raised by recycling printer cartridges and PTO basket raffles, as well as a 2009 Award for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education in the amount of $200. With this grant from the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence in the amount of $500, teachers at Briggs are bringing a new level of technology to their school.
Westminster Elementary
Kate Romano
Cori Litalien
Cindy Robbins
Diane Roumbakis Davolio
The Fourth Grade teaching team at Westminster Elementary School has been awarded a grant to enhance spelling and strengthen literacy learning. Grade 4 is piloting a new spelling program known as Word Study, using the text Words Their Way. During Word Study, students are actively engaged in studying and using the rules of phonics and spelling. The focus of Word Study is placing words into categories known as word sorts. In putting words into categories, children can make associations and connections between words. Children are given time to discriminate and make judgments about sounds, word structures, spelling patterns and meanings. Word Study involves the entire fourth grade and resources can also be shared with third grade. Instruction is differentiated for each student based on errors made and each student is taught at their instructional level. Students are actively engaged in studying and using the rules of phonics and spelling.
Grant money awarded to this team of teachers also funds the purchase of magnetic letters to supplement this program. The Foundation chose to fund this grant request in the amount of $310.95 because Words Their Way is a creative way to address the need for differentiated instruction, the teachers involved researched the most economical way to purchase the materials they needed, and the program can be used by both grades three and four at WES.
Westminster Elementary School
Jane Leamy
Lynne Courtemanche
Pattie Mitchell
Nancy Morgan
Second Grade teachers at Westminster Elementary School submitted a Founders’ Grant request to purchase four Around the World Interactive Maps to support approximately 100 second grade students. After completing a year-long project entitled How Boys and Girls Learn in the Classroom, much insight was gained as to how differently each gender's brain learns. Despite some of their learning differences, it is strongly evident that both boys and girls benefit from similar approaches to learning. Specifically, both boys and girls benefit from the use of manipulatives and visuals to maintain their interest and strengthen learning. This dynamic tool supports Massachusetts Geography Curriculum Frameworks, which includes identifying cardinal directions and applying them to maps, locating all continents, locating present boundaries of the United States, Mexico and Canada, locating major oceans, locating the five major rivers in the world, locating the major mountains or mountain ranges in the world, locating the five Great Lakes and more. The purchase of these hands-on educational tools is funded in the amount of $150.
Overlook Middle School
Tony Gleason
Kristi DiSalle
Overlook Middle School sixth-grade teachers and Tony Gleason and Kristi DiSalle submitted a proposal to the Foundation for a project called George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, an interdisciplinary project including language arts and science. Their goal in applying for this grant is to purchase a copy of Stephen Hawking's children's book George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt for each sixth-grade student on Team Blue. Students will complete research on our solar system in Science class. They will be using a nonfiction source (their textbooks) to conduct research on each planet in our solar system. While this research is being conducted in science class, students will be reading George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt, a hunt that takes place on various planets in our solar system, in English class. This book is a realistic fiction story with all of the story elements for a fiction book, yet it includes a plethora of factual information on many objects in our solar system.
There are many benefits to students by purchasing this book and conducting the interdisciplinary project. This project meets Massachusetts State Curriculum Frameworks for both Science and English. Stephen Hawking, regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Albert Einstein, wrote George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt. Students will experience an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Finally, and perhaps the best benefit to the students is that students get to learn factual cosmic information while reading a fun story George's Cosmic Treasure Hunt.
Oakmont
David Lantry
Greg Secino
For the past four years Oakmont’s Technology Education Department has held its own regional robotics competition. In order to grow our competition and involve more students and schools, Oakmont teachers David Landry and Greg Secino have teamed up with Vex Robotics and will now host a regional Vex Robotics competition at Oakmont at the end of the school year. In the past, Rowing Robots and Lobster Catch were held at Westminster Crocker Pond Recreation Area, and last year's competition, Robotic Mini Golf, was held at Oakmont Regional High School. This new competition will be open to all schools in the mid-Wachusett area.
By receiving a Founders’ Grant in the amount of $500, these teachers will be able to purchase additional robotics parts not only for this year’s competition, but for future competitions and robotics engineering courses. Our Robotics and Engineering classes at Oakmont will be able to design, construct and enter multiple robots into our own competition. Students benefit from this by way of introduction to robotics design, engineering, construction and programming, as well as the exposure to a regional robotics competition. This direction of education reflects a national trend in preparing the next generation, which is why the Ashburnham Westminster Foundation for Academic Excellence is proud to assist their efforts.
JR Briggs Elementary School
Nancy Gera, Grade 5 Teacher
A $500 grant has been awarded to Nancy Gera to purchase two robotics kits for fifth grade students. The LEGO Mindstorms robotics kits promote science, technology, engineering and math education in the District. Students work together to build, program, and test their robots. They develop skills in working cooperatively, a highly sought after 21st century skill especially important in the technology field. Students will receive explicit instruction in working as teams in the context of robot projects.
The robots are great for some of the boys who need more hands on experience in school. Young girls who may not have LEGO experience also benefit by generating interest in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Meeting House School
Debi Fleck, Preschool Teacher
The MHS Preschool class received a $500 grant to help defray the costs for tickets and transportation to the play, “Seussical”. This would be a culminating activity for students who have been learning about Dr. Seuss, a children’s’ author. In addition to enjoying a performance of familiar Dr. Seuss characters, students would have an opportunity to improve their attending skills as they would sit for the duration of the play. Students would gain exposure to rhyming and music and would work on comprehension for the beginning, middle, and the end of the performance.
