The Salem-Keizer Education Foundation awarded over $42,000 to educators in the Salem-Keizer School District during its annual grant award ceremony Thursday, September 20, 2012. An additional investment of nearly $1 million was announced in support for Sibling Reading Buddies, Enrichment Academy and Financial Algebra.
View photos from the awards ceremony on Flickr »
The first annual Catherine Root Mink Literacy Awards were also announced to honor the memory of Salem-Keizer administrator Cathy Mink by her husband, Bob Mink. Nine awards in excess of $7,000 were distributed to support literacy in local elementary schools.
Teacher grants were awarded to fund 16 special projects across the district. Another $3,000 will support professional development for district teachers and AVID (Achievement via Individual Determination) a district initiative that focuses on academic strategies that help students increase their potential and opportunity to attend college. $2,000 was awarded to support field trips to regional universities for elementary and middle school students.
A complete list of grants follows.
Grants to the school district:
- Academy for Teaching and Learning and AVID - $3,000 to support the professional development of all educators.
- You Can Go to College - $2,000 to support elementary and middle school student field trips to regional universities.
Grants in support of literacy:
- Scholastic Classroom Gifts - $2,000 value presented by Wil Iverson, Scholastic Regional Director, to Chelcie Glazier, Pringle Elementary, and to Kelly Dougherty, Whiteaker Middle School. Each classroom receives new classroom libraries.
- Sibling Reading Buddies - $10,000 value to support family literacy and the efforts of elementary teachers. The grant replicates the successful program at Hoover Elementary School in all Salem-Keizer elementary schools and Roberts Teen Parent Program. Sibling Reading Buddies acknowledges the student who has welcomed a new sibling into their home with a pledge, a book bag, new books, buddy bear, and a host of family support materials to encourage a literature rich home.
Grants in support of math:
- Financial Algebra - $56,000 value presented in partnership with Oregon Community Credit Union, Country Financial, and Oregon College Savings Plan, 560 textbooks to 7 of Salem-Keizer High Schools and three days of professional development for math educators.
Catherine Root Mink Elementary Literacy Fund Awards:
- Changing Demographics at Brush College Elementary - $300
Description: to support staff in reading “A Framework for Understanding Poverty,” by Ruby Payne, PhD. and facilitate an understanding of the culture of poverty and skills to overcome differences in communication, priorities, and values.
Project Coordinator: Jessica Brenden, Brush College Elementary School - Kindles for Kids - $888
Description: We will load Kindles with appropriately leveled choices for students to read. With the motivation of using a Kindle, coupled with an appropriately leveled book choice, students’ will develop academic growth and a life-long love of reading.
Coordinator: Julie James, Schirle Elementary School - Hoover Families Exploring Together - $1500
Description: Books to be used as a reading library. The last 15 minutes of monthly parent meetings will serve to allow parents and childcare workers the opportunity to read with a child before they leave for the evening.
Coordinator: Linda Hernandez-Munguia, Hoover Elementary School - The Key to Success: Literacy - $500
Description: Hi/Lo books (high interest, low readability) will be purchased to promote reading achievement in older readers through stories that have high interest subjects, but with written text that emphasizes phonics and comprehension.
Coordinator: Michelle Puopolo, Mary Eyre Elementary School - Literacy Books for GLAD Units - $420
Description: Guided Language Acquisition Design. Books will be purchased to increase students’ scientific knowledge by reading rich vocabulary and comprehending diverse themes.
Coordinator: Karen Hammerquist, Cummings Elementary School - Literacy Intervention in English for Intermediate Grade Students - $1500
Description: Addresses bilingual students in need of intensive help in English. Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy program for Intermediate students is a small group, supplementary intervention program for children who find reading and writing difficult.
Coordinator: Sara Casebeer, Lee Elementary School - Multicultural Mentor Texts - $150
Description: Multi-cultural books will teach tolerance, social justice, problem solving, and understanding of various points of view.
Coordinator: Marisa DeBlase, Brush College Elementary School - Reading Links - $450
Description: Provides 70 subscriptions to Scholastic News Magazine for third grade and three classroom subscriptions for Raz-Kids, an on-line library of fiction and non-fiction books.
Coordinator: Liz Tardif, Englewood Elementary School - Science and Social Studies Super Stars - $1545
Description: Provides “National Geographic Non-fiction Reading and Writing Workshop” and “Scholastic Brain Bank” non-fiction leveled book sets for science and social studies.
