Edfund Grants

Edfund grants funded this fiscal year

Elementary Schools
Miles River Middle School
H-W Regional High School
District Wide and Multiple Schools

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Elementary Schools

Name: iPads
Applicant: Elementary school principals
Beneficiary: Buker, Cutler, Winthrop
Grant: $22,000
Purchase supported: This grant purchased 30 iPads, 10 for each elementary school, for a pilot program to investigate the potential for using these devices in the elementary classroom.

Name: Mainely Stars Planetarium
Applicant: Susan Lucia
Beneficiary: Cutler Elementary School, Grade 5
Grant: $800
Purchase supported: A presentation inside of an inflatable planetarium of the planets and stars of the solar system.

Name: Marine Biologist
Applicant: Nancy Duffy
Beneficiary: Cutler Elementary School, Grade 2
Grant: $390
Purchase supported: Visit by Marine Biologist Ellen Goethel provided a hands-on experience of tide pools.

Name: Display Boards for Arts/Theatre
Applicant: Kendall Georges/Jean Bailey
Beneficiary: Cutler, K-5
Grant: $769
Purchase supported: Purchase of mobile display boards for use in displaying student art work, and for use as back drops for stage performances.

Name: Bringing the Northeast Region to Life
Applicant: Mark Williams
Beneficiary: Winthrop, Grade 4
Grant: $750
Purchase supported: Two visits from Pat Bade, an expert on teaching about first inhabitants in a non stereotypical way. The presentation includes hand-on artifacts and engaging stories.

Name: Pioneer Village and “Cry Innocent”
Applicant: Linda Penniman/Patti Miller
Beneficiary: Buker, Grade 3
Grant: $990
Purchase supported: Field trip to Salem’s Pioneer Village, which supports the MA state frameworks on studying early Massachusetts history. Also includes a performance of “Cry Innocent: the People vs Bridget Bishop,” which offers insight into the Puritan mind during the Salem Witch hysteria.

Name: Supporting Literacy Development
Applicant: Mary Adamik and Carey Greene
Beneficiary: Cutler, first grade classes
Grant: $918
Purchase supported: Funds will purchase a leveled library of books for home reading use by parents. This will ensure that all children have access high-quality books at the same reading level, which supports reading literacy.

Name: Composting Bins
Applicant: Kali Reynolds and Linda Mastrianni
Beneficiary: Buker, Grades K-5
Grant: $800
Purchase supported: Purchase of one locking-lid compost bin for every classroom. Supports and reinforces the towns-wide organic waste program. Students will learn about composting organic waste rather than throwing it in the trash. A field trip to Brick Ends Farm in Hamilton to observe the composting facility there for the 4th grade in support of the Earth Science curriculum is also included.

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Miles River Middle School

Name: An Artist's Trip to Italy
Applicant: Sheila Boss-Concannon
Beneficiary: Middle School, grades 6-8
Grant: $200
Purchase supported: Former HWRSD, and Current Montserrat College of Art teacher Charlie Allen will spend a day at the middle school sharing photos of his travels and paintings created while traveling in Italy, and will conduct a drawing lesson. Planned for March 2011.

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H-W Regional High School

Name: Additional Virtual Classroom
Applicant: Matthew Fox
Beneficiary: High School, grades 9-12
Grant: $24,250 (funds to be disbursed from 2011 allocation)
Purchase supported: An expansion of the Virtual High School (VHS) seats from 25 to 50. VHS allows students to take interest-based courses that cannot be offered at the Regional. The EdFund has made a three-year commitment to expand the VHS program by one classroom, 25 seats per semester. To begin in September 2011.

Name: PreCore Fitness Cycles
Applicant: James LaSelva
Beneficiary: High school athletes, wellness program, and general  use by students/faculty
Grant: $4,380
Purchase supported: Purchase of two PreCore fitness cycles, which enable users to monitor their heart rate and other fitness metrics.

Name: New Beginnings Assembly
Applicant: James LaSelva
Beneficiary: High school, grades 9-12
Grant: $800
Purchase supported: A/ speaker, Bill Phillips, will come and speak to the students in a unique and engaging way about substance abuse and the dangers of making poor decisions. This school-wide assembly will provide students with accurate facts and statistics of the harmful effects of drugs. There will also be an evening presentation for parents and members of the community to attend. Planned for April 2011.

Name: Laptop for Virtual High School (VHS) Students
Applicant: Natalie Morrison
Beneficiary: Students taking virtual high school courses
Grant: $1,400
Purchase supported: High school students taking VHS courses, particularly those who take language courses requiring the use of sound.wav recordings.

Name: Hamlet Performance/Workshop
Applicant: Shelly Karren
Beneficiary: High School, grades 11-12
Grant: $2,300
Purchase supported: A team of seven Shakespeare & Company actor/teachers will come to the school and perform a 90-minute production of Hamlet. It will be followed by a workshop with the students. This program dovetails with the 11th grade British Literature curriculum, which includes study of Hamlet, as well as the theatre program. Planned for March 2011.

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District Wide and Multiple Schools

Name: WiFi
Applicant: Matthew Fox
Beneficiary: Middle School and High School, grades 6-12
Grant: up to $50,000
Purchase supported: A wireless system that will set the stage for future mobile computer labs, iPad/tablet labs, and student use of personal computers. Entering the wireless age on campus will enable the next wave of educational technology. Planned for summer 2011.

Name: Area Microphones (four)
Applicant: Christopher Shailor
Beneficiary: Middle and high school performers in Ferrini auditorium
Grant: $816
Purchase supported: Purchased four area microphones for use in on-stage musical and theatrical performances.  These microphones had previously been rented for each performance as needed.

Name: Professional Development funding for “Studying Skillful Teaching”
Applicant: Kay Scheidler, Director of Educational Services
Beneficiary: Entire school district, K-12
Grant: $8,500
Purchase supported: This program trains up to 25 teachers to establish a strong base of core beliefs about the capability of all students to learn at high levels, provide teachers with the strategies and understanding to effectively implement high-level learning in their classrooms. It also develops teacher confidence and learn strategies to be effective in the classroom, and instills common beliefs and practices across schools and content areas on how to identify and teach to different learning styles.

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