Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Doubles Its Grants, Awards $217,000 for 30 New Programs

bu Jill Simpson of the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation

(March 8, 2004) There will be twice as much money going to fund innovative programs in all six district schools next year, announced the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation at its awards ceremony on Monday, March 8. Grants totaling $217,000 will help purchase a Steinway Concert Grand piano for the new Hommocks auditorium, PASCO computer interfaces and TI Navigator wireless networks for the high school, non-fiction reading materials for all four elementary schools, and support for redesigns of the Hommocks commons. With the latest round of thirty grants, the local foundation will have awarded over $850,000 since 1996 when it was first organized by parents and community members to support innovative programs, materials and facilities for the Mamaroneck schools

“We are thrilled to be able to grant twice as much money, and fund nearly double the number of grants this year, thanks to the generosity of the community and the success of our first gala fundraiser last spring,” said Sabrina Fiddelman, president of the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation. “We also are so appreciative of the continued enthusiasm and commitment on the part of the teachers, administrators, parents and community members who submitted such outstanding grant proposals this year,” she added. “It wouldn’t be possible for us to fulfill our mission without their incredible support.”

At the Awards: Neil Intraub and volunteers demonstrate concepts of Theatre Moves, one of last year's grantees.

At Monday night’s award ceremony, Ellen Blumstein, the chairperson of the Mamaroneck Schools Foundation’s grants committee, announced the thirty recipients, and several of this year’s awardees showcased results of their programs. There was a moving presentation by Central School art teacher Michelle Burton, special education teacher Mary Lou Ventarola, and four fifth-graders from Central School, who spoke about their experience in a collaborative art class with autistic students. Paul Rajeckas and Neil Intraub, who led Theater Moves workshops with all the kindergarteners in the district this past fall, also gave an entertaining demonstration of the ways they teach children about concentration, communication and cooperation through performance exercises. (see: Kindergartners Learn Life Skills - On Stage)

Thirty different grants in the areas of music and the arts; science, technology and math; literacy, language and history; special education; fitness, and new facilities will be used to fund innovative programs or new equipment in each school during the 2004-2005 school year. These include:

MUSIC & THE ARTS

Piano for Hommocks Auditorium: This $25,800 grant will partner the Foundation with the school district and music department to purchase a Steinway Concert Grand piano for the new Hommocks Auditorium. “This room is a fantastic space for music, theater and dance and will certainly become a focal point for cultural life in the community," said the grant application. " A piano of this quality will enhance performances in this space for years to come."

Keyboard Workstations: Two grants provide 13 electronic keyboards each to Chatsworth and Central elementary schools. They will be used to create individual music technology workstations in the music classrooms to help in the teaching of musical concepts and the creation and performance of music. These grants are the result of an earlier pilot grant made by the Foundation to the Murray Avenue elementary school. Chatsworth will receive $3,550 for the equipment and Central will receive $5,170 for equipment and storage facilities.

Master Class Instruction/Artists in Residence: This $12,000 grant provides for a year-long program of nationally renowned master class instructors and guest artists who will work with district music students in various formats. Students in all of the musical groups at the High School, including the Concert Band, Jazz Band, Orchestra and Choir, will receive instruction from noted professionals and be exposed to a variety of musical styles and approaches. “This comprehensive program should be both inspirational and enhance the level of accomplishment of our district’s music students,” said the grant application.

Portable Sound Recording System: This grant of $6000 will be used to purchase the components for a sound recording system at Mamaroneck High School. The system will be used to record the concerts of the various high school musical groups, and give students the ability to record individual CDs of their musical performances for their portfolios. Because the system is portable, it can be taken to competition stages and music rooms outside the building.

Electronic Tablets for Elementary Art Instruction: A grant of $4000 will fund 13 electronic tablets to be utilized for art instruction at Murray Avenue School. The tablets provide cordless, pen-based control and pressure sensitivity that enables students to produce finely controlled lines and textures. These tablets are designed to broaden the appeal of art, reaching students who might otherwise dismiss art as not relevant to them.

Dance, Theater and Music Summer Enrichment: In conjunction with the district, which will be purchasing electronic keyboards for Mamaroneck Avenue School and CO-OP camp, the foundation will provide $1,500 for costumes and scenery to produce a Historical Music and Dance Review by the children at CO-OP Camp. All campers will study different styles of art, music and dance throughout history and will work to produce their own music and dance routines related to a specific historical period.

Cultural Experiences for students who attend the Hommocks Summer Day School and Camp. This program provides academic assistance within a camp-like setting. The $7,000 grant will fund cultural and academic field trips to places such as the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and the Studio Museum in Harlem, which these students might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore. The MSF expects these enriching experiences to help broaden the students' life experience and cultural knowledge, which are important foundations for learning.

Weaving at Lunch: A grant of $2,800 awarded to Mamaroneck Avenue School art teacher Justine Dianni will enrich the children’s lunchtime experience, especially on indoor lunch days, by offering weaving and other fiber-related art activities (knitting, crocheting, embroidery, and braiding). This lunchtime program will be supervised by teacher aides and parent volunteers. These activities, rhythmic and repetitive, are life skills and pastimes that are relaxing and soothing, noted the grant application.