Coordinator: Loretta Brenner, Brush College Elementary School
INNOVATION GRANTS:
- Side Stepping Robots - $1055.70
Description: Teams of students will design, build and test robots that can move sideways. They will use these robots to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of this drive train and compete in the VEX Robotics Competition.
Coordinator: Greg Smith, West Salem High School - 012 Ulmer-Collins District Drama Event - $1300
Description: A one day theater arts enrichment opportunity where theater students from six Salem-Keizer high schools assemble for workshops in acting and hands-on tech training for play production.
Coordinators: Tamsyn Jameson and Tracy Sabine, West Salem High School - Schoolyard Citizen Scientists - $952.95
Description: In collaboration with volunteers and scientific researchers, third grade students will become phenologists to answer real-world questions on seasonal climate. They will raise native trees and plant them along the riparian zone of Glenn Creek.
Coordinator: Maureen Foelkl, Chapman Hill Elementary School - SOAR with JET- $3550
Description: Jaguar Enrichment Time. An embedded intervention program providing help to students who are struggling to understand a concept or finish their homework.
Coordinator: Lara Tiffin, Judson Middle School - The Integrated Arts Program - $517.12
Description: Students learn about famous artists. As students delve into the fine arts through reading and learning techniques while creating their own art, students find relevance in learning to read.
Coordinator: Judi Laitinen, Washington Elementary School - Collaboration Across the Nation - $3871.60
Description: Integrates eight iPads into a bilingual classroom. Provides opportunities for students to access applications like Google Apps for Education as a way to collaborate and communicate with other Salem-Keizer students, as well as a class in Texas.
Coordinator: Katie Lawyer, Chávez Elementary School - Seeds for Striving Students - $1000
Description: Encourages students to foster an entrepreneurial goal. Students will receive assistance with minor start-up costs such as business cards, flyers, and signs.
Coordinator: Sean Stanton, Roberts High School - Serve! - $1200
Description: Students, including the Students for Change Club, will read of local and global opportunities for service, then create their own volunteer project in the community.
Coordinator: Pattee Sloan, West Salem High School - Magnificent Marvelous Math Clubs - $1400
Description: Clubs of eight students will increase in mathematical fluency. Meeting after school, they will play dice games, card games, and board games. A club of 24 students will play Math Whizz on-line.
Coordinator: Linette Meshelle, Auburn Elementary - Music Beyond the Chamber - $2840
Description: Students will work for three months on Chamber Music for orchestral string players. On January 31, 2013, national Music Beyond the Chamber musicians will perform together with those students.
Coordinator: Daryl Silberman, West Salem High School - Flipping the Classroom: Inventive Teaching With Digital Media - $3000
Description: Teachers will creatively collaborate to develop, implement and evaluate digital lessons. This project will define ways in which technology can bring into being effective learning environments that are defined by student-centered interaction.
Coordinator: Graham Dey, South Salem High School - Feedback in the Digital Age - $817
Description: For this project, teachers, students, and parents will develop an on-line portfolio of work and interactive feedback presented by means of audio, video, photo, and text.
Coordinator: Jeremy Everitt, McNary High School - The Loving Lens - $700
Description: This project with photographer, Jill Cannefax, will reinforce our school’s safe and healthy climate using photography to promote teamwork, respect, compassion, appreciation of diversity, and conflict resolution.
Coordinators: Sara Casebeer and Barbara Cameron, Lee Elementary School - iCan Speak - $9862.40
Description: Nine speech-language pathologists who used iPad technology in 2011-12, will collaborate in the use of iPad devices. Students with communication disorders will be taught speaking and listening skills using iPads.
Coordinator: Vicki Dull, SKSD Student Services Speech/Language Department - I Will Go To College! - $803
Description: Links academic skills to career paths and future opportunities, encouraging students to explore careers in their school, the community, the state, and beyond.
Coordinator: Linda Hernandez-Munguia, Hoover Elementary School
SUSAN GLEASON AWARD
The Susan Gleason Award honors the memory of a Salem-Keizer Education Foundation founding director, and is the most prestigious grant the foundation presents.
Hands-on Botany and Controlled Environment Agriculture Award Amount: $1834.25 Description: Classes of biology students will work together to explore the ecological and agricultural importance of plants, and build four small-scale bioponics crop plant growth systems thus facilitating hands-on experiences with authentic and practical biological scientific research while promoting science literacy.
Coordinator: Jessica Graham, McNary High School.
