2012-2013 Grants to Educators
Andrews Elementary School, History is our Heritage, $1166
Karla Shelby
"History is our Heritage" would serve as a culminating activity to our ongoing lessons of the
history of Plano, Texas. Our third grade students would like to travel "back in time" and visit
the Heritage Farmstead Museum, and we feel this would be a beneficial experience that
would connect and link our lessons on local, state, and national governments. Finally, the
Heritage Farmstead Museum is a member of the Plano Landmark Association, State of
Texas Historical Marker, and National Register of Historic Places.
Andrews Elementary School, Kids Inquiry Conference, $500
Scott Scarbrough
Kids Inquiry Conference is an event that uses the foundation ideas of the typical science
fair and “KIC”s it into high gear. The students will work in teams to choose a topic, design a
science investigation, execute the scientific process, reflect on the results, and write a
research article to be published in a yearly KIC book. Groups will then have the opportunity
to share their findings with younger students, peers, teachers, parents and community
members through engaging presentations in a conference like setting.
Armstrong Middle School, TIYL This Is Your LIfe, $1500
Glenda Rouse
This Is Your Life Program! T.I.Y.L.(Tie-Yul) Program is a middle school skills for life
program designed to create experiential learning of specific skills needed in everyday living.
The program features learning by design for special education students identified as at-risk,
below average to severly dalayed cognition, with varying disabilities and/or social deficits
identified by the current Full Individual Evaluation (FIE). The program focus is on real-life
behaviors that an individual needs to live successfully and independently in a natural
community setting.
Armstrong Middle School, "In the Zone," Student - Selected Reading, $450
Shirley Sadowski
"In the Zone" is the name of our student-selected reading (SSR) program in eighth grade.
When students get lost in a great book they have chosen themselves, they really get "in the
zone." Our project will enable us to purchase additional current, teen-choice books for our
classroom libraries.
Beaty EC - P-K, Beaty Family Fellowship, $1200
Whitney Dombroski
Beaty Family Fellowship will build a community that will further support student growth
outside of the classroom and aid in the transition from Pre-K to kindergarten. Teachers will
facilitate meetings that promote open communication among special needs families, the
sharing of resources, and family education.
Beverly Elementary School, Writing for a Reason!, $240
Nora Davis
Kindergarten students will enthusiastically engage in the writing process with the
knowledge that they are writing for a reason! Each Kindergarten student will plan, draft,
revise, and edit a poem. These poems will be compiled into a book of poetry that will be
published and bound with a hard cover. These poetry books will be donated to local Dallas
orphanages, charities, and hospitals so that those children may experience the joy of
reading. The Kindergarten students will not only learn about poetry and improve their
writing skills through this project but will also learn about empathy, charity, and generosity
while making a profound difference in the lives of other children who live nearby.
Beverly Elementary School, Kindergarten Cares Club, $470
Lisa Besch
Kindergartners will develop empathy, generosity, and courtesy while working together to
help others in their community. Every Kindergarten student will be given the opportunity to
participate in an afterschool service club, Kindergarten Cares, that will meet once per
month. The students will strengthen their Plano ISD Citizen and Character Traits as they
work on service projects together.
Bowman Middle School, Raiders On The Move, $1275
Gayle Scott
This is an after school program designed to enhance the academic, organizational, and
social development of Special Education students. The program will include a group of
diverse learners who have limited access to resources in their community. The activities
and weekly meetings of the after school program will increase their knowledge of the
community resources and help them develope needed skills to be successful in life.
Bowman Middle School, Soccer to Student Success, $900
Adrian Rodriguez
Soccer to Student Success is a continuation of an extracurricular program comprised of
intramural indoor co-ed soccer teams. This after–school program is open to all students at
our middle school, attracts students who may not participate in other extracurricular
activities, and is of high interest to the large Hispanic student population at our school.
Students must have passing grades in order to participate; this motivates them to achieve
and connects them to their school in a positive way.