MATH AND SCIENCE

Improving Physics Student Lab Experiences using PASCO 750 Interfaces: The physics teachers at Mamaroneck High School (MHS) have been awarded $15,000 to fund the purchase of ten PASCO Scientific 750 Interfaces. The Pasco Interface, used in conjunction with a computer, enables the precise measurement of force, position, temperature, pressure, angular velocity, acceleration, current, magnetic field, wave characteristics and more and facilitates immediate data analysis and interpretation. Each of the two new physics labs will have five sets of the 750 Interfaces, so that groups of about 5 students can work together utilizing one set. The equipment can be used in conceptual physics, Regents physics and advanced placement physics B and C. This state-of-the-art equipment will complement the High School’s new state-of-the-art physics lab and should improve physics understanding through authentic hands-on investigation.

Smart Boards: This $13,796 grant has been awarded to mathematics teachers at MHS. The smart boards will be connected to a classroom computer, allowing for notes and problems that the teacher writes on them to be printed and/or saved. Students will then access the notes if they miss class, as a refresher or for test prep. “This technology will allow students with a variety of needs and abilities more opportunity to think, engage and participate in class discussions,” said the applicants. The grantees will pilot two permanently installed boards and two portable boards, allowing more teachers to try them and provide recommendations prior to classroom renovation. MSF funding will cover the equipment, curriculum planning and workshops.

TI Navigator - A Classroom Learning System: “Mathematics teachers at MHS were awarded $11,122 for this exciting new tool to enhance student learning,” announced Carol Goldstein of the MSF grants committee. The TI Navigator provides a wireless network between the students’ graphing calculators and the teacher’s computer. Teachers benefit by more quickly assessing students’ understanding and progress; students benefit from instant feedback on their work, and both benefit from the quick and easy transfer of material back and forth. Each of the seven teachers will utilize this technology in one to four of their classes, across all grades, and the technology will be shared with other departments at the high school as well. MSF funding will cover the equipment and curriculum planning.

Making Algebra Child's Play is an innovative way to teach algebra to young students. The grant for $1,670 will be used in the fifth grade classes at Mamaroneck Avenue School. This is a hands-on program utilizing manipulatives (objects and tools that are held in the hand) to help students better visualize problem-solving in algebra. The program is flexible and can be used both for children with strong math skills as well as students who struggle in this area. The funding will cover the cost of teacher training and materials.

Wonders of Nature: Naturalists from the Sheldrake Environmental Center will lead environmental education classes for children from the Mamaroneck Child Development Center (MCDC). The 35 students in the three- and four-year-old classes will alternate weekly 90-minute visits to the Reservoir for a walk, story and craft with the naturalists as they learn about the wonders of our environment. Emphasis is placed on the variety of animals, habitats, plant patterns, shapes and colors found in nature. This grant for $5330 also includes money for books that will become part of the MCDC library. This program will run for two years with the goal of training the MCDC staff to instruct the children at the Reservoir in future years.

LITERACY, LANGUAGE & HISTORY

L.I.N.K.S. Literacy in Non-Fiction Knowledge Support: This $20,000 grant, submitted by the four elementary school principals, as well as special assignment teachers Ellen Kenny and Gail Boyle, establishes the L.I.N.K.S. program, a district-wide storehouse of non-fiction resources for fourth and fifth grade students, teachers and parents. A variety of non-fiction materials, including short, printed texts, videos and audiotapes will be purchased for each elementary school and a set of similar materials will be purchased for parents. Teachers will use the materials to teach content and reading strategies and will utilize the different types of materials to engage all learners, including those who might respond more favorably to visual or aural information. Parents will be introduced to L.I.N.K.S. in a district-wide evening hosted by the elementary school principals and will then have access to the materials in order to extend learning to the home.

Expanded Reading with Differentiated Materials: This grant for $2400 will be used to purchase five non-fiction Time for Kids kits for third and fourth graders at Central School. The kits, written to address five different reading ability levels, contain laminated cards for individual or small group work, as well as overhead transparencies for class reading. The kits will build background knowledge appropriate to the curriculum and include stimulating information relevant to the real world.

Traveling Trunks: Murray Avenue School was awarded a $4,000 grant for Traveling Trunks, a program to enhance the learning experiences for all Murray students in grades 2-5. The trunks will enable teachers to immerse students in artifacts and activities that directly connect them to social studies curriculum units, also allowing for differentiated instruction for diverse learners. Each grade’s trunk will have a different theme – 2nd grade: Colonial Communities; 3rd grade: Native Americans of New York; 4th grade: Industrialization and Immigration; 5th grade: Latin and South America. A team of parents and teachers will work together to identify, collect, create and purchase the items for the trunks.

AlphaSmarts for Second Grade Writing: A grant of $6465 will fund the purchase of 25 AlphaSmarts for Mamaroneck Avenue School. AlphaSmarts are portable laptops that enable students to word process in the classroom, on a class trip, or at home. They will be used by the second grade teachers to increase student interest in writing and revising written work.

