2014-2015 Grants to Educators
November 18, 2014
Aldridge Elementary School
Brenda McElyea
$1468
Makerspace Full STEAM Ahead
A makerspace is a place to make projects either of one’s own design, to learn how to make new things by trial
and error and/or as guided by others. My library's makerspace primarily focuses on student designed projects
utilizing problem solving and organizational skills as students think, plan, research, design, create, and showoff their projects. I have applied for this grant so that I can extend the scope of supplies available to students
from solely repurposed to reusable electronic and building materials.
Andrews Elementary School
Kim Artigues
$450
Let's Learn With Logic!
The stimulating "Let's Learn With Logic" reasoning games will be utilized for differentiated Math instruction in
order to enhance spatial and analytical reasoning; while challenging the student's strategic thinking skills.
Students will use mathematical problem solving skills to develop logical thinking and practice rigorous problem
solving. This will further enhance our Math instruction by making connections with content and will serve as a
great introduction to deductive reasoning while applying mathematics to problems arising in everyday life.
Andrews Elementary School
Brooke Bauer
$623
M3 (Magnificent Math Maniacs)
M3 (Magnificent Math Maniacs) is an after-school program designed for students who desire to delve into
higher-level problem solving and strategic thinking while having fun at the same time! Students will conquer
mathematical challenges in a fun, exciting, and fast-paced environment with plenty of opportunities to work
together in cooperative groups and show their individual expertise in math competitions. The program is
offered to all 5th grade students and those 3rd and 4th grade students who are identified by their teachers as
high-achievers in math.
Andrews Elementary School
Karla Shelby
$401
Dealing Number Sense
While our students are "Dealing Number Sense" using decks of playing cards and dominoes, they will develop
and master, an in-depth understanding of place value: including the concept of ordering, rounding, addition,
subtraction, multiplication, division, and fractions. Students will be engaged during the hands-on approach to
learning numerical representations and relationships: number sense.
Armstrong Middle School
Terry Cavallito
$1500
Project 43-George W. Bush Library
Students will tour the George W. Bush Library on the campus of SMU. Students will connnect the challenges
and precedents set by the first five presidents of the United States, studied in 8th grade Social Studies, with
the challenges and precedents set by contemporary presidents. This trip will combine both a tour of the
library, and a tour of SMU to motivate students to attend college, as well as understand that history does
happen in "your own backyard."
Armstrong Middle School
Laura Faber
$1500
This Is Your Life!
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 severely delayed 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
Kiva Fullmer
$1500
College Campus Visit
College Campus Visit is geared toward educating students about life at a college campus. Students are
provided with knowledge of what life is like on a college campus (dorm life, class sizes, clubs and
organizations), benefits of a college education and college entrance requirements. Students will visit a major
Texas university where they will tour the campus, receive information about the campus from actual college
students and eat lunch in a college cafeteria.
Armstrong Middle School
Kimberly Harvey-Jordan
$400
Reading is Fundamental
Reading Workshop is the name of Plano ISD district selected reading program in the 6th grade. This project is
to give students more opportunities to have ownership of their reading by improving the following: reading
fluency, reading comprehension, and reading rigor inference skills. This project will enable students to
purchase additional content teen choice books for the classroom library.
Armstrong Middle School
Claire McGrath
$2000
AMS 30 Mile Challenge
The AMS 30 Mile Challenge is a year-long program for all Physical Education students in which they must
reach 30 miles by May 15, 2014. Students are given one day per week to work toward reaching the goal, and
coaches update their progress weekly. Those that reach 30 miles will receive special recognition at an awards
ceremony and a t-shirt. The goal of the program is to motivate students to work hard at reaching a goal and
choosing a healthy lifestyle.
Armstrong Middle School
Karen Wackerow
$600
Real Reading
“Real Reading” is the name of our student–selected reading (SSR) program in the 8th grade. The purpose is to
enable students to have a “Real Reading” experience by choosing books from a current classroom library and
engaging in deeper reading activities. This project will allow us to purchase current teen-choice books for our
classroom.
Armstrong Middle School
Ebony Barnes
$1500
It's a ScienceSaurus!
Funds from this grant will be used to purchase a class set of ScienceSaurus. This Science resource will provide
the necessary tools to bridge the gap between what students experience in hands-on investigations and the
conceptual understanding using academic vocabulary.
Barron Elementary School
Amanda Bauman
$1000
Pawmart
Pawmart is just how it sounds; an alternative to Walmart for kids. This "grade level store" is a positive
reinforcement tool used to reward the students who earn our grade level "bucks" for displaying responsible,
ready and respectful behaviors. In addition, it connects real-life experiences and knowledge of economic
choices by encouraging the students to save and look forward to purchasing that extra special item from
Pawmart.
Barron Elementary School
Matthew Clark
$325
Math Can be Fun
This grant will buy research based math board games to help bring Math into a real world setting. Allowing
students to play games, that will reinforcing their Math Facts, Operations, and Problem Solving skills. The
games will help provide learning tools to meet the new standard of personal financial literacy that will tested
on STAAR. The money will be used to purchase games targeting deficient skills identified through MAP and
STAAR data analysis.