Bowman Middle School, Reading for Math, $300
Becky Jackson
The Reading for Math project focuses on building and reinforcing mathematical
understanding through children's books and stories. This project will allow a math teacher a
small library of books specifically written to grasp student’s attention with interesting stories
and incredible artwork relating to a math concept. The Reading for Math project will be
utilized in power math classes to build mathematical reading strategies.
Bowman Middle School, Binders Build & Boost (B3, $1200
Stephanie Schinnerer
Our school is initiating a new strategy this year in an effort to help students be better
organized to be academically adept. All students will have a 2 ½ or 3 inch binder to utilize
an AVID –type strategy of building organization skills. A uniform method of organizing work
and materials with the help of binders will boost students toward a successful school year.
Bowman Middle School, Growing Good Readers, $1500
Crystal Roach
Growing Good Readers is a literacy project designed to promote the importance of reading
in families from infants to adolescents through parent training and providing easy access to
books. Materials are available to checkout to parents of Bowman students to read and
share with family memebers. There is a variety of books than span from board books to
early elementary titles.
Bowman Middle School, Spotlight on Student Success, $1500
Lisa Greco
Spotlight on Student Success will recognize students for their academic achievement and
citizenship throughout the school year. Our focus is on our boldly brilliant students who not
only achieve academically but who also show good character traits. The ultimate goal is for
all students to show respect for self, peers, teachers, campus, visitors and the knowledge
that has been given to you.
Bowman Middle School, Launching to the Stars, $705
Kelly Williams
All students in our 6th grade will have the opportunity during the spring semester to gain
additional insights into space travel through a unique, curriculum-based lesson on rocket
launching. Students will make extensive use of mathematics, prediction and creativity while
learning the mechanics of rocket launching. Students personally involved in the building of
rocket launching will develop a greater interest in science.
Bowman Middle School, Go Graphing, $1061.74
Megan Britt
Seventh and eighth grade math students spend much of the school year developing
algebraic understanding and discovering geometric transformations. With Go Graphing,
students will be able to collaborate and discover relationships between tables, graphs,
equations, and geometric transformations. Utilizing a large Cartesian Coordinate dry erase
board, rather than being limited to working on their own papers, students will have the
opportunity for thorough classroom discussions, participation and demonstrate further
understanding of mathematical concepts.
Bowman Middle School, The Zone, $1500
Alissa Benoit
The Zone is a student-led organization that encourages peers to push past barriers and
communicate positively and effectively with one another by sowing seeds of social
consciousness. The Zone will inspire and educate our local community on ways to
acknowledge differences and similarities amongst all people. Longing to be accepted and
experiencing bullying are often struggles of middle school students, and our ultimate goal is
to ensure that all students learn effective means of communication and how to have
positive peer relations.
Carlisle Elementary School, Break a Leg, $1250
Laura Teague
This after-school theater club, "Break a Leg", is open to all our 4th and 5th grade students.
We meet once a week after school for an hour and a half from October to May where the
students go through a mock Broadway theater experience: If a student wants a lead part
they have the opportunity to audition, once auditions are complete certain students are
called back, once lead parts have been cast all students receive a script, ones with
speaking parts get to memorize lines, all students then proceed to learn songs, learn
choreography, learn how to block, stage the production, create the sets, make their
costumes, and then perform it in May in front of live audiences.
Carpenter Middle School, Everyday Math, $400
Barbara Lye
Everyday Math will be a program designed to aid struggling students improve their MAP
math scores and performance on the STAAR math test. Guest speakers from many
businesses will be invited to explain how they use math daily in their careers. The
classroom will be set up to enable students to experience doing the math themselves in a
business scenario.
Carpenter Middle School, Commitment to Graduate® (C2G®), $1500
Kristin Gordon
Commitment to Graduate® (C2G®) is a Jostens® program that our school piloted last year
with great success. It encourages students to commit to graduate on time with their
classmates and to set goals for after high school. This research-based initiative lowers the
dropout rate, encourages a sense of pride for self and school, strategizes to increase
parental and community involvement in schools, and helps students embrace and develop
traditions.
