Enrichment Grants Awarded in Fall of 2020
Enrichment Grants are usually awarded in early summer to give recipients time to organize the projects before school begins in August. 2020 was such an uncertain year, though, that a good deal of planning couldn’t begin before the fall. Over the summer, $26,000 in Foundation Enrichment Grant money was used to extend a literacy program for K-3 students throughout the district. Later in the year, applications were made available for “named” Enrichment Grants, which are earmarked for specific types of programs. The Enrichment Grant committee awarded funds from four separate named grants to the five projects below.
College and Career Promotional Materials - $400
IMAGINE! EXPLORE THE ARTS grant in memory of Joanna Pusti Grant
BMHS - any students who wish to participate in the school-wide competitions
Staff: Dawn Ruebensaal
Mrs. Ruebensaal, College & Career Readiness Counselor at BMHS, identified the opportunity for students in the Polaris SignPro Shop program to create and produce exciting college and career materials. Students in Mrs. Burchett’s design classes created infographic posters about various careers in a competition for the best designs. The top students will work together to make a complete collection of posters that include career potential, pay, training requirements, and other information. The full collection of posters will be displayed in BMHS.
Buckets Galore! - $200
IMAGINE! EXPLORE THE ARTS grant in memory of Joanna Pusti Grant
Brook Park Elem. - approx 400 students
Staff: John Chapman
Mr. Chapman requested this grant to institute a bucket drumming unit with students in grades 1-4. Bucket drumming is a fun and motivational way for students to read, write, and perform a variety of rhythms alone and with others. He hopes to improve students' skills in reading and performing rhythms by giving them the opportunity to play their rhythms on drumming buckets. This program will help students in mastering music academic content standards in rhythm performance and creation. In addition, it will help students to see that materials can be repurposed in order to create music in a fun and motivating manner.
Action Scholastic Magazine - $105
HESCHE WRITING/READING & PHYSICAL ED. Grant
BMMS - 10 special needs students
Staff: Emilee Brightman
Funding from this grant purchases an eight-issue digital and print subscription to the Scholastic magazine, Action for ten special needs students taught by Mrs. Brightman. Access to Action provides engaging and differentiated socially approriate materials to students with high learning and social needs. This magazine’s feature “Teen of the Month,” will be utilized for social/emotional education in English Language Arts and Social Skills classes. Students will see themselves reflected in these high interest reading materials and hopefully engage in more meaningful learning.
Life Skills Student Enterprise: Titans Dog Treats - $200
BHS CLASS OF ’72 Grant
BMMS - 25 special needs students interacting with gen. ed. students throughout the building
Staff: Denyse Fissel
Mrs. Fissel identified a need for 7th and 8th grade students at BMMS to improve their adaptive living and job-readiness skills. She sought to build those skills using real-world activities through the development of a student-run dog treats "business." Students will collect orders, make treats, cook treats, bag treats, collect money and deliver treats to teachers in the building. This is a "student enterprise" that is not intended to be for-profit but instead money earned will be put back into the business for supplies and additional equipment. This program will address living skills, communication skills, money handling/math skills, adaptive living skills, functional reading, following a schedule, following procedures, attendance, working together, planning, time management, and baking.
Brook Park Elementary Library Story Time & Theater - $890
SLUMBER PARTY LIBRARY Grant in memory of of Dottie Bowers & in honor of Rhoda Rosen
Brook Park Elem. - approximately 900 students
Staff: Katina Anagnostou
Mrs. Anagnostou, library media specialist for Brook Park Elementary school, wanted to provide creative experiences for students. She requested funds to purchase various books, puppets, plush characters, and a theater to enrich students’ creativity. The library theater is being used to share stories with students in the library and to encourage the use of imagination.
College and Career Promotional Materials - $400
IMAGINE! EXPLORE THE ARTS grant in memory of Joanna Pusti Grant
BMHS - any students who wish to participate in the school-wide competitions
Staff: Dawn Ruebensaal
Mrs. Ruebensaal, College & Career Readiness Counselor at BMHS, identified the opportunity for students in the Polaris SignPro Shop program to create and produce exciting college and career materials. Students in Mrs. Burchett’s design classes created infographic posters about various careers in a competition for the best designs. The top students will work together to make a complete collection of posters that include career potential, pay, training requirements, and other information. The full collection of posters will be displayed in BMHS.
Buckets Galore! - $200
IMAGINE! EXPLORE THE ARTS grant in memory of Joanna Pusti Grant
Brook Park Elem. - approx 400 students
Staff: John Chapman
Mr. Chapman requested this grant to institute a bucket drumming unit with students in grades 1-4. Bucket drumming is a fun and motivational way for students to read, write, and perform a variety of rhythms alone and with others. He hopes to improve students' skills in reading and performing rhythms by giving them the opportunity to play their rhythms on drumming buckets. This program will help students in mastering music academic content standards in rhythm performance and creation. In addition, it will help students to see that materials can be repurposed in order to create music in a fun and motivating manner.
Action Scholastic Magazine - $105
HESCHE WRITING/READING & PHYSICAL ED. Grant
BMMS - 10 special needs students
Staff: Emilee Brightman
Funding from this grant purchases an eight-issue digital and print subscription to the Scholastic magazine, Action for ten special needs students taught by Mrs. Brightman. Access to Action provides engaging and differentiated socially approriate materials to students with high learning and social needs. This magazine’s feature “Teen of the Month,” will be utilized for social/emotional education in English Language Arts and Social Skills classes. Students will see themselves reflected in these high interest reading materials and hopefully engage in more meaningful learning.
Life Skills Student Enterprise: Titans Dog Treats - $200
BHS CLASS OF ’72 Grant
BMMS - 25 special needs students interacting with gen. ed. students throughout the building
Staff: Denyse Fissel
Mrs. Fissel identified a need for 7th and 8th grade students at BMMS to improve their adaptive living and job-readiness skills. She sought to build those skills using real-world activities through the development of a student-run dog treats "business." Students will collect orders, make treats, cook treats, bag treats, collect money and deliver treats to teachers in the building. This is a "student enterprise" that is not intended to be for-profit but instead money earned will be put back into the business for supplies and additional equipment. This program will address living skills, communication skills, money handling/math skills, adaptive living skills, functional reading, following a schedule, following procedures, attendance, working together, planning, time management, and baking.
Brook Park Elementary Library Story Time & Theater - $890
SLUMBER PARTY LIBRARY Grant in memory of of Dottie Bowers & in honor of Rhoda Rosen
Brook Park Elem. - approximately 900 students
Staff: Katina Anagnostou
Mrs. Anagnostou, library media specialist for Brook Park Elementary school, wanted to provide creative experiences for students. She requested funds to purchase various books, puppets, plush characters, and a theater to enrich students’ creativity. The library theater is being used to share stories with students in the library and to encourage the use of imagination.