Barron Elementary School
Courtney Howard
$1000
I've Got Spirit, How 'Bout You?
Every Friday, our school holds a school spirit day. Teachers and students wear spirit wear, sing the school
song, and say cheers throughout the day to spread spirit. It is so wonderful to see everybody sporting their
spirit wear; however, many of our student cannot afford to purchase spirit wear and feel left out on this day.
Barron Elementary School
Pamela Maltsberger
$755
Guidance Books
Many of our students at school need bibliotherapy in order to understand and apply lifelong character traits
both in school and out of school. As the counselor of our school, I would love more than anything to have a
couseling library for students, staff, and community use. This grant will buy books that teach students how to
cope with struggles going on in their personal lives and also show that they can relate to others.
Beaty EC - P-K
Megan Fogarty
$1500
We All Read Together
Many of our special education students are not able to enjoy the same books as their general education peers
because they are not developmentally or educationally appropriate. When they have to read specially-made
teacher books they are missing out on the joy of classic illustrations and are further separated from their
peers. I propose to create a true, inclusive library for our self-contained classrooms by adapting classic
literature to fit the needs of ALL students.
Beaty EC - P-K
Heather Schmitt
$1200
Family Visual Supports Training
The Family Visual Supports Training Series will be a hands-on experience designed to support parents and
caregivers in their ability to enhance their child’s participation and success in school, at home and throughout
the community. This series of trainings will provide strategies to help the child communicate more effectively
in order to alleviate stress, ease frustration during challenging situations and promote positive behaviors.
Beverly Elementary School
Nora Davis
$245
Book Lover's Club
All Kindergarten and 2nd Grade students will participate each month in an engaging Book Lover's Club that
makes reading fun! The Kindergarten and 2nd Grade students will be paired together in order to support
literacy acquisition for the younger children and to foster confidence and leadership skills in the older children.
At each club meeting, the students will read books, discuss open-ended questions, and cooperate to complete
projects in response to the stories.
Beverly Elementary School
Laura Schnitzer
$725
Literature Throughout the Classroom
Second grade students will be immersed in good literature throughout the school year. This literature will
include books for read aloud, guided reading and independent reading. There will be a multitude of genres
including, fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and fables. Both picture books and chapter books will be included.
Bowman Middle School
Joan McIntosh
$1500
High Five for Character
High 5 for Character: Give me a High 5 for Character is a student recognition program created and
implemented by the Student Recognition Team at Bowman Middle School. The goal of the program is to
acknowledge our students for a job well done! The students are recognized by the faculty and staff members
for showing random acts of kindness and for showing RESPECT at school.
Bowman Middle School
Stephanie Schinnerer
$700
AVID in ACTION (A²)
Our school continues to immerse AVID strategies throughout the building to help students prepare for college
readiness. Last year, our school created AVID in ACTION (A²) by adding tutorials to 6th grade study skills
classes to engage students in higher level questioning and help each other be successful during the school
year. This year our goal is to add AVID tutorials to an 8th grade math class before/after school facilitated by
eighth grade AVID students to enhance non-AVID students with the benefits of AVID strategies.
Bowman Middle School
Kelly Williams
$1500
Space Jam
The purpose of the Project-Based Learning (PBL) initiative is to begin integrating PBL concepts into the middle
school by creating an extracurricular PBL Club. Appropriate training for four core subject teachers has already
occurred. Additional faculty will be trained in succeeding years.
Bowman Middle School
Erick Andrade
$1175
Soccer to Student Success
Soccer to Student Success is a continuation and expansion 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 otherwise 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.
Carpenter Middle School
Katherine Webb
$1000
Building Classroom Libraries
Building Classroom Libraries will ensure students are equipped with the latest titles, so that they will have
greater access to literature and be encouraged to read outside of the classroom. This program will provide
students with a variety of young adult literature tailored to their interests. This will dramatically shorten the
process of getting a book into a student's hands, especially reluctant readers.
Christie Elementary School
Belinda Beuerlein
$1500
Maker Space Camp
Explore, Experience, Design, and Create using various materials, techniques, and technologies throughout the
school year. Through this exploration, students will be able to find their strengths in certain areas of STEM and
the Arts. The school year will end with an exciting, engaging experience that students will love when they
attend our "Maker Space" Camp to design and create projects or activities that showcase their strengths and
abilities in the area of their choice!
Christie Elementary School
Chloe Bradley
$1400
Versatile learning with VersaTiles
Students at Christie need to be pushed in math to reach their full potential. Using VersaTiles we will be able to
increase the rigor and differentiate during math station time. VersaTiles will be used in the first through third
grade classrooms to help students collaborate, reflect on their work, and increase their logic and math skills.
Christie Elementary School
Cynthia Brown
$1500
Tinkering Exploratorium
Recognizing the need for problem solving skills in future careers, this teaching approach will fill gaps in
understanding and excite students about the areas of science and math. Students will have opportunities to
create, plan and build solutions to challenges which engineers face in the real world. Students who may not
have otherwise considered careers in these areas will increase their confidence and interest by improving their
engineering knowledge and skills.