Carpenter Middle School, Lesson Academy, $1500
Katie Zeier
Lesson Academy is an opportunity for all band students to receive small group lessons
from professional musicians. District approved private lesson teachers will share their
musical talent through instruction and performance. The opportunity to study with lesson
teachers will provide the same benefits that other PISD students receive.
Centennial Elementary School, Action Based Learning, $1500
Jennifer Morrison
The Action Based Learning Lab we wish to buy is a motor development program based on
brain research that supports how movement improves brain function by providing a series
of progressions and stations, each designed to prepare the brain for input and processing.
Using academic curriculum components from kindergarten to second grade such as sight
words, vocabulary, math concepts, the sensory components of balance, coordination,
spatial awareness, directionality, and visual literacy are developed as the students spins,
twirls, bounces, balances, walks, jumps, and juggles causing levels of physical fitness to
increase and academic concepts to be reinforced.
Christie Elementary School, STEM is Everywhere!, $1500
Jessica Malloy
In this highly engaging, hands-on, inquiry based approach students develop critical thinking
and complex problem solving through cross-curricular activities that integrate Science,
Technology, Engineering design and Math. The goal of STEM is Everywhere! is to cultivate
a creative climate for innovative thinking! Teachers guide students to engage in the
engineering process, learn to design a blueprint, troubleshoot design flaws and redesign to
overcome challenges.
Christie Elementary School, Brain Games, $1500
Christine Kallman
"Brain Games" is program that will help students improve thinking and communication
skills. Students will problem solve and practice thinking faster on their feet through the use
of games.
Christie Elementary School, “LOGIC CONNECTIONS…It Just Makes Sense”, $1500
Lilly Jensby
“LOGIC CONNECTIONS…It Just Makes Sense” extends into its second year. Students
across our campus will be engaged in puzzles and games that develop and use skills
steeped in mental deciphering, require students to think towards flexible outcomes all the
while collaborating together in an effort to discover unique solutions. We wish to provide
additional materials that are easily shared and utilized in all classroom communities within
our school.
Christie Elementary School, "It's the Real D.E.A.L." (Developing Educated, Aware,
Leaders), $1000
William Dixon
Leadership potential... it is everywhere but sometimes untapped in elementary school aged
boys. D.E.A.L takes third, fourth, and fifth grade males who have shown ingenuity and
persistence in engaging others in following their ideas and will help them channel their
abilities in a positive way. The academy members learn social skills, creative problem
solving, and out of the box thinking while performing service within the school community.
Christie Elementary School, Reading Zone, $1499.21
Marisol Cantero
To design and create a special "Reading Zone" classroom library where everyone is deeply
engaged in the pleasure of reading. The program's focus is building confidence and
enthusiasm in our K-2 graders. The classroom will be filled with different reading level
books. Students will host a gala for parents and school staff in which they will share their
favorite books and watch a slideshow documenting their participation and enthusiasm for
reading.
Christie Elementary School, Enrichment Academy, $1500
Belinda Beuerlein
The Enrichment Academy is an opportunity to enhance the learning of our students through
exciting new experiences by providing approximately 40 unique classes from acting to
inventing and dancing to knitting. All boys and girls in each grade level will have an
opportunity to choose and attend hands-on enriching courses of their interest that allow
students to be engaged, learn by design, explore, and participate in non-traditional courses.
Everyone will be bursting with excitement from start to finish and walk away wanting the
academy to be an everyday experience.
Clark High School, The search for cultural identity: Lessons from Persepolis, $1455.45
Jessica Hart
This grant would be used to purchase copies of the graphic novel Persepolis. This award
winning memior illustrates the complexity of the region of Southwest Asia and the
challenges of finding an identity within it. This novel will be used as a capstone experience
to the study of the interaction of culture, religion, ethnicity and politics in Advanced
Placement Human Geography classes.
Clark High School, AVID 212, $1500
Cristine Jordan
At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. One extra degree of effort can yield
incredible results. The AVID 212 grant will offer student incentives for academic success on
our campus. By rewarding students for their individual accomplishments and positive
behavior, they will begin to recognize that making one degree of change in their study
habits can equal success in high school and acceptance into the college of their choice.
