Schools
Grants fund teachers' ideas to boost classroom learning
By PAMELA WILLIS
Published: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:22 AM EST
Worthington teachers have come up with some innovative ways to enhance classroom learning, from the use of graphic novels to magnetic materials to photojournaling and robotics.

Susan Petrick, trustee for the Worthington Educational Foundation, said the foundation recently awarded $5,693 in grants to teachers and staff members to fund these ideas.

Coordinator Clarice Lewis said more grants are available this school year.

"Staff members will have two more opportunities this school year to submit a grant proposal," she said. "The deadlines are Jan. 8 and April 9."

Winners of grants are:

* Rebecca Watson, Worthington Kilbourne High School, were awarded $482 to purchase Spanish-language novels that are written for teenagers who are native speakers of Spanish, to be used by students engaged in literary circles;

* Mark Glasbrenner, Worthington Education Center, received $613 to purchase a portable document camera to be used in Reading Recovery workshops;

* Stephanie Records, Kilbourne Middle School, received $480 to purchase three digital cameras and three memory cards to be used by language arts students for photojournaling;

* Lisa Anfield, Worthington Hills Elementary School, received $498 to purchase graphic novels to help at-risk readers develop their skills and broaden the range of literature in the library to meet the needs of diverse learners;

* Sandy Berner, Worthington Hills, received $334 to purchase magnets and materials to be used as a culminating activity for first-grade students;

* Randall Ross, McCord Middle School, received $597 to purchase one Lego NXT Robotics Kit and software with a site license that allows installation of software on all the computers in the technology lab. Ross said the student Robotics team will learn to design, build and program robots;

* Petra Putnam and Sue Blair, Brookside Elementary School, were awarded $576 to support the Junior Achievement Exchange City experience by enabling participation by all fifth-grade students;

* Ann Darby and Kristen Watson, Brookside, received $200 to purchase instructional materials to match grade-level curriculum;

* Connie Ball, Kilbourne High School, received $1,000 to help cover registration fees for students to attend and present at the Future Educators Association National Conference in Denver;

* Emily Lazar, Slate Hill Elementary School, received $396 to purchase tools and equipment to be used in the Structured Communication classroom, to provide sensory input to students with sensory integration disorders; and

* Marcie Hoffman, Michele Spradlin and Kim Deagle, Colonial Hills Elementary School, were awarded $517 to purchase materials for teachers to collect data and implement research-based interventions. Materials included stopwatches, timers, tally counters, intervention manuals and behavior resources.

Lewis said grant proposals must be submitted electronically.

For more information, e-mail Lewis at CLewis@worthington.k12.oh.us or call her at 614-883-3026.




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