Christie Elementary School
Carrie Cormack
$1500
Recess Grows Brains
Our goal in the Recess Grows Brains program is to increase the overall physical activity in all 800 of our
students during recess. Currently, it is a struggle for some of our classes to get their students to actively
participate during recess. We believe we are missing out on an opportunity to best serve our students by
providing them with all of the necessary resources to engage in physical activity through sports and games
due to insufficient equipment at recess time. Studies prove that increased physical activity can directly
increase brain activity. Through children exerting more energy on the playground, we predict enhanced
concentration in the classroom, improved behavior in the class, and less behavior issues during class and
recess.
Christie Elementary School
Jessica Malloy
$1500
The Learning Commons: An Uncommon Learning Experience
If you can imagine it, you can create it in the Learning Commons! Exposing students to hands-on, highly
engaging STEAM activities will immerse them in exploring, discovering and learning and will help ensure their
success in the future. Getting to make and create will transform our students from consumers into makers and
give everyone the opportunity to see the world around them differently, to explore and imagine new
possibilities for a future they help create.
Christie Elementary School
Tiffany Anderson
$700
Kindness and Compassion (KC) Club
Our campus has accepted Rachel's Challenge and our Kindness and Compassion Club (KC Club) is ready to go
out and serve our school as well as the world. Our KC Club is open to all fourth and fifth grade students who
exhibit positive character traits and who want to make a difference in the lives of others. The KC Club will
organize and implement certain service learning projects to get our campus involved in giving back to our
community and demonstrating kindness, compassion, leadership, respect, and inspiration.
Christie Elementary School
Linda Higbee
$1200
CNN - Campus News Now 2014
"Good Morning -- let's get to the top stories of the day!" Active learning with hands-on experience is
paramount to student success. With our campus as the hub of life in our community, students will inform,
entertain, and teach one another through the use of technology by broadcasting high interest stories on a
daily campus news program. Students will have the expanded opportunity to create segments for STEM
related news programs. A variety of literacy skills embedded in authentic experience allows students to hone
their speaking, reading,and writing skills in developing stories of interest which have come from active
academic learning within the classroom and campus community.
Christie Elementary School
Lilly Jensby
$1500
Gadget Girls 2.0
Gadget Girls is a collaborative initiative designed to boost achievement in science and mathematics and aimed
at inspiring the next generation of innovators. According to Michelle Obama, “If we’re going to out-innovate
and out-educate the rest of the world, we've got to open doors for everyone; we need all hands on deck, and
that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering,
and math.” Through this cooperative learning process girls will develop leadership and creative thinking and
problem-solving skills, to foster sustained interest in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, and to
empower girls at a young age to pursue related career pathways.
Christie Elementary School
Kaya Jones
$1000
Designing Mathematicians
The sky's the limit, ... or is it? Our Designing Mathematicians are taking math out of this world through
inquiry-based projects that challenge students to critically think and problem-solve at the highest levels! Not
only will students be able to bring their mathematical ideas to life, they will also be able to share their learning
through student-produced digital portfolios, which will deepen their understanding of how math connects us to
the real world.
Christie Elementary School
Christine Kallman
$930
Everyday Science Investigators - ESI
Everyday Science Investigators, ESI, is a program that allows 1st and 2nd graders to get dirty and messy
while participating in hands-on science. Students will have the opportunity to explore science in their everyday
lives while practicing questioning and communication skills.
Christie Elementary School
Kristin Ransom
$800
Reading Rainbow
Reading Rainbow is a book club designed for 5th grade literacy enrichment. Students will come to book club
three times each week to engage in captivating and challenging literature. Students will read, discuss,
collaborate, and evaluate text while integrating technology in hopes to foster their love of literature.
Clark High School
Savannah Deegan
$1500
Garold Wayne Foundation Field Trip
Agricultural science students will travel to the Garold Wayne Interactive Zoological Park to experience the life
of an animal caretaker and learn about the work being completed by Texas A&M's genetics department at the
foundation to preserve the gene pool of endangered big cats.
Clark High School
Emily Christine Gates
$1500
Reading Focus: Engaged!
"Reading Focus - ENGAGED!" is the name of our CATS/Special Ed. independent reading program at Clark High
School. We believe that when teens who read on lower levels have access to high interest, low reading level
books, they are more motivated to pick up and finish reading a book. Our project enables us to purchase more
of these high interest, low reading level teen choice books for our campus.
Clark High School
Cristine Jordan
$1500
AVID 212
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 and teacher recognition for academic success and rigor on our campus.
By rewarding students for their individual accomplishments and positive behavior, along with recognizing the
teachers who provide support to rigor, they will understand that making one degree of change in their study
habits can equal success in high school and acceptance into the college of their choice.
Clark High School
Christine Lynd
$1500
Marvelous Minds Makerspace
A Makerspace in the Clark Library would afford all Clark students a learner-driven space to tinker, question,
discover, problem solve, and create. Makerspaces develop perserverance by allowing a safe space for students
to "fail" and try again. Makerspaces inspire wonder, celebrate ingenuity and encourage collaboration.