Forman Elementary School, Rethink Recess, $500
Hilary Morris
Rethink Recess is designed to maximize instruction time by building cognition through
active building and creating activities during recess.
Forman Elementary School, Junior Einsteins, $1500
Andrea Jaramillo
Our students are getting hooked on science! This after school program unites students
from all grade levels into an inquisitive science-and language-driven adventure. Students
are exposed to life, physical, earth and the nature of science while playing, talking, singing
and experimenting, all to create future EINSTEINS!
Forman Elementary School, Drama Effects, $1000
Wendy Hise
Drama Effects will be a club that provides and engaging opportunity to build fluency,
comprehension and inferencing skills through drama and music. It will help students gain a
firmer grounding in the elements of story structure, including character development and
plot while enriching their cultural experiences. Drama Effects will also provide theatrical
experiences that much of our student population has limited exposure
Forman Elementary School, Future Engineers, $1500
Cassey Scales
Future Engineers will gear up for science through the exciting world of Engineering. Fourth
and fifth graders will engage in the exploration of the Engineering Design Process and
experience hands on activities that introduce them to the world of Engineering. They will
problem solve weekly challenges and activities from various strands of Engineering fields
such as Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering and many
others.
Forman Elementary School, Beautiful Me, $1500
Antreshawn Buhl
Beautiful inside and out is what our young ladies at Forman aim to be. The Beautiful Me
Program is an opportunity for them to build self- confidence, understand poise/etiquette and
experience the importance of a healthy being. Throughout the process, the young ladies
will create a foundation for a vision for themselves to have the outer and inner qualities to
believe they are Beautiful!
Forman Elementary School, Smarty Party, $1500
Martha Preston
As the world around us rapidly changes, students MUST learn to think and learn at higher
levels, to develop critical skills, and to enhance their thinking. The “Smarty Party” will
provide each of our students a chance to participate in games and activities specifically
designed to advance their thinking and reasoning skills. Students will attend the “Smarty
Party” in their classroom then also have the opportunity to play the games with their
parents.
Hedgcoxe Elementary School, Learn by Listening, $1500
Diana Kim
Kindergarten students need an environment where they can easily access a medley of
literature and phonetic reinforcement. This will provide a strong literary foundation with
unlimited growth potential. "Learn by Listening" surrounds these emergent learners using
visual and auditory stimulation while teaching self-directive skills.
Hickey Elementary School, Logic in Learning, $970
Melissa Patton
VersaTiles combines the captivating challenge of a puzzle with the purposeful practice of
academic thinking skills. Student led, engaging and motivating activities that appeal to
various learning styles make lessons more interesting and meaningful for the student.
VersaTiles is based on research linking conceptual understanding, practice of skills and
concepts, and problem solving.
Hickey Elementary School, Pinteresting Magazines, $1499.75
Dung Tran
"Pinteresting Magazines" will be a project in which students have access to a variety of
age-appropriate, high-interest, real-world magazine articles to increase reading skills while
reading purely for the love of reading. Students will use the very popular idea of Pinterest
and will pin postings about interesting articles that they liked to a board to share with their
friends. Friends can then "like" those postings by pinning "like" pins to those postings if they
enjoyed and liked the same articles.
Hickey Elementary School, Math Maniacs: Going Crazy for Math, $1500
Michele Rollins
"Math Maniacs" will allow 2nd grade students in after school tutoring and small group class
sessions to be able to use game-based manipulatives as an avenue for reinforcing skills
learned in math. Students in action based learning environments will play math games such
as Math Kazaam, Giant Dice Math Quest, Eggspert Brain Buzzers, Bunny Basketball, Tic
Tac Toe To Total, and Bowling for Facts. These fun games will make students “Go Crazy
for Math” and instill a life-long love of numbers.
Hickey Elementary School, Geographic Reading Adventures, $792
Connie Palmar
Engaging students with interesting & relevant literature is our aim! Second grade students
will begin their "Geographic Reading Adventures" by having Nation Geographic (Young
Explorers/Pioneers) in the classroom to read. The goal is to increase an awareness &
interest in geography, natural science, environmental conservation, and world cultures. As
these subjects ignite sparks of interest in each student they are also cultivating a life-long
love of reading while improving important literacy skills such as comprehension, fluency &
oral vocabulary.
