Grafton Education Foundation

2019 GEF Grant Award Winners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Prize Patrol issued $61,761.61 in grants for 2019

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The Grafton Education Foundation (GEF) announced funding for 10 grants within the four public schools of the Grafton School District for the upcoming 2019-2020 academic year. The grants total nearly $62,000 and benefit all schools and all grade levels. Over the past nine years, GEF has awarded funding for more than 80 teacher or staff grants totaling more than $300,000. 

 

“We are so excited to provide this kind of support for the Grafton School District,” said GEF President Michelle Bigler. “Our foundation works hard to engage the community in support of our schools. We hear so many inspiring stories about how these grants impact students and make for an electric learning environment. Thank you to everyone who supported GEF over the past year, making these grants possible.” 

 

Upon hearing the news of this year's grants, Grafton School Superintendent Jeff Nelson tweeted, “We are fortunate to have GEF supporting our students.”  GHS teacher Mike Bergmann tweeted, “Thank you so much GEF for the amazing and generous grant! I am looking forward to my future classroom furniture and all the amazing things the students at Grafton High School will be able to do in my classroom.” 

 

2019/2020 GEF grants include:

JLMS Science Vernier Sensors & Probes                                                                      $5,525.64 awarded to Nikki Matthews and Lisa Bowler

Vernier Sensors and Probes will allow science students in grades 6-8 to collect and analyze real life data to use as evidence to support learning. Students will be able to develop experiments and collect data in order to identify patterns and develop mathematical models to better find connections across systems. 

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 Microscopy and STEM-Preparing students for life beyond high school Grant: GHS      

$2,829.60 awarded to Micki Schreiner

 “The future of our nation hinges on our ability to prepare our next generation to be innovators

in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM)” (Innovations in Higher Education Teaching and Learning Inquiry-Based Learning for Stem Programs, 2015). In order to prepare

students for the rapid advancement of new technologies in the workforce and society in

general, educators need to inspire and cultivate hands-on learning and inquiry-based abilities

in all students (SPIE, 2014). This grant provides students with modern, powerful microscopes,

which will naturally harness the power of student interest and help improve their self

confidence in STEM related fields (Smithsonian Science Education, 2017).

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TBT-12-K Direct-to-Garment Printer Grant for the Grafton High School Fab Lab  

$5,522.79 awarded to Kevin Gain                                                                                                                          

The GHS Fab Lab is looking to add a Direct-to-Garment printer as an output device to satisfy STEAM (Science Technology Engineering Art and Math) standards. A Direct-to-Garment printer is a device which uses dye sublimation to print designs on fabric material.  The ability to print on apparel will give students more opportunities to produce diverse output. Using different software, material, and machinery will expand student knowledge into a new realm of problem solving and create a more efficient Fab Lab.

 

Collaborative student desks and chairs for a High School Chemistry and Physics classroom Grant   

$5,781.06 awarded to Alyssa Blum

Scientific work is not completed in isolation, but rather in collaborative and peer-reviewed situations. The addition of collaborative desks to my classroom would support the endeavors of having this environment within Chemistry and Physics classroom. With these desks, flexible arrangements permit multiple sized groups to collaborate while still allowing for separation for authentic individual assessments. The flexibility of the furniture would allow for additional floor space that many Physics labs require in an environment of traditionally fixed Chemistry lab tables. The new desks also let students have greater space to spread out the individual resources they will consult while solving problems. Also, the desks permit all students the ability to be seamlessly integrated into the classroom set-up without requiring additional furniture to accommodate students with disabilities. Securing collaborative student desks for my Chemistry and Physics classroom will allow for flexibility, creating efficient and effective student collaboration.

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New Signature Choral Risers classes, rehearsals and performances:  Kennedy        

$3,757 awarded to Craig Gunderson and Kristin Dillahunt

Choral risers are a foundation in music classes and are used daily by every child in an elementary school.  Due to the increased grade level sizes, Kennedy does not own enough risers to stage children for a grade level for performances. The proposed new risers are transportable and are safer with the back railing to ensure students can’t fall. These are the same risers used by every school in the district, KES, WES, JLMS, and GHS and are something the children are familiar with. For school performances in the new Kennedy gym, an additional 2 risers are needed to accommodate all of the sections of a grade due to the increased size of our school. Kennedy currently only has 5 sections of these risers and we are in need of 2 additional units.