Daffron Elementary School
Linda DeSousa
$1351
We All Have a Story to Tell
We will create confident and engaged readers and writers with the "We All Have a Story to Tell" program. To
boost motivation and create strong writers, the LEGO Education Story Starters combined with our curriculum,
will encourage the students to use the mechanics of a well composed story and a foundation to build and
share their own story using LEGO bricks in their tool box. The students will photograph, write and publish their
stories electronically.
Dooley Elementary School
Lauren Shaw
$600
Books To Go
“Books to Go" is a continuation of a Grant awarded in 2011 to Dooley, Hickey and Hunt Elementary Schools.
We have provided books to check out during the summer at a Mobile Home Park where many of the bilingual
and ESL students live. We bring the books in a PISD van, set up under the trees in the shade and help families
select books to read at home. This coming summer will be our fifth summer to implement the program.
Dooley Elementary School
Silvia Thorpe
$1500
The Lunch Bunch Book Club
The Lunch Bunch Book Club is a program designed to get students interested in reading and discussing books
in a social setting. Students will meet during their lunch time in the library. Sets of books in a variety of
genres will be purchased for the students in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. Our objective is to encourage students
to read for pleasure and, in the process, boost their academic performance.
Forman Elementary School
Tricia Saleh
$1500
Growing Connections from Language to Literacy
The Growing Connections from Language to Literacy project is a program that will support and build literacy
through language using various genres. Readers' Theater will be utilized to support the younger students
through the use of language acquisition. The older students will benefit from the use of adapted classical
literature which will provide them with the opportunity to increase comprehension and fluency using higher
level text.
Forman Elementary School
Cassey Scales
$1500
Future Engineers
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.
Frankford Middle School
Ranneh Kayfan
$1500
STEM Games That Train Your Brain
Seventh and eighth grade students will be invited to six, monthly after-school “STEM Games That Train Your
Brain” events to collaborate and work through various hands-on brain games which incorporate simple
structures and mechanisms. These six events are designed to inspire students to continue to pursue science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics in school and as possible career choices and will introduce them to
Project Lead the Way and other Career and Technical Education courses. Students will also interact with high
school, parent, and engineer volunteers who will assist during these once-a-month events.
Frankford Middle School
Michele Poovey
$1500
Science Club: Compost and Garden
Use the Science Club to educate the entire school about composting and flower gardens to increase
environmental awareness and knowledge of 7th grade TEKs.
Frankford Middle School
Cheryl Wells
$700
Chef's Club and Pinterest Club Grant
Chef's Club and Pinterest Club is an after school club for developing new skills for students. The clubs reach a
group of students who are not usually involved in other after school activities. It gives them a sense of
belonging to their school and they take ownership of the clubs. Students will learn to enhance their creativity
and build on life skills using a hands on approach.
Frankford Middle School
Karyn Wynne
$1500
AVID “Study CHATS”- (Collaborate, Help, Ask, Teach, Success)
Morning/afterschool Study CHATS are for students to meet and collaborate about what they are learning in
their core subjects. Instead of sitting in the cafeteria or gym waiting for school to start, students will come to
Study CHATS to stay on top of their grades. Study CHATS will be for group study sessions, group project
work, or just to get their homework done. It will be a safe and “cool” place to study with peers.
Haggard Middle School
Kaki Bennett
$1500
Maker Space
Our middle school hopes to establish a maker space where students can explore and create with a variety of
materials. Students will use various building elements such as battery packs, circuits, robotics components,
LEDs, K’Nex pieces, Lego bricks, conductive and non-conductive dough, and electric motors to discover
possibilities within the different combinations of parts. Students will construct their own projects and use
problem solving skills to create the result they want.
Haggard Middle School
Kimberly Fermaint
$1487
Magazines for the Nonfiction Reader
Magazines for the nonfiction reader is our school's way of promoting nonfiction reading in the classroom and
supporting those students who already enjoy this mode of reading. Knowing that nonfiction text is majority of
what our students will encounter in the world in and outside of our classroom walls, it is vital that we foster
the reading strategies and skills required to make sense of and enjoy nonfiction texts. Magazines for the
nonfiction reader will in turn provide our 8th grade students with engaging classroom magazines on a variety
of topics that can be used during instruction or during our daily sustained silent reading time.
Hendrick Middle School
Victoria Hines
$2500
Food 4 Thought
Food 4 Thought is an after-school program geared towards providing academic support for students on a
consistent basis, in addition to the regularly scheduled grade level tutorials. All students are eligible to
participate in the program, and are given a nutritional snack at the beginning of the Food 4 Thought hour.
Subject area teachers are on-hand during the program to provide specific academic assistance with homework
and assignments.
Hickey Elementary School
Maricela Callan
$1475
Periodical…What’s that?
The term periodical is completely foreign to this generation of students. By utilizing Time for Kids Magazine
and FACES Magazine, students will get to engage in current events, learn about different people, places and
culture through a new and different medium to ignite student learning. In addition, with the curriculum
changes, we can still keep Texas History alive all year with the Texas Studies Weekly Newspaper!
Hickey Elementary School
Angelica Campbell
$1470
“Homeruns with Home Team Advantage”
Do you have the home field advantage in your class? “Homeruns with Home Team Advantage” is a project
that puts students and parents back in our corner! Families will be provided with kits that supply home access
to captivating, cross-curricular activities to further increase the effectiveness of classroom instruction while
accommodating busy schedules.