Hickey Elementary School, Science-mania, $1500
Monica Maldonado
One way to get students interested in science is to get them into the action! Science-mania
is a hands-on tutoring program planned to excite students about science. This after-school
program's goal is to allow students opportunities to learn in an environment full of
investigations and discussions.
Huffman Elementary School, Family Game Night, $1025
Shauna Bhattacharya
Family Game Night is a brain focused program to fine-tune and stretch all students' logical
thinking and reasoning skills. The program is designed to provide hands on game-based
activities to actively engage growing minds, stretch and bend their thinking capabilites, and
have tons of fun!! Games would be incorporated in classroom small groups and then will be
sent home for a night of family fun.
Mathews Elementary School, Think...the New Pink, $1100
Belinda Kinney
The Think Club is an after school club for girls where thinking and reasoning is the focus,
sharing one's thoughts is encouraged, and learning in the areas of science, technology,
engineering, and math is explored in an effort to narrow the achievement gap and raise an
awareness of STEM fields - disciplines not typically chosen by girls. By focusing on girls
who are not reaching their academic potential, we are strategically targeting students who
need a different learning environment where we can model and encourage powerful
thinking strategies (which can be applied across all subject areas) in a setting where being
a girl and thinking like a scientist and mathematician is celebrated.
McMillen High School, Loco for Whiteboards!, $1000
Lauren Gibson
The LOTE (Languages Other Than English) teachers at McMillen are in need of individual
student whiteboards and markers for their classrooms. These whiteboards serve as
wonderful kinesthetic tools to be used for vocabulary and grammar games, drills, and
practice. The PISD LOTE curriculum provides and supports these activities, which we are
currently using pen and paper for (not as fun! not as green!).
Meadows Elementary School, The Amazing Technicolor Lab Coat, $1500
Monica McCaffrey
THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR LAB COATS provide an opportunity for students of all
levels to practice reading, listening, speaking and writing while demonstrating their
knowledge of IC. The students will “dress the part” of a scientist/professor. In addition, the
coats will benefit ELL students and struggling readers by providing a means to effectively
communicate their knowledge in a non-threatening manner.
Meadows Elementary School, P.A.W.S. Headed to College Part 2: Preparing the AVID
WAY to Success, $1422
Kass DuRoss
P.A.W.S. is a program that supports the AVID Elementary philosophy by cultivating intrinsic
motivation in the underserved student populations present on our campus. Last year,
thanks to the Education Foundation Grants program, all fourth and fifth grade students at
Meadows Elementary had the opportunity to tour the campus of the University of Texas at
Arlington. The trip was so successful that we would like to recreate that wonderful
experience and allow our fourth and fifth grade students to visit the University of North
Texas in Denton, which will plant a vision of future academic success in their minds, just as
the visit to the University of Texas at Arlington did last year.
Memorial Elementary School, Engineering: It's Not Just for Trains!, $515
Kristen Fislar
Engineering: It's Not Just For Trains is an after school program targeting students in 5th
grade to explore careers in science and engineering. The club will meet for six sessions to
learn about connections between the hands-on lab experiements they will conduct and real
world applications in science and engineering occupations. This club will enhance student
science experiences and promote long term science education as well as post-secondary
educational and vocational goals.
Memorial Elementary School, Shakespeare at School, $1100
Betty W. Koonce
"O! She doth teach the torches to burn bright" is not a description of teachers and students
in Plano ISD; they are William Shakespeare's words in his play "Romeo and Juliet."
Providing an opportunity for elementary students to experience a play and get to participate
in an acting class may be the door to their appreciation for great literature. This
Shakespeare at School project will bring in professional actors to explain how to
understand Shakespeare's words, to demonstrate how theatre works, to perform scenes
from a play, and to give students a connection to the arts.
