Southborough Education Foundation

SEF Awards Over $36,000 to New Programs in Schools

The Southborough Education Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2011-2012 grants.  These grants are made possible by your generous donations.  If you have not yet joined SEF, please become a member and help the teachers and staff bring innovative educational programs to your children.

Grant Recipients for the 2011-2012 School Year following the SEF Awards Breakfast

Livescribe Pulse Smartpens in the Science Classrooms
Lorraine Zanini, Algonquin Regional High School -$2859.00
The Algonquin Science Department will implement the use of Livescribe Smartpen technology to enhance instruction in the science classroom.  This new pen has a built-in digital recorder that allows teachers to record lectures while taking handwritten notes.  These recordings, with the corresponding notes, can be uploaded to a computer and posted to the internet.  Educators will utilize the smartpens and pencasts to revolutionize classroom learning through prerecorded lectures along with in-class capture.  These lessons can then be linked to teacher websites and accessed by students who need to hear and see the lectures repeated.

Digital Artists
Lynne Maynard, Beth DePasquale, P. Brent Trottier -$2000.00
30 Wacom Bamboo Pen and Touch Tablets have been awarded to Trottier for use in 6^thgrade computer classes and 8^th grade elective classes.  The graphic tablets are computer input devices that will allow students to hand-draw images and graphics similar to the way they would draw images with a pencil and paper.  The Wacom Tablets will enable students to create original works of art, retouch photos and artwork and produce presentations more effectively than using a traditional mouse.

Green Screen at Trottier
Lynne Maynard, Lori Gompf, P. Brent Trottier Middle School -$1195.56
The Green Screen is a new instructional and presentation tool to be used at all grade levels at Trottier Middle School.  This exciting technology will allow students to work in cooperative groups to create movies that will visually demonstrate the knowledge they have gained in their Science classes.  Additionally, the students will develop organizational skills and creativity while working together on their productions.

African Drums at Neary
Stephen Curtis, Margaret Neary Elementary School -$3021.90
An African drum group will be created and African drumming will be incorporated into the regular curriculum for all percussionists at Neary School.  This African drum project will give students the experience of world music and work toward solidifying their own rhythmic ability.  This fun and exciting program will greatly enrich the music program at Neary.

Math Workshop
Kristin Theve, Kelly Farrell, Margaret Neary Elementary School -$7281.70
A Math Workshop will be implemented in all 4^th grade classrooms in order to increase student math achievement at all levels.  Through this project, classroom teachers will have access to a variety of resources to differentiate math instruction on a daily basis and in a more individualized manner.  Students will gain a deeper understanding of math concepts and benefit from this workshop-based approach because it will be personalized to meet their mathematical learning needs.

Stability Balls in the Classroom
Nicole Boloz, David Finneran, Kristin Theve, Margaret Neary Elementary School -$924.00
Stability ball seating during small group lessons will be introduced at Neary in the regular and special education classroom.  Sitting on stability balls will help the children have better focus and attention through “active sitting”, which fulfills a child’s need for movement in a non-disruptive way.

iRead
Lisa Guccione, Katie Nordman, Amy Benford, Albert S. Woodward Memorial School -$4580.00
Twenty iPod Touches have been awarded to increase reading fluency of all 2^nd and 3^rdgraders at Woodward School.  These devices will be used as part of the daily reading curriculum, allowing children to record and review their own voices while reading.  This immediate audio feedback will engage and motivate the students in their own learning.  Self- and teacher- evaluations of recorded readings will significantly improve students’ fluency and comprehension.

Interactive Computer Lab
Beth DePasquale, Mary Finn School – $2,275.00
A permanent, wall-mounted whiteboard has been added to the Finn Computer Lab to facilitate student learning of new software and concepts.  The interactive nature of the whiteboards allows for active student involvement during instruction and engages students by allowing them to participate in their lessons.

Snowshoeing in Southborough
Dale Burgess, Tom McCabe, Mary Finn School -$1750.00
The addition of a complete set of snowshoes will expand the Physical Education program at Finn.  Snowshoeing in Southborough will benefit the students physically and lay the foundation for a new lifelong winter activity.  Snowshoeing expands the selection of activities available for exercise during winter months and may also enhance a child’s enjoyment and appreciation of our seasons.

Summer Bright Ideas!
Barbara Johnson, Nicole McMahon, Rhoda Webb, Southborough Public Schools -$1100.00
This innovative program, created by the English Language Learners Committee, reaches out to culturally and linguistically diverse families in the Southborough community.  Summer Bright Ideas! is an evening event where parents and educators will gather to explore approaches to promote child literacy skills as well as methods to prevent language and academic regression during summer vacation.   Local representatives from the Northborough and Southborough public libraries, the Town Recreation Departments and the YMCA will be in attendance to provide information about resources available during summer months to maintain academic competency.

Please join today and support future grants.  Your contribution is tax-deductible.

FAQ

What is the Southborough Education Foundation (SEF)?
The Southborough Education Foundation (SEF) is a nonprofit, all volunteer organization, founded in 1998 to raise and distribute funds via grants to the public K-8 schools of Southborough and to Algonquin Regional High School.

What does SEF do?
The mission of the SEF is to provide private funding, through community support for innovative and challenging programs that enhance the educational excellence of the Southborough public schools.  With the current budgetary environments of both the town and state, the school budgets are increasingly focused on providing the basic needs to our schools.  Providing enhancements to the curriculum remain secondary, and often get cut during the budgeting process.  Through SEF, we can continue to bring new programs into our schools and improve the educational experiences of our students.

What are the criteria for funding grants set in the SEF by-laws?
SEF awards grants for innovative and creative programs that enhance, but do not duplicate, the standard public school curriculum, and that would not otherwise be funded through the traditional school budget.

Priority consideration is given to proposals that:

• demonstrate innovation
• invite cooperative learning
• have a broad impact on the school system, and
• support the goals of the Southborough and Northborough-Southborough Regional School Districts.

How many grants have been funded?
In the past ten years, SEF has funded 84 regular grants and 17 mini-grants for a total of approximately $175,000.

What is the process for applying for a grant?
Grant applications are available each year and can be found in any of the town’s public schools, or on our website www.southboroughed.org.   Any teacher, administrator, parent or member of the community may apply for a grant.

A committee consisting of the school principal, teacher, and a Board member review grant requests before being reviewed by the SEF Board of Directors.  Grants must meet the grant criteria specified in the SEF by-laws in order to be eligible for funding.  All eligible grants are voted on by the SEF Board of Directors to determine which ones will be funded and for what amounts.