Community Corner

CV Educational Foundation Awards $14,000 in Mini-Grants to Teachers

A total of 33 Chippewa Valley elementary, middle and high school teachers were awarded mini-grants to improve the educational resources in their classrooms.

The awarded some $14,000 Monday to 33 Chippewa Valley teachers as part of the foundation's annual mini-grants program.

Representing the district's elementary, middle and high schools, the grant recipients will use the grants toward a variety of purchases and projects to improve the curriculum and educational resources in their respective classrooms.

"As a foundation, our focus is to encourage innovation through creative teachering, facilitating student development and fostering community/school partnerships," said Terry Paul, CVEF vice president. "One of the goals of the foundation is to provide our teachers the resources and equipment necessary to undertake a number of innovative classroom projects at all the grade levels by awarding small classroom grants."

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These grants were funded by several CVEF fundraising efforts, including a direct-mail campaign to local business leaders and the inaugural . Combined, these two campaigns raised almost $30,000 to fund the foundation's mini-grants and scholarships. 

"We're very proud to be able to award these grants and look forward to seeing all the innovative work that will be done in the classrooms as a result of the foundation," said Kim Voss, principal of Dakota Freshman Center. "So thank you, teachers, for writing the grants and thank you to the foundation for making it possible."

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Elementary School

  • Rebecca Miller–Cherokee–Classroom library to implement a daily independent/small group literacy block.
  • Susan Brasch––A Young Author’s Program to publish the work of student writers.
  • Erica Latowski–Erie–35 ukuleles, with which students will learn to play, accompany and compose music.
  • Mike Simon–Huron–35 pedometers with which students will monitor total steps in physical education, set goals and promote a healthy lifestyle.
  • Stacey Johnson, Jessica Franey, Dana Hautau–Miami–Braidy kits featuring puppet-like hands-on tools that assist students’ ability to retell stories and connect to fiction.
  • Caitlin Harrison––Two listening centers with 28 headsets and microphones to help students with comprehension and fluency.
  • Cheri Dwyer, Bridget Brennan, Ellen DiGiglio–Ottawa–Class set of resources to improve phonics–uses word sorts, songs and poems for an interactive experience.
  • John Barron–Ottawa–25 sets of Boomwhackers (tune percussion instruments) to teach rhythm, melody and harmony. Students can compose music in small groups.
  • Amy Doran– –Higher level reading books that promote appreciation of diversity and cultures.
  • Katie Couture–Shawnee–Series of math games designed to promote hands-on application of math strategies designed to reinforce skills and motivate learners.

Middle School

  • Ken Thoel–Algonquin–Wind turbines, digital multimeters and supplies designed to teach students about wind energy and the conversion of wind to energy.
  • ––NASA hands-on “toys” in space used by astronauts on the space shuttle. Helps teach concepts in acceleration, air resistance, momentum, gravity and velocity.
  • Renee Bacon––Rock kits, fossil collections and relief maps to aid in the teaching of earth science.
  • Alaina Laclave–Wyandot–Friday Book Clubs. Purchase multiple copies of high-interest books in a variety of reading levels.
  • Andrew Wesley–Wyandot–42 pedometers to promote healthy choices and incorporate daily walking targets into math and science. Students will calculate miles, distances, caloric intake and burn-off.
  • Paul Sanchez, Katie Myers, Donna Johns, BethAnn Donnenwerth– Wyandot–14 double-sided individual dry erase boards and supplies used to compute math problems.
  • Dave Andrews–Iroquois–Eighth-grade exchange program where Iroquois Middle School students visit and mentor first- and second-graders in Hamtramck.
  • Kelly Paul, Michelle Marek–Iroquois–Digital cameras for science classes used for group filming projects.
  • Rose Harrison–Wyandot–Headsets with microphones designed to improve fluency and comprehension for students readers.

High School

  • Sheila Majask––Picture novels for the media center designed to motivate ESL students and lower level readers.
  • Gail Megge–Dakota Ninth Grade Center–Histology microscope slides and blood typing kits used for student investigation of human cell samples.
  • Jeannie Seck, Wendy Wilson–CVHS–Ceramic tile project. Students will create a tile mural for the school.
  • Terry Wilson–CVHS–Flocabulary World History Program. Books, CDs and access to online learning that integrates music with the learning of historical facts.
  • Roseanne Macksoud––LabQuest data collection systems and software. Sensors connect to laptops and record data from analyzing pH, pressure and temperature that can then be displayed on Smartboards.


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