Mendenhall Elementary School, Got Game? Learn Reading Through Play, $550
Wendy Miller
In "Got Game? Learn Reading Through Play", students will play reading games to build
reading skills while having fun at the same time. A variety of games will be available to all
students in the grade level to introduce, strengthen, and extend their reading skills. These
games will also be used to strengthen collaboration skills.
Mendenhall Elementary School, Game Time = Brain Time, $1200
Maria Gallastegui
Game Time = Brain Time will provide students in grade 1 through 5 with fun and engaging
learning games to enhance academic skills during tutoring. Skills will be introduced or
practiced through mathematics, reading, writing or science academic games selected with
the students’ instructional needs in mind. Teachers will enrich their lessons and develop
relationships with the students while providing quality differentiated hands-on instruction.
Mendenhall Elementary School, Sparkle Kids!, $1138.39
Michelle Reid
Sparkle Kids is a program designed for English Language Learners and native English
speakers who are enrolled as Special Education students. Students will be engaged in
English Language Learner hands on games and activities in order to promote their
academic language development and fluency, and writing skills. The students we are
serving have learning disabilities that further complicate their acquisition and/or usage of
the English language.
Mendenhall Elementary School, Mad Science Workshops, $1200
Christine Barrantes
"Mad Science Workshop" is a series of four one hour workshops plus eight additional
lessons that are aligned with the science TEKS for 5th graders. These highly interactive
inquiry-based experiments will make many concepts of science relevant to our students.
This fun energizing way of presenting science to fifth graders will be a memorable
experience that they will be able to reflect on during all their future science experiences.
Mendenhall Elementary School, Literacy Library Readers, $500
Molly Pond
Students are at varying levels of reading ability in every grade level. Literacy library
readers are necessary in order to meet a student at their reading level and challenge them
to the next. Excellent books help to go deeper with critical thinking skills and use a variety
of genres to be exposed to all types of literature.
Murphy Middle School, Peer Tutoring and Mentorship Program, $1500
Joshua Stamper
To provide support to our economically disadvantaged at-risk students, two programs were
created to support the students, a peer tutoring and mentorship program. Each program
consisted of a partnership with the community. The peer tutoring utilized high school
volunteers and the mentorship program utilized community volunteers to discuss study
habits, organizational skills, goal setting, college preparation, and career. The additional
support, through the tutoring and mentorship program, was created to increase academic
achievement and college readiness in our academically disadvantaged at-risk students.
Murphy Middle School, Awakening the Inner Reader, $1500
Tammie Regelean
Awakening the inner reader grant is to supply 6th grade English teachers with high interest
literature to fill their classroom libraries with the latest and most engaging reads. I want to
develop a culture of reading in every classroom and make use of each opportunity because
reading changes lives.
Otto Middle School, Book Club Collection, $1500
Molly McCreary
The Book Club Collection project is a continuation of the development of a special
collection of novel sets containing multiple copies (8-10) of the same title for use in student
and/or teacher led small group, after school book clubs. The Otto MS Library has
sponsored a very successful after school book club with consistent participation from
students across grade levels for now the third year running. Book Clubs at Otto provide
students, from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities and socio-ecomonic status, with
opportunities to read for pleasure and personal growth in a nurturing environment making
connections with each other through converstations about literature while developing
literacy skills.
Plano East Senior High School, Ready, Set, Go: Closing the Achievement Gap Through
College Prep, $1500
Penny Aguirre
Socioeconomically disadvantaged students and students with extenuating financial
constraints will receive free college test prep, SAT and ACT. In addition, they will receive
help with college essays and applications. By preparing students in grades 11 and 12 to be
successful on pre-college tasks, the achievement gap will be narrowed.
Plano East Senior High School, Historical Analysis through Art, $1500
Richard Sklar
By visiting the American art collection at the Amon Carter Museum we will teach AP US
History, IB US History, and American Studies students to extend their historical thinking.
Students will be encouraged to create connections between what they learn from written
sources in the classroom and the visual art sources they will experience at the museum.
We hope to instill in our students an increased understanding of visual art within its
historical context leading to a life-long interest in history and the arts.
