2020 Grants

$500.00 “Work Smarter, Not Harder”: Bobby Summers Middle School, Lindsey Wilkins

Currently, teachers are overwhelmed trying to transform their effective in-person materials to effective online materials. The program is upgraded once the fees are paid, and it is very simple to use. It walks you through each step. I have also shown a few other teachers how to use it properly, and we will provide a small training to guide all the other teachers.

$470.95 No More Tapping: Ouida Baley Middle School, Candace Harris

Students with sensory needs are underserved in the middle school setting. Most students feel they should "outgrown" the need for fidgets, weighted lap pads, and bouncy bands. This grant will allow middle school student to use more social appropriate fidgets to meet sensory needs.

$2,000.00 Stock The Stacks: Royse City High School, Elizabeth Payne

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic and far-reaching impact on school programming, and the library is no exception. When schools closed abruptly in March, hundreds of books and library materials were still checked out to students. As we have returned this fall, it has become apparent that many of those items will never be recovered. Students have moved away, graduated, or simply lost their books over time. With economic hardships facing many of our families, it has been impossible to recover the cost of lost and missing books from many students. At the high school, there are 374 books that have been determined to have been lost due to Covid. The average cost to replace a library-bound book is $24.17, which makes the total financial loss for the library over $9000. While it will not be possible to replace all of these lost books, it is necessary to replace the most popular and relevant titles to ensure the relevance of the high school library collection. The current budget for the high school library is $6720, which includes costs for library supplies, book repair and maintenance, database subscriptions, as well as books. This grant would be used to specifically replace titles that have been lost due to the pandemic, which will allow me to maintain my library budget for normal operating expenses.

$2,500.00 Scott Story Walk: Scott Elementary, Sarah Jackson, Amanda Gallaway, Maria Holmberg,

Ashley Buchheit, Wilma Watson

How do we make learning memorable? A student's learning style is one of the most important factors in determining their abilities, making it vitally important to examine how we teach our students. This leads us to ask: how are we most effective at learning and retaining information? Is it when we are hearing, seeing, doing, creating, or some combination of the above? Kinesthetic learning takes this model to the next level by connecting the different ways in which we learn, and this process enables a more effective understanding and retention of information. A Scott Story Walk will allow us to combine our campus and district desire to make reading engaging, effective and most of all kinesthetic which in return makes reading more memorable

$1,300.00 Bring Back The Books!: Herndon Elementary, Nichole Hahn

$2,500.00 The Book Is Always Better /Book Vending Machine: Cherry Elementary, Dawn Jordan and Jodi Goodman

Being a Title 1 school can come with many challenges. We have many low socio-economic students and buying a book to read is the last thing on the list for their home finances. The main concern of their households is to keep a roof over their head and food on the table. To become better at reading, a student needs to practice. They need to have exposure to many reading materials. Seeing a child's eyes light up when they receive something new, that they are going to get to keep is awesome. The State, the district, and the campus are all concerned about helping these students improve in their reading skills. Reading skills are a necessity to be successful in every subject. You can't read a math word problem, a history lesson, instructions for a science experiment, or even words in a song if you can not read. Not only can a book vending machine help in the area of reading but also in behavior. If the students see one of their favorite books in the vending machine and they know that if they excel in their behavior they might receive a token, then they will work to earn that. Having the ability to provide a book vending machine to our students is going to help in so many ways and especially to follow the school districts mission to provide meaningful and innovative educational experiences that cultivate a passion for learning.

$1,300.00 The Adventure Begins In The Library: Cherry Elementary, Dawn Jordan

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic and far-reaching impact on school programming, and the library is no exception. When schools closed abruptly in March, hundreds of books and library materials were still checked out to students. As we have returned this fall, it has become apparent that many of those items will never be recovered. . At Ruth Cherry Elementary l, there are 757 books that have been determined to have been lost due to Covid. The average cost to replace a library-bound book is $24.17, which makes the total financial loss for the library well over $10,000. While it will not be possible to replace all of these lost books, it is necessary to replace the most popular and relevant titles to ensure the relevance of the elementary school library collection. This grant would be used to specifically replace titles that have been lost due to the pandemic, which will allow me to maintain my library budget for normal operating expenses.

$2,084.40 Chime In with the MMV Belles & Beaus! : Vernon Elementary, Kathryn To'afa

It’s time to *ring* in a new era at Miss May Vernon Elementary! The Miss May Vernon Elementary Music Room is requesting two sets of handchimes. Handchimes are like a fancy vertical bell that anyone can play. Generally, a student holds one or two bells to play and it takes a large group of people to perform a song. Each student is a certain musical note and, when played with the correct timing, all of the bells join together to play a familiar tune. Handchimes are definitely a community instrument as it takes all of them ringing together to make a song successful! Is this a challenge for our Bulldogs? Absolutely! Can our Miss May Vernon Bulldogs rise to the occasion? Absolutely - clear as a bell! This instrument takes teamwork, determination, and grit. I believe our students at Miss May Vernon possess all of these characteristics and this would be an excellent opportunity for our Bulldogs to grow, not only as musicians, but as individuals.