Hickey Elementary School
Paula Edwards
$1070
Moving Minutes
Moving Minutes is a collection of brain energizers and instant activities that can be accessed throughout the
day or used as needed for indoor recess. The Moving Minutes will be made by students and utilized by
students to help energize, activate and invigorate the brain into a state of learning.
Hickey Elementary School
Melissa Patton
$1400
Logic in Learning
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 students. VersaTiles is based on research linking conceptual
understanding, practice of skills and concepts, and problem solving.
Hickey Elementary School
Lisa Saldana
$688
Tools for Tackling the TEKS in Math
Intervention documentation shows that tier 2 and 3 students struggle with math TEKS/concepts for reasons
which include difficulty in problem solving/internalization of mathematical concepts as well as
distractibility/inability to attend to lessons appropriately. This grant provides materials and tools that will
address these issues and assist struggling students with development of math concepts and mastery of math
TEKS.
Hickey Elementary School
Dung Tran
$1485
The Lost Art of Telling Time
Telling time, really? Do we still need to tell time, or why not just read a number off of a digital clock? "The
Lost Art of Telling Time" will put the love back into reading an analog clock by providing students with analog
watches during a two week long project. Students will build an understanding of time, understanding passage
of time, understanding the units time is measured and what each unit of measure means, and relating all of
this to their everyday life.
Huffman Elementary School
Hoda Abdel-Ghani
$1216
Ready-Set-Learn
Materials needed for classroom to increase the attention of students for on-task behavior. These materials
include various items such as adaptive seating options and movement activities. Research supports heavy
work activities to increase students attention and on-task behavior.
Huffman Elementary School
Rita Wallace
$500
Kids Inquiry Conference: Learning By Design
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.
Huffman Elementary School
Courtney West
$1210
History is Our Heritage
"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,
as 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
Assoication, State of Texas historical Marker, and National Register of Historic Places.
Hunt Elementary School
Candy Kern
$901
Read Recycled Readers
We will be recycling 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade out of adoption literature anthologies (grade level Basal
Readers) to create 960 individual classroom readers. Each anthology contains 30 stories, so with 4 grade
levels we will have 120 different titles to select from. We will be creating 8 copies of each story for small
group instruction.
Jackson Elementary School
Mercedes Tran
$1440
Concrete Reading Project
English Language Learners sometimes lack background knowledge of real life experiences, which is an
essential element in developing vocabulary and reading comprehension. The "Concrete Reading Project"
utilizes jumbo sized expository books to spark their appetite for reading by appealing to their personal
interests and visual curiosity. Big books captivate and draw students' minds into the informational text,
helping them connect personally with the rest of the world.
Meadows Elementary School
Ellyn Reese-Fautsch
$800
Smooth Sailing/Synergy for Student Success
Whether or not eligible for Special Education services, so very many students at our Title One school have
special needs that must be appropriately addressed. When Special Education and General Education teachers
cooperate and discuss facilitation of the learning process for students such as these, students will benefit! The
goal of this Grant Proposal is to promote smooth sailing through the learning process through teacher
synergy, plus tools and materials to support our students' progress in any educational setting, whether
resource or inclusion, General Education or Special Education .
Memorial Elementary School
Betty W. Koonce
$1500
iDEAS--iDesignEngineerAssembleShare
iDEAS is both an after- and in-school program offering students the opportunity to use and expand their
knowledge of science, technology, engineering, math, music, art, dance, writing, and/or literature to design
and make whatever they can imagine. Squishy circuits, catapult components, origami and kite paper, Little
Bits, duct tape, Legos, and recyclables are some of the mediums students use in their own unique, innovative
ways during weekly sessions. By participating in iDEAS, students will become lifelong creative, critical
thinkers.
