McMinnville Education Foundation funds $20,000 to classrooms
Congratulations to district staff for winning the grant funds for the following projects. The McMinnville Education Foundation (MEF) has announced its annual mini-grant recipients with over $20,000 in 25 projects funded.
Teachers and staff at all levels were allowed to request grant funds up to $1,000 to augment educational opportunities such as classroom equipment, science, arts and more.
Grant projects and grant writers include:
“Building Engineers with Blocks and ‘Blockly’”; K-5 STEM Rotation Teacher Brian Bixler; K-5 all elementary schools; Makey Makey clips, Ozobots, Geoblocks ($962)
“Kickstart to Math”; Teaching and Learning TOSAs Melissa Parker, Erin Combs, Miranda Medrano, Kat McNeal, Cassandra Kimura; K-5 all elementary schools; Kickstart manuals and activity cards ($1,000)
“Mathematician Manipulatives”; Elementary Math TOSA Trelawni Starkey; K-5 Columbus; math manipulatives ($725)
“Reading in the Comfort of Our Classroom”; 4th Grade Teacher Polly Dunkley/Teaching and Learning TOSA, Miranda Medrano; 4th grade Columbus; new books ($250)
“Setting the Stage for Speech/Language Therapy”; Speech Language Pathologist Reagan Gregory/Teaching and Learning TOSA, Miranda Medrano; K-5 Columbus; speech materials ($638)
“Drumming Fitness”; PE Teacher Reid Kimura/Music Teacher Tegan Johnson; K-5 Grandhaven; exercise balls and bases, drumsticks ($855)
“Starting a New Chapter”; Title I Mark Arneson/Reading Intervention Stephani DeLatte/2nd Grade Teachers Lynda Shields, Taire Thomson, Kathleen Mika, Brianna Rauch; grades 2-3 Grandhaven; chapter books for above grade-level readers ($939)
“Calming Corner”; PE Teacher Wendy Autencio-Brooker; K-5 Memorial; calming equipment for gym ($664)
“Creating Life-long Readers”; 2nd Grade Teachers Julie Lockhart, Jennifer Harmes; 2nd Grade Memorial; wider range of leveled books ($884)
“Digi-Blocks and Fraction Fun”; Math Specialist Charlotte Hendricks; K-5 Memorial; math manipulatives ($932)
“Fine Motor Skills Activity Bins”; Student Management TOSA Robyn Rutherford/School Psychologist Nikki VanDoren; Kinder Memorial; fine motor tools ($759)
“Outdoor Amplification”; PE Teacher Wendy Autencio-Brooker; K-5 Memorial; outdoor mic and speaker ($182)
“1800’s Formal Ball”; ELA Teacher Dakota Armour; 9th grade MHS; costume and decorations items ($778)
“Extensions and Remediation in light of the Pandemic”; Science Teacher Meghan Martins; 10th, 11th, 12th grades MHS; Airtame Device (screencast) ($637)
“Graphic Novels for All!”; Librarian/Library Media Specialist Lori McGreal; 9th – 12th grades MHS; graphic novels ($993)
“Creating an Inclusive School Culture: Tribal Flags & Trilingual Signs and Banners”; Library Specialist Deb Franciosi/Music/Band/Choir Teacher Joseph Demianew; 6-8th grade Patton; tribal flags, signs, banners ($1,000)
“Edible Education”; Special Ed Teacher Jerod Harney; 7th, 8th grade Patton; Winco groceries ($600)
“Expanding 3D printing opportunities in STEM”; STEM Teacher Michele Reschly; 6th, 7th, 8th grade Patton; 3D printers; ($1,000)
“Music Theory”; Special Ed Teacher Jerod Harney/SLP Francis Regan/LRC 2 Teacher Jodi Rodriguez; 7th, 8th grade Patton; pay local musicians to perform $1,000.00
“Project Activate Culture, Creativity & Community”; ELA Teachers and EL/Sheltered Core Teachers Josh Glickman, Gwen Silva, Mara Delay, Noah Bennett-Fey, Laurel Botes, Liz Knapp; 6th grade Patton; materials to learn about and create zines ($600)
“Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio” ELA Teacher Cassandra Sparks; 7th grade Patton; 70 books ($996)
“Hands on Learning for All”; Teaching and Learning TOSA Melissa Parker/Teachers Amy Holznagel, Mattie Bunch, Paige Spellman; K-5 RISE; math manipulatives ($665)
“Deca-what? Developing Number Sense through Games with DecaDecks”; Teaching and Learning TOSA Cassandra Kimura; K-5 Buel; DecaDecks ($960)
“LRC2 Classroom Library Makeover”; LRC 2 Teachers Terese Hooker, Rebecca Philippi, Terese Hooker; K-5 Buel; books for classroom ($979)
“Building Healthy Habits”; Student Management TOSA Shauna Zavala/Counselor Michelle Graham; Pre-K-5 Wascher; timers, sensory toys, supplies for calming corners and wellness center ($1,000)