SUMMARY of 2014-15 Innovative Educator Grants
Total Amount Awarded: $35,000
Number of Grants: 22
Number of Schools: 18 Schools
Number of Impacted Students This Year: 5,200 +
Number of Educators: 57
Number of Partners: 36 outside agencies and 2 parent-teacher groups
Number of Projects Utilizing Volunteers: 8
Grant Title: (MINE) Integrated Outdoor Program
School: Springfield High School
Innovative Educator: Ivan Miller, Language Arts Instructor
Grant Dollars: $2,000.00
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Science, Social Science
Grade Levels: 11, 12
Other Educators Involved: James March, Social Studies Teacher, Springfield High School and Sonja Ljungdahl, Science Teacher, Springfield High School
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 32
Description: This project funds MINE an integrated outdoor program through an AP (advanced placement) Literature class. The program combines outdoor literature, Oregon geography and history, leadership and exploration. MINE looks to educate students from diverse academic, cultural, socioeconomic, and ethnic backgrounds about local geography, leadership, nature writing, while providing a foundation for environmental education and stewardship. The funds will help purchase books, cameras, expedition backpacking gear, and travel costs. Partners: The 2013 senior class, the high school principal, University of Oregon Environmental Leadership Program Holden Research and the Northwest Youth Corp.
Grant Title: Educator’s Rising
School: Springfield High School
Innovative Educator: Leslie Watson, Teacher Cadet/Science Teacher
Grant Dollars: $3,000
Subject Areas: Professional/Technical
Grade Levels: 11, 12
Other Educators Involved: Will Ritter, Teacher Cadet/English Teacher at Thurston High School and Kevin Rowan, Assistant Principal, Springfield High School
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 50
Description: The Teacher Cadet Program (TCP) supports Springfield District’s goal to diversify its workforce and build a teaching staff that mirrors our student population. The TCP is the first step in creating a “grow our own” education program. The curriculum presents a combination of educational strategies and best practices, as well as a plethora of demonstrations, lessons and activities. We will use grant funds to support student opportunities and to purchase books and materials for hands-on educational projects students will use for younger students. Partners: Springfield’s TeachOregon Project, Chalkboard Project, Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, WOU, Lane Community College, University of Oregon, Pacific University, Springfield’s Teacher Leader Cadre, Springfield Public Schools Administration and Leadership and various SPS elementary schools
Grant Title: Our Community Inspires Healthy Lifestyles
School: Springfield High School
Innovative Educator: Leslie Watson, Science Teacher
Grant Dollars: $984.27
Subject Areas: Physical Education, Science
Grade Levels: 10, 11, 12
Other Educators Involved: 20
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 25
Description: Exercise Physiology students will learn about and test scientific research supporting benefits of exercise, such as lowering resting heart rate, increasing maximum volume of oxygen consumption (VO2 Max) during exercise, and increasing skeletal muscle strength. This project offers students additional fitness and community activities beyond the vicinity of our school to develop a healthy lifestyle. This grant will fund students’ entry into the RunFit Challenge, as well as exercise equipment and transportation to training opportunities. Partners: Springfield High School staff and administrators, Mt. Pisgah Management, Willamalane Sports Center, Crossfit Revival and International Fitness.
Grant Title: Scientific Mystery Explorations
School: Springfield High School
Innovative Educator: Sonja Ljungdahl, Teacher
Grant Dollars: $500.00
Subject Areas: Science
Grade Levels: 10, 11, 12
Other Educators Involved: 24
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 35
Description: Our project offers students a non-traditional lens through which to acquire traditional science skills. Throughout the duration of the project students will work through various mystery scenarios to gain evidence, by scientific analysis, which will allow them to “solve” each mystery. In addition, students will learn important social and leadership skills by working in small student-led groups to design and implement the final product of the project: a series of short video mysteries. The grant purchases materials for the experiments and a flip-cam.
Grant Title: RISE Higher
School: Gateways High School
Innovative Educator: Paul Weill, Principal
Grant Dollars: $3,000.00
Subject Areas: Fine Arts, Foreign Language, Language Arts, Math, Music, Physical Education, Professional/Technical, Science, Social Science, Theater/Drama
Grade Levels: 11, 12
Other Educators Involved: Holly Ellingson, Science Teacher and Janet Nelson, Language Arts Teacher.
