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The
2008 grant awards are targeted to
help address the budget shortfalls and fund the personnel,
curricular support and technology resources needed to maintain
the high quality education our children need for today’s 21st
century global economy.
2008 TOTAL GRANTS of
$269,002
$106,742
/The Many Hands Project
The Many Hands Project, an
unrestricted gift to the Board of Education, is dedicated to
providing financial support directed at reducing the budget
shortfall. The gift allows the Board of Education to assess the
entire K-12 program and apply the funds where they are most
needed.
The initial launch of this
collaborative effort involving parents, teachers, students and
administration took place in Spring 2007. In Fall 2007, The
Many Hands Project was incorporated into the Foundation’s Annual
Giving Campaign as a designated giving option. Funds from our
newest fund-raiser, the M-T Community 5K Run/Walk also benefit
The Many Hands Project.
The proceeds from this grant were
used to fund teaching and support staff needs for the 2008/2009
school year.
$60,000/Information and Technology Implementation Specialist
Grant will fund one full-time
K-12 Information and Technology Implementation Specialist. The
need for the position is driven by the large number of new K-12
initiatives that will be implemented during the 2008/2009 school
year and the reduction in the District’s technology budget.
Initiatives will increase staff efficiencies allowing them more
time to assess student needs. Our district superintendent has
indicated the position was filled by a current MTSD staff
member.
The specialist will train and
assist teachers, administrators, support staff, parents and
students in the use of the new technology. Initiatives include:
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Increased parental access to
student grades and grade level curriculum
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Parental emergency
notification and communication system
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Upgraded, user-friendly
district web site including a special education web site
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Establish central location
for staff’s immediate access to student records
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Transition from eBlackboard
to the Moodle on-line learning model resulting in a savings
of $46,000/year.
$58,760
KILT Fund /Technology Fund
“SMART Board Interactive
Classroom Packages”
Funds will
be used to purchase SMART Board Interactive Classroom Packages
for our six schools. By combining the simplicity of a
whiteboard with the power of a computer, the SMART Board engages
students in an exciting and motivating way.
Studies
have shown that using a SMART Board in the classroom
significantly increases student attention and improves
information recall. Students are engaged visually and tactilely
and as a result students become more successful.
Teachers
save time and gain flexibility in presenting visual materials
designing lesson plans. SMART Boards allow staff to save
classroom notes and post them on their website for parents and
students to view.
$35,000/Middle School Literacy Specialist
The grant will restore /
re-establish? one full-time Literacy Specialist at the middle
school level. As a result of the grant each middle school will
have a full-time Literacy Specialist for the 2008/09 school
year. Specialists will lead differentiated literacy instruction
for students of all academic abilities and provide staff
development to teachers. The position supports the district’s
literacy action plan and belief that reading is a skill all
teachers can enhance.
In 2007, the Foundation funded
similar positions at each of our elementary schools.
$5,000/FASTT Math Software
In
partnership with the MTSD, math intervention software will be
purchased for our three elementary schools. FASTT Math
automatically differentiates instruction based on each student’s
individual fluency levels in customized, 10-minute daily
sessions. The target audience is students in grades 2 through 5
who require additional support learning addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division facts.
$3,500/Donor Designated Grants
Individual donors have funded
these grants to meet specific needs throughout the school
district. The use of these funds is designated by the donor and
includes funding items such as staff enrichment opportunities
and co-curricular programs.
TOTAL GRANTS $269,002
TEACHER
AWARD
Generous community members have
established a teaching award at the elementary school level. The
award is made annually in June to a staff member who
demonstrates exemplary conduct in the preparation of students
for continuing their education. In 2008, Cheryl Figg, 4th grade
teacher at Donges Bay Elementary, was chosen as the recipient of
the Range Line School Excellence in Teaching Award.
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