2012 Grants

The Eastchester School Foundation continues its mission to enrich academics, the arts, and the athletic programs for all students. The following are the varied and exciting initiatives made possible by grants from the Foundation in 2012.

Eastchester High School

Teaching Artists in the Classroom

Bringing teachers into the classroom will enrich the artistic educational experience for our students. By presenting direct encounters with artists this will offer our students a multitude of artistic perspectives, and exposure to professional level work. These experiences will help to foster a greater appreciation of the arts, broaden their experience, and deepen their ability to think critically.

Program Sponsor: S. Vigliani

Eastchester Middle School

Creating Pencasts with Livescribe Digital Pens

Provide Livescribe, a paper-based computing platform that consists of a digital pen, paper and software applications, to enable students to create pencasts. EMS students will be able to create pencasts on curriculum topics related to their study of digitals citizenship and literacy in grade 6. Students in grade 7 will be able to create pencasts related to topics in their Exploring Problems and Issues course. Students in grade 8 will be able to do the same in their Independent Inquiry course.

Program Sponsor: J. Blaser

Digital Denizens

Provide additional MacBooks and iWork programs to support the Library Info 6 curriculum focused on Digital Citizenship, the use of technology responsibly and ethically. These will help increase the exposure time and active engagement for students working on this project.

Program Sponsor: H. Murtha

Project Rewind

Provide a program from Nurses’ Network of America that focuses on the dangers of alcohol toxicity and the steps teens can take to save a friend. This informative presentation covers the dangers of binge drinking, corrects the myths associated with alcohol, and provides relevant facts and helps students make appropriate decisions.

Program Sponsor: D. Salierno

The Scooter Project

An in-class workshop designed to develop basic mechanical and teamwork skills through the restoration of a fourth Vespa by technology students.

Program Sponsor: T. Boissonnault

Anne Hutchinson School

Utmost-Compost Nutrition and Green Crusade

Provide supplies necessary for students to cultivate the earth, compost their food and grow vegetables, flowers and plants. In their PE class students will learn about the impact of their positive contributions on their environment in relation to physical activity and their overall well-being.

Program Sponsors: A. Guarniero, J. Tomczak & S. O’Connor

Hands on Learning

Provide materials necessary for students to explore a different approach to traditional text book learning. Struggling learners require additional support and benefit from working in small groups where instruction can be differentiated to meet individual needs. These materials will reinforce technology, mathematics, reading and writing.

Program Sponsor: C. Urena

Interactive Classroom

Provide materials that will allow students to learn, review, and apply skills and strategies that were previously taught in ELA and mathematics. All of the materials will be utilized on the SMART Board or on individual computers. The major components are CD-ROM interactive games for reading and math which will allow students to compete individually or on teams.

Program Sponsor: L. Valentine

Greenvale School

SRA Reading Lab

Provide supplies necessary for building student comprehension through differentiated learning. SRA

Reading Laboratory will be a valuable supplement to the core reading program by providing practice in phonics, decodable code, timed reading fluency, comprehension, vocabulary, and literature. SRA is an excellent resource for students to become self-motivated independent learners.

Program Sponsor: T. Gamils

Language Centers: Word Study Activities

Word study is a systematic instruction in phonics spelling and vocabulary at a learner’s instructional level. It teaches students to examine words and study patterns of the English language. These are hands on, differentiated skill building activities that can be used independently or in small groups.

Program Sponsors: C. Anctil and C. Spana

Math Learning Centers

Provide students with motivating ways to practice, reinforce and enhance important math skills and concepts. The math stations will focus on important math concepts with engaging hands-on activities and an assessment to track the student’s progress.

Program Sponsors: C. Anctil and C. Spana

Waverly School

Waverly Comes Alive on Stage

Provide supplies needed to create a stage and backdrop. This project will enrich the school programs already in use and make them deliver their message with more impact. Creating a theater in multiple locations in the school building will allow us to produce shows for the parents and student body.

Program Sponsor: J. Batz

Future Engineers

Provide materials necessary to encourage students to participate in some basic principles of engineering and physics. Students will be given the opportunity to enhance problem solving skills, strategizing, and critical and creative thinking by providing a variety of materials in a learning environment.

Program Sponsor: J. Garrett

Kindergarten Memory Book

Provide supplies necessary for the construction of incoming kindergarten student memory books, which will help prepare students for their entry into Waverly’s full day program and include various basic learning activities.

Program Sponsor: J. Casey