Plano East Senior High School, Food Science Lab Experience, $1500
Courtney Koder
Students will perform Chemistry, Physics and Biology labs utilizing food for this Food
Science course. Students gain an in depth understanding of scientific priciples they have
learned in Science throughout high school by performing hands on lab experiences that
they get the pleasure of eating when done.
Plano East Senior High School, From Garden to Dinner Table, $1500
Judy Guynes
From Garden to Table will directly relate food and nutritional concepts from the Career
Cluster - Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Special Education students from the 18
plus program and Basic instructional level will build and create a garden with vegetables,
herbs and selected flowers. After attending community cooking classes, students will
create a recipe book and prepare in-school meals using products from the garden.
Plano East Senior High School, Boldy Brilliant Books, $1500
Melissa Schwartz
This program will create a library of book club books for students who wish to challenge
themselves academically. The Boldly Brilliant book club will utilize sophisticated,
contemporary fiction and non-fiction to engage students interest in author's style and
purpose that supports the English IV Honors curriculum.The program is particularly suited
for students who strive for academic excellence in their lives but may be unable to
purchase these texts.
Plano East Senior High School, First Robotics Club, $2724
Michael Adams
The First Robotics club is designed to inspire young people to be science and technology
leaders. The club allows students to become engaged in a mentor-based program with
actual industry engineers. This promotes inspired innovation, and fosters well-rounded life
capabilities through community outreach.
Plano Senior High School, National American Choral Directors Convention Performance,
$1500
Derrick Brookins
Through this project students will participate in a laboratory experience which will culminate
in a perfomance on a national platform. Through Expressions, young singers will integrate
all levels of expression embodied in the TEKS for Music in a performace before an
audiance of choral directors from various regions of the country and abroad at the
American Choral Directors Association's National Convention.
Plano West Senior High School, Unity for the Youth: Illuminating Minds of the Future,
$3000
Lee Ann Begis
This grant will allow us to provide community service programs to 2 feeder elementary
schools. We will be able to establish mentor activities by teaming up with another high
school to work with students at the elmentary level through a variety of events such as:
Arts/Electives Night, 5th Grade Campus Tours of our school, Reading Buddies, Holiday
Dreams Program, Literacy Night- assitance and a variety of other events and activities
planned by both the high school and elementary staff.
Plano West Senior High School, PALS Food Project, $1500
Nancy Lewis
We want to help provide food for the students and their families who are on the free lunch
project during thanksgiving and the winter break.
Plano West Senior High School, Active Economics, $336
John Scott
The Plano West Economics department wishes to have students become more active in
their class involvement. 100 individual small white dry erase boards used by students at
their desks will better facilitate student, instructor, and classroom interaction. Students will
not only have a greater understanding of economic concepts through "learning by doing",
but will have much greater retention of the economic principles they learn.
Plano West Senior High School, All Access, $1500
Chris Ostertag
A goal of the students in the Plano West Evidenced Based Classrooms is to prepare the
students to function appropriately in the community after graduation. Through using best
practices from the classroom we will be able to successfully access the community. This
will give not only the students the tools to be effective but also educate and involve
community members with the ongoing learning of our students.
Rice Middle School, Positively Successful, $1460.76
Cindy Woolum
Positively Successful is a research based project designed to provide students the tools
necessary, through Positive Behavior Supports, to raise grades, increase school
attendance and lower behavioral concerns, while simultaneously boosting self-esteem.
The program helps mold students to be responsible for their learning and success in school
and beyond. Positively Successful has proven to increase student achievement, both
behaviorally and academically.
Shepton High School, R4R: Reading for Rigor, $1500
Deborah Brannon
One of PISD's Foundational Beliefs for ELA Instruction involves teachers offering students
a balance between self-selected and teacher-directed texts and increasing the amount of
rigor in their classrooms. In order to address the self-selected aspect and rigor, we hope to
offer students a relevant classroom library of both classic and contemporary texts covering
multiple cultures and perspectives. Students will submit favorite book titles/authors which
will enable us to match their interests with books we can offer them right in their classroom-and if their book/author is chosen, students will endorse their selections with a
recommendation kept in a permanent "Readers' Recommendations" book.