$1,300.00 Stock the Stacks: Ouida Baley Middle School, Andrea Lara

$2,298.00 Be Different, Think Different: Vernon Elementary, Allee Pence, Lauren Trommer, Shaun Belcher, Sandra Garcia

We currently serve 13 students total. Two of these students are online and the other 11 are in person. The dynamic of my classroom is something so special. We have students who are verbal & non-verbal, Students who can independently write using a pencil and paper, and students who require hand over hand assistance to complete any work in the classroom. Imagine this if you can. Three adults to eleven students. Three of those students require a one on one ( full time assistance & support) and the others still require your assistance and attention. I have two non-verbal students and 11 students who are verbal. I have 6 students who can write and 7 students who require hand over hand assistance. Yes, that means we have to place our hands on theirs to help them write… Can you even imagine? This is our daily life. We have students in here who are so capable of being more independent, but we don’t have the technology to do so. We currently have 4 iPads that are functioning. We used to have 5, but recently one of my non-verbal students was allowed to use it for his communication (Which is the BEST)! We are so grateful for the iPads we do have, but sadly they are old, outdated, and in desperate need of some love. We use the iPads we have to do daily work, IEP Data Collection, and for education apps. COVID has blessed me in the sense that I have grown my technology resources tremendously. Before COVID I had no idea what Seesaw was or even Boom Cards. We use both of these apps daily. Accommodations and modifications are a part of our daily lives. With technology that makes those things a whole lot easier. Instead of our students needing us to cut items out they can be already cut thanks to Seesaw. All of my students are on different levels too! I have to print out three different levels of work just for 11 students! Can you imagine the amount of trees I kill in a week??? These things might seem minor to you or you might not fully understand the things we go through everyday, but I can tell you this. My students would benefit tremendously if we are awarded this grant. The iPads slogan is “Think Different”. How fitting for my class. We are the epitome of different. We think differently, we communicate differently, and we think different EVERY SINGLE DAY! They deserve the chance to grow and become more independent.

$2,133.33 Inside the Music Studio - Feel Connected, From a Distance: Fort Elementary, Brody Ross and Christina Lee

This year we face a very difficult challenge because without our programs we eliminate our students ability to express their artistry to their loved ones. The pride and ownership they gain from this experience is priceless. Students look forward to certain rights of passage that each grade level brings, and this particular year we cannot move forward with our traditional programming. We need to think beyond what we know and move towards a virtual stage where kids can share their gifts in a safe environment. We expect a very positive outcome from the kids and the parents. Having the tools to keep our traditions and performances going should be a priority in these unprecedented times. Therefore, by adding the additional element of teaching students how to use and take care of our equipment, traditionally found in a music studio, this opens up the opportunity to learn through adversity, teaching responsibility, think critically to find solutions to a variety of problems, and will stand the test of time regardless of what challenges or pandemics stand in our way. Because, “the performance must go on!”

$2,443.25 The Fort Walkabout: Fort Elementary, Christina Lee and Amber Hutcheson

Have you ever taken a Walkabout? A journey of growth and reflection is not just for Australians anymore. Our Fort Walkabout is a reading trail journey that has the potential to take us on any adventure, where our imagination is our only limitation. These 10 outdoor reading storyboards may not seem, at first glance, like an exciting proposal, however, these storyboards are simply a tool to help us transcend our students into any story book, outside, with endless activities at our grasp. Students will visit different parts of a story with natural breaks for comprehension questions, scaffolding, and predictions. They will also be able to revisit a story for clarification and enjoyment after school hours. The best part is that these storyboards do not hold any one book permanently, when in fact they were created to allow the constant change of books to suit our lessons and campus focus.

$1,300.00 Stock The Stacks: Scott Elementary, Julie Geer

$1,300.00 Lost But Not Forgotten: Davis Elementary, Elizabeth O’Neal

$1,300.00 Stock The Stacks: Fort Elementary, Shannon Crowell

$2,500.00 Step Into SEL: Ouida Baley Middle School, Melanie Little, Jennifer Martin, JoAnn Guilford

As children enter their pre-teen and teen years, they begin to show less and less interest and engagement with school. “Research shows significant declines in school participation, interest, and enjoyment, as well as a sense of belonging across the middle school years.” This decline is in part due to the structure of school and learning opportunities, as well as the need for teenagers to feel competent and able to relate to others. Research has also shown that Social Emotional Learning has a significant impact in promoting academic achievement and healthy development of students. Students are engaged in academic learning in a place where they feel they have a voice and choice, and where they feel a sense of belonging. We can begin to eliminate these factors by focused learning/lessons geared towards their developmental and psychological needs. Emotionally supportive environments, along with opportunities for exploration, provide motivation for our middle school student