Memorial Elementary School
Christy Pine
$1145
#KidsRunThisSchool
#KidsRunThisSchool is an after school running club designed to reach students grades 3-5 to reach their
potential beyond their physical needs. The basis of each student's training plan will be individualized physical,
social/emotional, and academic goals supported by the running coaches through conferencing, guest
speakers, reading selections, and activities that keep running fun and foster perseverance. Our participation in
the Thrill of the Grill 5K will be our culminating activity, a celebration of their nine-week journey.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Christine Barrantes
$1495
Interactive S.T.E.M. Lab
Our Interactive S.T.E.M. Lab is designed to expose students to science, technology, engineering and math so
they can have experiences that teach students how these four strands interact to solve problems and develop
new ideas. The materials from the grant in our lab are used by students, teachers, mentors and families to
enhance student’s S.T.E.M. experiences and increase their vocabulary. The high interest activities, specimens
and hands-on-materials will raise the interest and excitement level of everyone that uses them.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Alexandria Droogsma
$700
Biz Kidz
Biz Kidz is an interactive and engaging personal financial literacy project. It is designed to challenge students
to apply mathematical and monetary skills in a real world setting. In this project, students will learn about
financial literacy, engage in product creation, and participate in the Biz Kidz convention to buy and sell their
products.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Maria Gallastegui
$1500
Linking LEGOS 4Learning
Linking LEGOS 4Learning will provide students in grades 2 through 5 with hands-on engaging materials to
transform them into confident and engaged readers and writers! Linking LEGOS 4Learning will increase
students’ motivation and build strong writers while teaching literacy, communication, collaboration, and
teamwork skills. Linking LEGOS 4Learning will encourage students to work together to create and build stories
with LEGO bricks and figures as their toolbox and then share, write and publish their stories.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Shannon Gauger
$1235
Fidgets For Fidgety Friends
Fidgets for Fidgety Friends is a program designed to benefit and meet specific needs of the special education
students on our campus. Students will be allowed to move within their space in an appropriate manner with
the use of "fidgets" which will benefit them by allowing them to better focus, attend, and learn.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Cherrie Kilby
$803
Science Across the Curriculum
Our Special Education Team plans to use leveled reading activities combined with hands on activities to teach
reading and support what students are learning in science. Using science across the curriculum will help
reinforce academic vocabulary that is so difficult for our students. The hands on activities keep students
engaged and make learning more relevant.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Cynthia Overturf
$200
Meet the Maestro
Meet the Maestro would provide 4th and 5th grade students the opportunity to meet Maestro Hector Guzman,
conductor of the Plano Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Guzman would speak to the students about his career in
music. The maestro would also give a brief performance on the piano.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Shannon Sparks
$995
Liven Up Science
“Liven Up Science” is our goal for science this year to make science even more interesting and fun for our
students. We plan to use a life size skeleton to reinforce each unit with costumes for role playing and for
modeling to help students better understand science. The interactive games with high level questions will be
played on our white board each morning as well as to review for unit tests and for tutoring.
Mendenhall Elementary School
Renee Tobias
$700
Reading for Success
Reading for Success will provide a variety of books to allow students to self-select reading material to
significantly improve their reading and comprehension. By providing a wide variety of books and other reading
material, Reading for Success will promote a love of reading and learning to assist students in becoming lifelong learners.
Murphy Middle School
Stacey Blaylock
$258
Enhancing Student Learning of the Visual Arts
Enhancing student learning of the visual arts through real life experiences through observing and creating art
at the Dallas Museum of Art. While most students get to experience the art museum, many students with
special needs have not had this privilege due to the lack of opportunity in which they can engage in an
environment that accomodates their needs. Through a field trip to the Dallas Museum of Art, where they
created a structured environment to meet the physical and sensory needs to accomodate students in the
special education program, the students will be able to experience an art museum.
Murphy Middle School
Katherine DelBosque
$1500
Raising the Bar Through Quality Instruments
As our school orchestra program has grown, the number of students unable to afford an instrument and/or
supplies has increased due to a change in school demographics. This project is designed to help provide
students that cannot afford to rent an instrument through a music store with a school instrument. By
providing access to quality instruments students are more likely to join and continue on their instrument
throughout all of their middle school years.
Murphy Middle School
Elizabeth Jones
$1200
STAARburst Science
STAARburst is an eight week after-school science program targeting eighth grade students who need
additional assistance with STAAR success through supplemental instruction. Students will experience engaging
hands-on activities, reinforcing curricula to enhance learning and strengthen metacognition. Instructional
leadership will be provided by the science department.
Outdoor Learning Center / Holifield Science Learning Center
and Plano ISD Academy High School
Ginger Nelson
$1500
Power Partners with Nature!
"Power Partners with Nature" is the opportunity for high school students to research, configure, test, and
construct solar and wind power units for electrical energy. Their constructed efforts will then transfer learning
opportunities to all PISD elementary students to see alternative energy in action. Using solar power for one
building and wind with the other will allow students firsthand experience with nature's ability to provide
energy alternatively for light and fans that will brighten and cool these two places.
Otto Middle School
Kathy Boudreaux
$1500
For the Love of Reading
For The Love of Reading is aimed at motivating and engaging striving readers. This program will provide high
interest reading materials for students who are approaching grade level to read independently. This project
focuses on finding “the right book” to build confidence and increase reading proficiency; student successes will
be recognized with the intent of creating lifelong readers.
Otto Middle School
Shelly Furlong
$1200
Tutorials for Success
Our school is preparing to permeate AVID strategies throughout the building to help students be more
academically adept. This year, our school is concentrating on providing Socratic style tutorials in Math. This
will allow students to engage in higher level questioning while learning through collaboration.
Otto Middle School
Molly McCreary
$1500
Book Club Collection 2014-2015
The Book Club Collection 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 groups holding after school
book clubs. Book clubs at school provide students from diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, and socioeconomic
status, with opportunities to read for pleasure and personal growth in a nurturing environment, making
connections with each other through conversations about literature, while developing literacy skills. The Book
Club Collection offers opportunities for all schools, district wide, to borrow from the collection through interlibrary loan.
Plano East Senior High School
Tommy Guynes
$1500
Built for Success
Built for Success sponsors professional luncheons, student college visits and classroom presentations by local
business leaders related to specific careers and Applied Science degrees located at Collin College and Dallas
County Community Colleges. The three methods of career exploration will target at-risk students with the
aspiration of sparking interests toward specific in-demand employment areas. Built for Success will connect
students with members of the Plano Rotary, community colleges and employers with career fields of student
interest. We build successful and motivated students!