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 152
Description: The objective of Project RISE Higher is to foster aspirations in each student to “rise higher” and consider higher education as a future goal despite prior struggles and negative attitudes about school. Funding from SEF will help support our efforts to expose students to higher education through a series of field trips to Oregon’s colleges and universities. (Partners: Donors Choose to visit Southern Oregon University (SOU) the Oregon Shakespeare Theater, Portland State University (PSU), North Star Coin and Jewelry, parent Dara Cisnerous and Papa’s Pizza.
Grant Title: STEM Lego Lab Classrooms
School: Centennial Elementary
Innovative Educator: Jeremy Hugo, Classroom Teacher/Technology Coordinator
Grant Dollars: $3,000.00
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Math, Professional/Technical, Science, Social Science
Grade Levels: 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: Mike Maulding and Hillary Galloway, Centennial teachers
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 142
Description: Fourth and fifth grade students will be able to build LEGO models featuring working motors and sensors; program their models; and explore a series of cross-curricular, theme-based activities while developing their skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as language, literacy, and social studies. Partners: All six fourth and fifth grade teachers at Centennial. Parents, grandparents, and volunteers will be welcomed and encouraged to come and assist and participate in the Lego Learning Labs.
Grant Title: Farm to School Program
School: Guy Lee Elementary
Innovative Educator: Heidi VanBrunt, 4th/5th Grade Teacher
Grant Dollars: $1,000.00
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Math, Physical Education, Science, Social Science
Grade Levels: 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: 9
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 90
Description: Students will participate in a comprehensive Farm to School Program which includes an introductory lesson on where food comes from and how its grown, a field trip to the FOOD for Lane County Youth Farm, a harvest meal during which students create a snack or meal with food they harvested themselves on the farm, school garden sessions and a nutrition lesson. Partners: Willamette Farm and Food Coalition and FOOD for Lane County Youth Farm.
Grant Title: After School String Chamber
School: Hamlin Middle School
Innovative Educator: Karen Bodeen, Music Teacher
Grant Dollars: $600.00
Subject Areas: Music
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Other Educators Involved: 1
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 46
Description: The After School String Chamber has grown out of the success of the After School String Studio the Springfield Education Foundation funded last year. The String Chamber will provide the ‘next level’ of learning and performing experience vital to a student’s growth as a musician. The String Chamber will provide intensive instruction, on all Early Release Fridays, from an expert string musician within the community, as well as offer performing opportunities outside the regular school program. Partners: Lane Arts Council of Lane County
Grant Title: Drafting Our Future
School: Hamlin Middle School
Innovative Educator: Ashley LaVelle, Art Teacher
Grant Dollars: $318
Subject Areas: Fine Arts, Math, Professional/Technical, STEAM
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Other Educators Involved: 7
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 400
Description: Drafting will help to move our STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) initiatives forward and familiarize students with the process of scaling, designing and drafting. Such skills prepare our middle school students for high school and beyond. Drafting skills also take design and collaborative group work to the next level. Students can apply and synthesize their ideas to make them come to life.
Grant Title: Middle School Debate Team
School: Hamlin Middle School
Innovative Educator: Kevin Wright, Principal
Grant Dollars: $1,000.00
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Speech and debate
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Other Educators Involved: 18
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 70
Description: The Middle School Debate Team (MSDT) is a partnership involving the middle school principal, volunteer instructors from the University of Oregon, and volunteers from two high schools. So far a total of 70 middle school students have signed up to participate. Research shows that participation in debate improves academic performance, lowers the dropout rate, and enhances job prospects after graduation. Funds will go to team polo shirts and travel expenses. The debate team meets afterschool. This is only the 5th such program in the entire state of Oregon. Partners: University of Oregon student volunteers, University of Oregon instructors and high school students are serving as mentors.
Grant Title: iPads to Help Students Learn English
School: Page Elementary School
Innovative Educator: Andrew Dempsey-Karp, English Language Development Teacher
Grant Dollars: $3,000.00
Subject Areas: Language Arts, English Language Development
Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: Bryan Reed, Riverbend Elementary School
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 747
Description: This project is about using iPads to help Limited English Proficient (LEP) students become proficient in English. iPads can help teachers scaffold rigorous language production and comprehension that may otherwise be difficult for students to understand and learn. When the right educational app is integrated into a content rich lesson, it provides multisensory access to that content. This multimedia platform is a virtual magnet for student engagement and proven dynamo for student learning. Partners: The partners of this project include the four grant participants as well as the 1st-5th grade classroom teachers at Riverbend and Page Elementary Schools.