$1,300.00 Restock The Stacks: Vernon Elementary, Christi Mones

The Covid-19 pandemic has had a dramatic and far-reaching impact on school programming, and the library is no exception. When schools closed abruptly in March, hundreds of books and library materials were still checked out to students. At Miss May Vernon, there are 181 books that have been determined to have been lost due to Covid. The average cost to replace a library-bound book is $24.17, which makes the total financial loss for the library over $4000. While it will not be possible to replace all of these lost books, it is necessary to replace the most popular and relevant titles to ensure the relevance of the library collection

$2,335.75 ROBO DAWGS: Taking a Byte Out of Problem Solving: Fort, Davis and Cherry Elementary, Angela Homan, Candace Newport and Rebekah Crenshaw

Coding requires planning, testing, adjusting, and redesigning (reliance and perseverance). Most coding revolves around problem solving and working towards a solution. This can be done individually or in a group. Coding robots to perform tasks makes coding come to life. There is immediate gratification in seeing the robot do what it has been programmed to do. In direct contrast, when the robot does not do what you have programmed, you must problem solve to see where the code broke down and reprogram the robot again. We believe that having students coding challenges throughout the year will lead to more critical thinking and problem solving. Through a series of story-based missions, the teams develop problem-solving, growth mindset, and creativity skills while learning to code and this will culminate in a district and national robotics competition. Having our 5th graders use Dash to teach first graders concepts that are traditionally hard to master will benefit both grade levels district wide. We are asking for a 3 year access to an online coding platform that would also provide teacher training, standards based resources, and cross curricular lessons. We are also asking for accessories to increase the rigor of problem solving for the robots that are already in our program. This grant would be spread across the three feeder schools for Ouida Bailey Middle School and prepare students for the robotics team that has already been established in Middle School.

$2,335.75 ROBO DAWGS: Taking a Byte Out of Problem Solving: Vernon, Herndon and Scott Elementary, Kimberly Villarreal, Samantha Phillips, Jennifer Chaney

$1,915.00 Innovate Intervention!: Scott Elementary, Bethany Bunnell

The students who I currently serve are struggling learners who perform in the 20th percentile or below in reading and math. My sweet students are AMAZING. They surprise me everyday with their motivation to learn. One problem I’ve encountered during my time as an interventionist is the realization that many of my students “miss out” on the time of day when fun stations and technology-based lessons (iPads/Chromebooks) are being implemented in their classrooms. I pull my students for small-group during RTI (Response to Intervention). This is a time of day when each grade-level has an hour to address specific small-group needs of students. While students are pulled back to a teacher’s table, the other students are rotating through stations, which many times include iPad learning time. My students essentially miss this time of day, since they are pulled by me. While our intervention program does have curriculum that we implement each day, there is still weekly time available that my students could be experiencing iPad learning fun, focused on their independent needs or through the use of teacher-implemented iPad lessons.

$2,500.00 C.A.R.E Walk/Corner/Cart: Cherry Elementary, Kayrin Burgess and Jodi Goodman

Elementary school is a time of transition and the needs of elementary students are varied and unique. What is true of all children is the fact that they cannot learn if they do not feel safe and emotionally sound. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs supports this idea. There is no higher priority than meeting the basic needs of children entrusted to the public school in their community. All students deserve to be included in each part of the learning day on our school campuses. To make this inclusivity a possibility, our students need the time, space and tools to grow capacity in navigating diverse, sometimes overwhelming environments and social dynamics. Ruth Cherry Elementary School is dedicated to equipping our students and families with the skills needed to acclimate and make learning possible for all students. The RCISD LEAD Learner Profile communicates that our “students grow intellectually by embracing challenges and adapting.” This grant would offer students who struggle with sensory or behavior challenges with the opportunity to thrive in their learning environment by addressing those challenges with tools and strategies developed to respond to their specific needs

$2,499.00 DRUMFIT: Scott Elementary, Alison Linnert

Many students come to school who have experienced or are experiencing different levels of adversity and trauma. We need to meet them where they are in their development and prime their brains for cognition and healthy structures and functions for appropriate growth and well-being. My students are facing uncertainty with the current global pandemic, not knowing whether or not a potential quarantine will be put in place. DrumFIT will not only build confidence and support core classroom objectives, but it will also help me support my students in the event remote learning becomes necessary. I plan to collaborate with classroom teachers to integrate their objectives into DrumFIT curriculum to support classroom goals. DrumFIT is not only a valuable resource to further academic goals, but will also help support social and emotional needs.