”Building Community” Reading Project: Presently, Central School is engaged in a school-wide program called CORE, funded by the Foundation, which focuses on themes such as community, respect, cooperation, communication and conflict resolution. This $2000 grant will be used to purchase books to reinforce and enrich these CORE themes and connect them to literacy instruction. Teachers will read the books aloud, and follow-up with student discussions and activities, so that a common understanding and language can be built across grade levels.

Multicultural/Bilingual Literature for Parent/Child Book Clubs: A grant of $2500 will be made to Mamaroneck Avenue School fifth grade teacher Iris Arozamena to purchase books for a series of parent/child book clubs targeted at bilingual families of multicultural backgrounds. This project will give families the opportunity to read the same book as their child in their primary language, have discussions based on their interpretation of the text and, hopefully, foster connections among families at the school.

P.A.W.S (Parents as Writing Students): An Exploration of the World of Writing This $4,450 grant, submitted by Mamaroneck Avenue School administrators and faculty, invites parents to explore the writing process. Writing is one of the cornerstones of the school’s literacy program. As in reading, parents are seen as critical partners in bringing enthusiasm and love of learning to their children; yet, like parents in many communities, they often feel uncomfortable with their own ability to write and therefore feel inadequately prepared to support their children’s efforts. This program is designed to build a level of comfort with parental writing skills through a five-evening series of workshops. Pam Allyn and the staff of LitLife (including a bilingual facilitator) will take parents though such topics as non-fiction writing, using mentor texts to encourage and inspire writing, writing for an audience, and using conventions in writing. The final workshop evening will be a family celebration for children and parents.

SPECIAL EDUCATION

Special Education House Plan: This $8900 grant will allow the approximately 60 students who are in the high school’s self-contained special education classes to receive more concentrated academic and extracurricular support. The components of the grant are: planning time for teachers to create a more interdisciplinary, relevant curriculum; quarterly trips to cultural events; two weekly after-school groups with facilitators, one focusing on personal choices and decisions, and the other on vocational options; and two parent meetings.

Dana by Alphasmart Starter Set: This $4000 grant will fund 10 Dana handheld computers for use by high school students. The Danas combine the power, ergonomics, and functionality of a computer with the size and affordability of a handheld. They will be used for note taking and writing activities by students whose physical and perceptual difficulties limit their ability to write extensively by hand.

Superintendents Conference Day: This grant for $7,900 is a partnership with the school district to bring nationally known speaker Richard Lavoie to Superintendents Conference Day to be the keynote speaker on differentiated instruction. Following the main speech to all the teachers, there will be workshops lead by Mr. Lavoie and other well-known facilitators in the field of differentiated instruction. The foundation has partnered with SEPTA to have Mr. Lavoie give a workshop for parents the night before the Superintendent’s Conference Day. This grant is partially funded by the Foundation’s Barbara Bennett Rones Memorial Endowment.

Transition Planning: An Essential School Planning Concept: This grant for $12,700 will help students from the High School STEPS Program in their transition from the school environment into the community. They will have a community-based work experience as part of their current education program. Community activities will be linked with work activities. Specialists in the field will assist to maximize the transition process. Training and workshops for parents and staff will be included.

Tech Tools: This grant for $5,125 for special education will be used to create an assistive technology literacy toolkit in each school for grades Pre-K through 12. The low- to mid-range tech tools range from special pencil grips, slant boards and adaptive paper to electronic spell checkers to help students improve literacy and writing mechanics. Teachers will receive training in the use of these tools for assessment and to maximize learning in an inclusive classroom setting.

FITNESS AND FACILITIES

Commons Improvement for Hommocks Middle School: “Over the last two years, Hommocks Middle School has undergone a transformation to better meet the needs of today’s middle school students. One critical area of the building has not reached its full potential: the Commons near the main entrance,” noted the grant application for this project. The $5,000 grant will fund a professional designer to develop a plan to renovate the Commons as a “Village Square.” Like the village square in a New England town, the Commons would become the focal point for Hommocks community life—providing for a meeting place, news, commerce, recreation—and help build a sense of community

Traverse Climbing Wall: This grant for $8839 will fund the purchase and installation of an 8’ by 52’ traverse rock climbing system for the Central School gym. The entire Central population will benefit from this major addition to the physical education program. Both Chatsworth and Murray Avenue schools have climbing walls, and now, Central students will enjoy the benefits of this apparatus, and will be familiar with this equipment when they reach the Hommocks, where all students participate in Project Adventure, a comprehensive climbing program that is part of the phys ed curriculum.

Project Adventure: This $2700 grant will fund the purchase and installation of a “vertical playpen,” a climbing station that is used in conjunction with the existing climbing wall, at the Hommocks Middle School. To accommodate the playpen, the foundation will also pay for the relocation of a climbing rope. This funding will further enhance the already popular and successful Project Adventure program, a physical education unit in which all Hommocks students participate.

Fencing Team Expansion Initiative: This $5259 grant will purchase fencing scoring machines and reels. This modern equipment, used by students in both the high school and middle school, will be used in competition and during practices. “The very popular fencing program is a leader in the tri-state area and has consistently ranked among the top programs for many years,” announced Paul Bilndler, a member of the grants committee.

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