 

The Flexible/Collaborative Classroom Furniture: GHS

$8,574.80 awarded to Mike Bergmann

This new classroom furniture set will allow students to have many options within the classroom.  Students can work individually, with partners, or within small or large groups; this flexible furniture design can easily be moved and rearranged to accommodate classroom needs.  Within the new spaces at GHS and along with the new block scheduled, this new furniture set will help facilitate new and innovative approaches to math education at GHS.  

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Math Enrichment Through TI-Innovator Coding Challenges Grant: JLMS

$5639.95 awarded to Elizabeth Mintie, Jennifer Reeves and Graham Taylor

This grant will enable JLMS math classes to participate in coding enrichment and extension activities. With TI-Nspire handhelds, students will learn the logic of a menu-based programming language as they code to solve problems and produce combinations of light and sound on the Innovator Hub. As they advance, they will learn to program the Innovator Rover, a 4-wheeled robotic vehicle that brings math and science concepts into motion. By working with partners and teams, students will develop communication and collaboration skills as they design and test their code.

 

Digital Lighting Upgrade for District Auditorium

$14, 5000 awarded to Maggie Condon and Joshua Atkins

This grant will be used to purchase a new lighting console as well as six Led fixtures to enhance the quality of the lighting at the District Auditorium.  This improvement to the performing art space at the high school will benefit students and faculty throughout the district as well as community organizations. Students will have access to high quality, updated equipment that will enhance their curricular and extra-curricular performance experiences. 

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Building Innovation through 3D Design Grant: Woodview and Kennedy

$4,914.80 awarded to Jennifer Griffith and Beth Lambie

Through exploring the world of 3D design and engineering, our students will collaborate to imagine and create. With a 3D printer, our students will have the opportunity to now see their designs come to life. The goal is to embed technology seamlessly into the curriculum to propel student learning forward so that our students are prepared for the opportunities that will exist for them in the future. For example, in a science unit studying fossils, students could print a realistic fossil allowing them to explore it in their

own hands. In math class, when our students are learning about measurement, they could design and print a ruler that becomes a tool for their math exploration of thosestandards. The possibilities for creation are endless.

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What do Knee Jerks, Blood Pressure, EKG’s and Micropipettes Have in Common?  Using Sensors to Integrate Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Grant: GHS  

$4,715.72 awarded to Fran Grant and Micki Schreiner      

Grafton High School’s (GHS) Biomedical Science has grown rapidly since the program began in 2012. GHS now offers all four PLTW: Biomedical Science classes serving over 160 students during the 2018-19 school year. The success of the program is due to engaging, relevant and project-based curriculum that is accessible to all Grafton High School students. In order maintain the “cutting edge” nature of the program and expose students to modern laboratory protocols there is a need for additional equipment that will not only benefit the PLTW Biomedical Science program, but Biology, Physics and AP Physics classes at GHS. Data collection technology such as Go Direct© Force and Acceleration sensors can be used with a Reflex Hammer Accessory Kit to measure the difference between the impulse speed of voluntary and involuntary muscle contractions. Physics classes can use a portion of this sensor to digitally measure force and acceleration. Blood pressure sensors, EKG sensors, and heart rate sensors are used in all four of the PLTW Biomedical Science classes to perform student designed experiments while learning about human physiology. These sensors can be used in biology classes as well. In addition, PLTW Biomedical Science and AP Biology are in need of single channel micropipettes to measure small volumes of liquid for molecular biology experiments. The Science department will implement the use of sensors (probeware) and micropipettes so that students will be able to use science, technology, engineering and math to design and carry out project based lab experiments to study biomedical science in accordance with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Project Lead Way (PLTW) standards.