Grant Title: Make It, Take It, Share It
School: Page Elementary & other schools
Innovative Educator: Lori Hornfelt, Speech-Language Pathologist & Augmentative Communication Specialist
Grant Dollars: $2,791
Subject Areas: Communication/Special Education
Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: Amy Leroy, Speech-Language Pathologist, Yolanda Elementary and Rebecca Morgan, Special Education Coordinator, District Office
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 46
Description: This project will provide technology, materials, and training for teachers and specialists to enable them to design lessons for teaching students with severe communication disorders. Lessons and materials will be shared and a library of the finished materials will be available for checkout. Lesson plans, picture communication boards, and iPad communication files will be posted online for easy access. (Partners: Light It Up Blue Grant, Springfield Special Education Program and school volunteers.
Grant Title: Cutting-Edge National Music Conference
School: Maple Elementary
Innovative Educator: Andria Martin, Music Specialist
Grant Dollars: $715.00
Subject Areas: Music
Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: 5
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 350
Description: This grant will support Andria Martin, Music Specialist in her attendance at the National Orff-Schulwerk conference in the fall of 2015. This conference provides music teachers with the most creative and resourceful lessons and curriculum available today. The conference will provide numerous materials for her current music curriculum. Nowhere else can a music teacher be surrounded by like-minded professionals who inspire the best teaching for elementary children. Andrea will return with a plethora of material to share with her Springfield music colleagues. Partners: The school principal has agreed to provide a substitute teacher while I am attending the conference. Ms. Martin will be contributing several hundred dollars of personal funds for airfare and related travel expenses.
Grant Title: Focus and Engagement for Student Success
School: Maple Elementary School
Innovative Educator: Hayley Orton, Fourth Grade Teacher
Grant Dollars: $2,000
Subject Areas: Foreign Language, Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science
Grade Levels: 4
Other Educators Involved: Natasha Hamilton, Fourth Grade and
Marietta Van Eekeren, Learning Specialist.
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 51
Description: This project will improve reading and writing skills, math achievement, and class participation for fourth grade students. Our fourth graders have tested as the lowest-performing group in our building and among the lowest in the district. This innovative project will address educational barriers with two potent tools. Classroom sound systems and rocking chairs both enhance engagement, learning and performance; together, they can raise significant numbers of students to grade level. Partners: Parent volunteers will contribute an average of 2.25 volunteer hours with the kids every week. District technology employee will install both sound systems at no cost and the school building fund has committed $200 toward this project.
Grant Title: Pedestrian Safety Education
School: Eleven Elementary Schools
Innovative Educator: Emma Newman, Safe Routes to School Coordinator
Grant Dollars: $1,000
Subject Areas: Physical Education, Health, Life Skills
Grade Levels: 2
Other Educators Involved: 22
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 930
Description: The project provides matching funds to provide a 2-day pedestrian safety education course as part of 2nd grade classes in 11 elementary schools across the district doubling the amount of student to participate in this program. The pedestrian safety curriculum consists of one day in the classroom and the second day taking a walk with students to practice their safety skills on the street. The program will be implemented through partnering with City of Eugene Recreation Program’s pedestrian safety education instructors who are trained to teach elementary students safe walking skills. Partners: Oregon Safe Routes to School, City of Eugene Recreation Staff, Parents volunteers, Springfield Safe Routes to School, Point2Point Solutions at Lane Transit District and Oregon Department of Transportation.
Grant Title: Partnership for a Supportive School Culture
School: Agnes Steward Middle School
Innovative Educator: Jeff Fuller, Principal
Grant Dollars: $3,000
Subject Areas: Social Services
Grade Levels: 6, 7, 8
Other Educators Involved: EJ Rotherham, Assistant Principal and
Kate Mather, Counselor
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 572
Description: This project provides the tools and resources to affect a positive change in the lives of young girls, their peers, and the overall culture of at Agnes Stewart through 10 school presentations. This holistic program builds a healthy and nurturing school environment through empowering youth, fostering healthy relationships, and strengthening peer and adult support networks. Participation in this program increases self-esteem and confidence levels while positively impacting students’ personal and academic futures. The Foundation’s helps leverage the $500 contribution to bring this $12,265 program to the students at Agnes Stewart. Partners: Ophelia’s Place Program Director, the Collins Foundation, Rosaria P. Haugland Foundation and Agnes Stewart.