Plano East Senior High School
Katherine Ruzycki
$1500
Soccer Success
A co-ed intramural soccer league within Plano East Senior High school in order to build community and provide
incentives for at-risk students. The program will be open to any student group that wishes to play, providing
they have enough players that do not have attendance or academic performance issues. By including all
students, we build community, and we build an opportunity for at-risk and low socioeconomic students to
participate in extracurricular activities without excessive time commitment or financial burden.
Plano West Senior High School
Chris Ostertag
$1500
All Access
One goal of the students in the Plano West Structured Classrooms is to be able to be a contributing member of
the community after graduation. This can be achieved by learning independence and life skills. This will give
the students not only the tools to be effective, but will also educate and involve community members in the
ongoing learning of our students.
Shepard Elementary School
Staci Mendelsohn
$900
Fifth Grade Book Club
Our Book Club is a continuous event for our fifth graders each year to enhance in the reading program and
build the love for reading. The students will be reading and be engaged with different genres that align with
our fifth grade curriculum in reading, science, and/or social studies. Each reading group will be allowed to
select from a list of novels to read, discuss, and analyze with their peers twice a week to further their
comprehension and analitical thinking of the novels.
Shepard Elementary School
Jonelle Peters
$800
A Day at the DMA
Transportation costs needed for 3rd and 5th graders to be taken to Dallas art museums. The field trip aligns
with state standards across disciplines and would provide our students with an authentic multicultural, crosscurricular experience. Our students would benefit from seeing the connections art creates with social studies
and language arts.
Shepton High School
Craig McKinney
$1345
Global Humanities Immersion Day
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 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 (using 21st century technology) 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
Kari Tolle
$918
Extra! Extra! Read All About It!
Through non-fiction periodicals such as Scholastic News and Science Spin, students build prior knowledge,
increase fluency, and strengthen reading comprehension strategies. These high-interest publications offer
students a glimpse at the world beyond the boundaries of their homes, neighborhood, and schools. Engaging
materials will encourage discussion that will motivate younger students to explore the world beyond their life
experiences.
Sp Prog K-8
Ashley Brown
$1500
When I Grow Up...
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" We will be providing students with the tools necessary to better
answer that question by offering students the opportunity to learn about a variety of careers through guest
speakers, hands on demonstrations, and group presentations. Members of the community will come in at least
once a month to talk about, model, and answer questions about jobs of which some students may have
limited exposure.
Sp Prog K-8
William Dixon
$1000
'H.A.L.O" Helping Achieve Leadership Opportunities
Leadership potential is in every child, how they use that leadership is something that needs to be guided and
nurtured. H.A.L.O will take boys and girls from grades K-8 and give them the opportunities to achieve their
leadership potential through guided lessons and real life situations. The members of H.A.L.O will learn social
skills, creative problem solving, and out of the box thinking that will help them achieve success at their home
campus.
Stinson Elementary School
Lara Mercer
$1500
Galaxy Press
The introduction of a student led and operated news magazine gives the students the opportunity to
experience the news publishing concept. It is our hope that the excitement from this first taste of the
journalism process will lead them to explore other Plano ISD journalism programs in our feeder pattern. The
early training will also afford them the opportunity to become leaders on our campus and their feeder
programs as well.
Stinson Elementary School
Christina Prenzi
$803
It's all in the Connection!
The proposed program would allow an opportunity to have students on the Autism Spectrum interact with
scientific concepts in a very hands-on way. This multi-sensory experience, with access to a variety of scientific
topics, will reinforce and allow generalization of many Science concepts that the students are learning in the
classroom. The Perot Museum provides a content rich environment, chock-full of relevant subject matter, as
well so many possibilities to meet students where they each are individually in Science!
Stinson Elementary School
Shelly Bedard
$1500
Learning English through Experiences!
Students with limited English proficiency often lack the experiences and background knowledge that native
English speakers already have. This grant would allow the ESL teacher to take our beginning and intermediate
LEP students on field trips to places in the community and the Dallas Metroplex. These outings would create
new knowledge and understanding of common places that many native English speaking children have already
experienced.
Williams High School
Sarah Carter
$713
Reading Rocks
Reading Rocks is a program I have with my students who are multiple grades behind their peers in their
reading skills to help them learn to enjoy books. Students are required to read 30 minutes a night, and it is
often hard to find books at their reading level and enjoyment level at the library. This grant is to help build the
classroom library with books that are both age appropriate and enjoyable.
Williams High School
Chris Coats
$1500
Page Turners for Lifelong Learners
This grant provides below grade level students with popular award winning young adult literature to use in
their Academic Literacy classes. Students will use these books to practice reading strategies provided through
Note and Notices, part of the reading curriculum. This will allow below grade level students to level the playing
field with their peers and not be ostracized because they are reading literature geared towards a younger
audience.