Shepton High School, Global Humanities Immersion Day, $1050
Craig McKinney
On the ultimate field trip, Humanities students studying art,architecture and AP World
History will discover the rich collections of the Dallas Museum of Art, the Crow Collection of
Asian Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Arts District of Downtown Dallas in a
round-robin rotation of arts experiences. With a focus on non-Western arts and their
connection to world history, this day of exploration will acquaint students with artworks and
movements that will improve their scores on the AP World History exam and will enhance
their enjoyment and appreciation of the humanities. A walking tour through the Arts District
will showcase the growing cultural scene in Dallas and the works of architecture and public
art in one of the most vibrant artistic centers in the nation.
Sigler Elementary School, Smart Start, $1496.34
Jennifer Brumfield
Smart Start is a math, reading, and science program that meets four times a week during
arrival time. The program is voluntary and open to all students at our school. The goal of
the program is to develop a love of learning, critical thinking, problems solving skills, and
opportunities to further investigate the subject of their choice.
Sigler Elementary School, Connecting with Science One Page at a Time, $1200
Kari Tolle
Through non-fiction periodicals such as National Geographic for Kids and Science Studies
Weekly, students build prior knowledge and strengthen reading comprehension strategies.
These high-interest publications offer students a glimpse at the world beyond the
boundaries of their homes and schools. Engaging will activate their motivation to explore
beyond their life experiences.
Sp Prog 9-12, Capital One/ Junior Achievement Finance Park, $500
Katherine Morales
Capital One/ Junior Achievement Finance Park is a four week economics program that
introduces personal financial planning and career exploration. The program will help
students develop and follow a monthly budget, communicate with the business community,
and understand the value of education as it relates to financial planning. As a result of this
program, students will have a better understanding of budgeting, saving and investing, as
well as career options in the financial community.
Sp Prog 9-12, Exploring Area Colleges/Universities, $1500
Keisha Benton
Exploring Area Universities/Colleges such as The University of North Texas (UNT), The
University of Texas, Dallas (UTD), Navarro College and Southern Methodist University
(SMU) will allow academically “at risk” General Education and Special Education students
an opportunity to visit area colleges and universities to explore various post-secondary
opportunities. Students will spend a full day visit at these institutions, and as an incentive,
academically “at risk” Juniors and Seniors who are passing all classes at the end of the 6
weeks period will be eligible to participate. Students who experience a full day in a college
environment, talking with students, visiting facilities and learning about various degrees and
scholarship opportunities, will be motivated to achieve even more academically and
experience greater student success.
Thomas Elementary School, Math and Logic Club, $400
Amy Moore
In Math and Logic club, students will be exposed to higher level math problems, focus on
logical thinking skills and participate in math competitions involving strategical thinking.
Thomas Elementary School, Rise and Shine, $1100
Sheri Lutz
Research shows that systematic, explicit instruction and hands-on practice leads to
success in all content areas. Repeated practice through all learning modalities reinforces
the development of content academic vocabulary. Rise and Shine Club will provide our low
socio-economic and limited English speaking students the opportunity to learn and practice
academic vocabulary through math, reading and science games and activities.
Wells Elementary School, Introducing Shakespeare, $367.52
Sridevi Murugesan
Introducing Shakespeare will attempt to introduce the works of the Bard of Avon to children
in second grade with the help of their Learning Buddies in fifth grade. The program will rely
primarily on the Shakespeare Can be Fun! books, by Lois Burdett. It has been shown that
such a program can improve language skills now, and increase the appreciation for
Shakespeare later during the secondary education years.
Wilson Middle School, The Snack Sack, $929
Clint Poole
The Snack Sack program is a plan to help provide students with the daily nutrition they
need. This plan will target 7th grade students who are designated as having low
socioeconomic status (SES). Many of these children do not eat the daily recommended
fruit serving that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends.
Wilson Middle School, The Blanket Project - Spreading warmth in our community., $500
Patricia Brodersen
Students will make blankets for City House Youth Shelter located in Plano, Texas. The
blanket project will be open to all students to participate. This community service project
focuses on giving back to the community and demonstrating kindness towards others.