Grant Title: Differentiated Math
School: Mt. Vernon Elementary School
Innovative Educator: Pat Gagnon, 4th Grade Teacher
Grant Dollars: $995
Subject Areas: Math
Grade Levels: 4
Other Educators Involved: 6
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 29
Description: My math class has a variety of different gaps in math knowledge. This project funds 5 Chromebooks to help students work on filling those gaps so they will have a better chance of success on their math skills, benchmarks and tests. One-half of the class will access the on-line programs, Khan Academy and MobyMax, with volunteer parent support, while the other half of the class works with the teacher. Partners: Parent volunteers.
Grant Title: From Our Watershed to YouTube
School: Riverbend Elementary School
Innovative Educator: Eva La Mar, teacher
Grant Dollars: $1,052.64
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Math, Professional/Technical, Science, Social Science
Grade Levels: 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: Traci Vaughan and James Down, 5th grade teachers at Riverbend
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 90
Description: In “From Our Watershed to YouTube” students take learning to a whole new level as they educate the community about solutions to improving our watershed. This is done by taking classroom learning and combining it with experts in the field, students from classrooms in Canada, and examining the problem-solution process as a larger community. Student teams will create a PSA using green-screen tools purchased with these grant funds, our existing iPads and computers, and share their videos with the world. Partners: Northwest Aquatic & Marine Educators, City of Springfield Wastewater division, “Cleanwater University” 5th grade program, BRING Recycling and the Riverbend PTA, Oregon Fish & Wildlife experts and Donor’s Choose.
Grant Title: Business Education Technology Grant
School: Thurston High School
Innovative Educator: Mike Michel, Teacher
Grant Dollars: $968
Subject Areas: Professional/Technical, Business
Grade Levels: 9
Other Educators Involved: 3
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 900
Description: Because computer/keyboarding skills are so important in our current society it is paramount that students be computer literate with keyboard skills. This grant will fund the MicroType program that develops keyboarding and word processing skills at an individual pace and allows for immediate feedback of skill development to the instructor. The MicroType software program allows for individually paced skill development, cuts instruction time by half, allows students to work on skills outside of class time, allows greater depth in other subject areas, and increases computer and keyboarding skills for all incoming freshmen. Partners: Springfield Technology Services and the Thurston High School Business department.
Grant Title: Charms Office Website
School: Thurston High
Innovative Educator: Timothy Vian, Band and Orchestra Director
Grant Dollars: $600
Subject Areas: Music
Grade Levels: 9, 10, 11
Other Educators Involved: 4
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 140
Description: This grant funds the purchase of Charmsoffice.com a cloud based program that allows the director, students, and parents to have a single site server to take care of inventory, check out music, record students for assessment and email as well as phone communication. It allows for students to record their individual musical parts for instructor review not only saving hours valuable class time but also improves individual student mastery of their instrument. Partners: Parents.
Grant Title: Middle School Band Warm-Ups
School: Thurston Middle School
Innovative Educator: Matt Woodford, Teacher
Grant Dollars: $717.29
Subject Areas: Fine Arts, Music
Grade Levels: 7, 8, 9
Other Educators Involved: 17
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 115
Description: This project would align middle school warm-up procedures with those of the high school by purchasing the same warm-up books the high school uses. Not only would this provide my students with a warm-up that teaches better musicianship and technique, but it would also allow students a seamless transition into high school while better preparing them for band at that level. Partners: Thurston High School music department.
Grant Title: Keys to Success
School: Walterville Elementary School
Innovative Educator: Amy Page, Library Media Specialist
Grant Dollars: $2,819.53
Subject Areas: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Science, Information literacy
Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Other Educators Involved: Nikki Matthews, 5th grade teacher and Sheila Garrelts, 3rd grade teacher Walterville Elementary
Number of Students Impacted This Year: 189
Description: Keyboards for our school’s class set of iPads will be purchased allowing teachers to utilize Google Classroom for use in creating, managing, dialoguing, and providing feedback on student assignments and projects. For primary classrooms, the introduction of keyboarding for basic word processing will be used in creating student ebooks and screencasts. Having a proper keyboard in collaboration with functioning, up-to-date technology will make integrating keyboarding and digital fluency skills in all assignments seamless. Partners: Walterville’s Parent Teacher Organization (PTO).