Williams High School
Robyn Delahunt
$1430
My Barbaric YAWP--The Traveling Learning Lab
"My Barbaric YAWP" Club is a traveling learning lab for kids who access the Special Education Resource
program so that they have opportunities to experience multisensory educational programming offered
throughout the metroplex and the state. The most powerful and meaningful learning takes place in the real
world environment and the traveling learning lab gives our non-typical learners in special education an
opportunity to learn on their terms and plays to their learning strengths. Being non-typical learners, our SpEd
students need a more hands-on learning setting than what the traditional classroom is capable of providing
and the field trips taken as part of the traveling learning lab program opens up those more kinesthetic
teaching moments.
Williams High School
Andrea Doerr
$1500
I Need a Hero (Superhero That Is)
By embracing graphic novels and manga to reach the reluctant reader, we will encourage a love of reading
and help increase literacy scores. Graphic novels and manga support the literary elements and student choice
giving struggling students opportunities for an active role in their own reading recovery. These superheroes
could be the heroic bridge needed to overcome a student's past reading failures and take them to the next
level.
Williams High School
Tiffany Lang
$1500
Pass the Scalpel!
Our goal as science educators is to develop in our students a passion for science and learning, but that cannot
be done through lecture or worksheets. Instead, it is nurtured through hands-on experience and nowhere is
that more evident than through the process of dissection! Our hope is to back this highly valuable and
otherwise rarely-experienced process that can help revitalize a true passion and appreciation for all life and
science!
William High School
Ramy Mahmoud
$1491
CSI Plano!
To develop a true passion and appreciation for science, students need to experience real-world, relevant, and
practical applications of the material we teach through lecture. In the world of microbiology, nowhere is that
application more engaging than within the world of forensics! With your help, we'll create "CSI Plano," where
students will run a real DNA fingerprint through gel electrophoresis using simulated "DNA" from teacher
suspects across campus to solve the crime!
Williams High School
Kay Neuse
$1132
Fun in Algebra
Who thought it was a good idea to put letters in mathematics? Algebra teachers everywhere look for ways to
engage students and capture their attention during class as well as get them motivated to learn. Using nontraditional methods, such as games and puzzles, is an effective strategy that works for students of all ages.
Wilson Middle School
Tiffany Johnstone
$400
Skills for Life
Skills for Life will enable students to use functional skills they work on throughout the year in class, in realworld situations. By creating a grocery list and shopping from it or ordering from a menu at a food
establishment, the students are able to implement a wide range of life skills including making choices, using
and counting money, reading a list or menu, and communication skills.
Wilson Middle School
Erin McClintick
$500
"R2W4S" (Read to Write for Success)
The Reading Workshop component of 7th grade English curriculum is meant to promote students using selfselected reading as a means of improving vocabulary, comprehension, sentence and text structures, as well as
writing as a craft. This program would allow students greater access to titles they are interested in reading, as
well as those that will challenge them and influence them as both writers and readers. We are requesting
funds to enrich our 7th grade classroom libraries to support our student's reading and writing development.
Wilson Middle School
Jennifer Ramby
$600
Project "Read MORE" (reMoving Obstacles for Reading Excellence)
Consistent reading helps students to improve vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and writing skills. When
students are allowed to select high-interest novels, they are more likely to not only finish the novel but also
develop a life-long reading habit. Our project will allow us to purchase the most current and trending novels
for our 8th grade classroom libraries.
Wilson Middle School
Sharon Russell
$1500
Edible Education Garden
The Edible Education Garden teaches students how to live greener, healthier lives through organic gardening.
The garden is a continous project that produces food most of the year. Students from the Skills for Living
classes and a Garden Advisory class maintains the 4000 square foot garden, along with parents and
community gardeners.
Wilson Middle School
Candice Bolding
$1500
The Joy of Running
Through the Physical Education classes, the school will be offering a running club available to all willing and
eager students. The club will focus on enabling students to develop a positive attitude towards lifelong
physical fitness, while helping combat childhood diseases linked to sedentary lifestyles. The ultimate goal of
the running club will be completion of the "Thrill of the Grill 5K" supported by Plano Education Foundation,
thus creating self esteem and team camaraderie.
Wilson Middle School
Jennifer Denton
$500
That's the F.A.C.T, Jack!!! (Fluency, Accuracy, Comprehension, Teaching!)
I am seeking to expand my classroom library with class sets of books and audiobooks with reading levels
ranging from 2nd grade to 8th grade, for students in the Take Flight program and for students needing Tier III
interventions in reading. Take Flight is a multisensory reading program designed to help students who have
been identified with dyslexia. Because these students are in middle school, access to these books to help
improve and build their fluency, accuracy and comprehension is limited, but needed in order for them to utilize
the strategies taught in the Take Flight program. Having these books is also needed for those students
receiving Tier III interventions for reading at the middle school level.
Wilson Middle School
Lisa Scott
$800
Ram Reader's Book Club
Ram Readers’ Book Club uses a book club model to promote and enhance the school’s culture of readers. Ram
Reader’s Book Club is a reading program designed to give an opportunity for both struggling and skilled
readers to show growth in their reading skills in a no-pressure, fun reading environment. Ram Reader’s Book
Club provides high-interest novels for use in book clubs that meet after school.