YORK EDUCATION FOUNDATION GRANTS FOR THE 2014 – 2015 SCHOOL YEAR

The York Education Foundation funded nine grants totaling $22,400 for the 2014-2015 school year, with three grants at York High School, three at York Middle School, two at Coastal Ridge Elementary School, and one at Village Elementary School.

Science Discovery, Beth McKenna, VES:

Science Discovery Kits will be used in the second grade classrooms at both VES & CRES schools. These lots cover topics from rocks and soils to the human bodying they will help teachers support the Next Generation Science Standards while giving students hands on-learning.

Leveled Books Project, Carolyn Dupree, CRES:

A leveled book project will be awarded to Village Elementary. It is difficult for parents to find books leveled to the same standards that the school district uses. Ms. Dupre will be purchasing sets of leveled books that can be borrowed from the York Public Library. This will give emerging readers a greater variety of literature choices and will encourage them to explore the public library on their path to becoming life-long readers.

Garden to Table, Michele Freitag, CRES:

This grant will provide students with variety go gardening opportunities that have curriculum connections in life science, environmental science, mathematics, engineering and design, social studies and nutrition. A committee of teachers, schools, nutrition workers, parents and custodians will help the students build gardens, cold frames, window boxes and irrigation systems.

JFK Library Field Trip, Bill True, YMS:

A grant to bring 20th Century United States History students to the JFK Presidential Library. This trip, in combination with classroom study and discussion, will allow students to explore topics including Early Cold War, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Space Race by viewing and using primary historical sources.

Understand Change Piscataqua, Elaine Booth Transferred to T. Beauimier, YMS:

The sixth grade Jaguar team students will have the opportunity to investigate historical changes in the Piscataqua Region through interdisciplinary and hands-on learning. Students will expand their knowledge of Maine history through classroom work and visits to Historic New England and the South England and the South Berwick Historic Society.

Edible School Yard, Jess Baxter and Kate Barteaux, YMS:

The Edible Schoolyard project featuring a large greenhouse. This project was particularly exciting because it grew from students interested in the earth following a unit on Tracking Trash. Students in a targeted-learning-time group did much of the research and planning for this project.

3D Printing, Beth Nowers, YHS:

3D printers are a new, exciting technology being used in a variety of areas, from design and art to biomedical engineering. The introduction to this technology to their CAD1, CAD2, Jewerly and Metalsmithing, and Digital Imaging students. They hope to be able to share this technology with other teachers for other applications in the future.

Americans Who Tell, Melissa Fenelon and Beth Knight, YHS:

An interdiscipinary art, social studies, and language arts experience that challenges students to investigate inspirational Americans. Artist Robbery’s Shetterly will visit the students to discuss his body of his work., Americans Who Tell the Truth, and students will create portraits, prose, and poetry featuring people they find inspirational.

Games Team Can Play, Michele Adams, YHS:

This grant will support the Teachers as Educational Advisors and Mentors (TEAM) program at YHS. Ms. Adams will purchase games for students and faculty to use during TEAM time.Playing games together will help build community, encourage higher order thinking, promote clear communications, and foster creative problem solving.