Grants in Action 2008-2009

Welcome to the Grants in Action from the 2008-2009 Grant Cycle! Whether you are a community/ business member, parent or Waltham Public School teacher, these pages will keep you up to date on the important work that the Foundation is funding in our classrooms. Check out the Grant Summaries to see how your favorite school has benefited from Excellence in Education grant program.

Don’t miss the Success Stories which highlight our grants in action.

The Foundation’s ability to fund these enrichment programs depends on your support. Please consider making a donation on behalf of Excellence in Education.

GRANT SUMMARIES

Sally Elizabeth Enrichment Program
2008

SUCCESS STORIES

“Two of a Kind” Songwriting Residency

OVERVIEW: Teaching artists David and Jenny Heitler-Klevans, known as “Two of a Kind”, will lead a residency for second grade students focused on the art and process of songwriting, including both lyrics and music. Through a group creative process, the students will learn about cooperation, creativity, compromise, and accomplishment. They will also learn the specific skills and information related to songwriting and performance. The theme of the residency will connect with the second grade science curriculums of weather and water cycles.

The residency will begin with introductory performances of Two of a Kind’s “Caring for the Earth” program for all students in the school. The bulk of the residency will consist of classroom work with second grade students, and will end with an assembly in which participating students present their original songs to the rest of the school.

DESIRED OUTCOME: Students will have an increased appreciation and enthusiasm for songwriting, music and the infinite possibilities for creating new songs. They will feel increased confidence in their own musical abilities. Students will have the tools to continue to do songwriting and teachers will have a framework for doing creative writing and music with their students. Students will enjoy and feel pride in the process of working together to create and perform an original song.

To learn more about this program please send email to grants@waltham-ebf.org

Elementary Honors Wind, Band & Orchestra After School Program

OVERVIEW: There is a great need in Waltham for elementary band and orchestra students to have additional experience performing their instruments. Due to scheduling constraints in the elementary schools, students who excel at their instruments are unable to find additional outlets to further development during the school day.

This program will allow students to perform ensembles that would meet after school from 3:30-5:00pm once a week throughout the school year. These ensembles would provide opportunities for elementary level students to gain additional experience playing their instruments in a large group setting. Two concerts will be held a year; one in January and the final one in May/June timeframe.

DESIRED OUTCOME: The goal is for student achievement levels in band and orchestra to increase. The group will produce two concerts that will spotlight student achievement and also participate in the Massachusetts Instrumental and Choral Conductors Association (MICCA) Concert Festival, which takes place throughout the state during the month of April. This is a festival that is adjudicated by highly qualified clinicians.

To learn more about this program please send email to grants@waltham-ebf.org

Bringing Home the American Revolution

OVERVIEW: Northeast teachers in grades three and five discovered that they were delivering engaging instruction but in isolation. They realized the opportunity existed to participate in cross grade level shared learning in which the third graders could be introduced to Massachusetts’ role in the American Revolution while the fifth graders could build upon preexisting knowledge to see how Massachusetts worked together with all the colonies to build an independent America.

This program will give grade three and five students a more comprehensive and meaningful understanding of the American Revolution, as measured by Waltham’s report card benchmark assessments. It will also build the school’s resources available to the third and fifth grade teachers and students, including historical fiction and nonfiction titles in the literacy closet for a wide range of reading levels. Collaboration between grade level and specialist teachers as well as the students in grades three and five will be enhanced and demonstrated through cross grade monthly planning, cross grade reading groups and literature circles, and multi-grade participation in lessons, projects and presentations.

DESIRED OUTCOME: The goal of this proposal is comprehensive, addressing academic skills and fun! Academically, students will gain an enhanced understanding of the concepts taught through the history and social science curriculum, have a solid foundation of the founding of America for further history instruction in middle and high school, and increased literacy appreciation and awareness of historical fiction and nonfiction. Important to this endeavor is instilling in students a love and appreciation of American history, pride in Massachusetts’ role in the American Revolution, and in building a sense of community across grade levels through increased collaboration of teachers and specialists.

To learn more about this program send email to grants@waltham-ebf.org

Peer Tutoring Center

OVERVIEW: The Peer Tutoring Center will be an academic assistance program for under-performing students. A director will work with two lead teachers to set up peer-tutors with recommended tutees, who will be identified for academic tutoring by stakeholders who represent the school community. The lead teachers will arrange and place peer-tutors with tutees and act as a liaison between classroom teachers, housemasters, and guidance councilors. The lead teachers will supervise all tutoring activities and support the tutors when needed.

The prospective peer-tutors will include members of the National Honor Society and other students recommended by housemasters and curriculum teachers.

DESIRED OUTCOME: The goals of this program are to raise the achievement level of all under-performing students, motivate learning through participatory sharing with peer-tutors, heighten the learning experience for under-performing students, enhance peer relations, provide more than a goal of learning the lesson, build relationships and respect for learning while narrowing the achievement gap at Waltham High School. In addition the program will give peer-tutors an increase learning of academic skills, recognize students as an important educational resource, help develop social behaviors and classroom discipline and enhance peer relations.

To learn more about this program send email to grants@waltham-ebf.org

PASCO Equipment

The purchase of new technology equipment will help the AP physics class function better as a college level course by allowing students to participate in labs with more accurate data. The equipment will allow students to perform rigorous labs and conduct more accurate experiments while giving students the opportunity to learn how to use technology.

DESIRED OUTCOME: The new equipment will give greater accuracy in labs and offer greater diversity of labs, many of which were not possible before. The equipment offers inquiry based labs that are rigorous and promote data analysis. It will also improve student skills in using science technology and boost comprehension of material and excitement for correct data.

To learn more about this program send email to grants@waltham-ebf.org

Actors in the Classroom

OVERVIEW: The Actors in the Classroom Project helps Waltham High School students develop an appreciation for both the written and spoken word of classic dramatic texts. The program brings four professional actors through the Reagle Players to various Waltham High School English classes for a two-week program. An initial week allows actors and an administrator to prepare for 10 different classes and devise suitable lesson planning for up to five plays. Upon entering classrooms, actors model, mentor and coach students (on a variety of academic levels) aiming to enhance student appreciation and ease encountering and interpreting required classical and contemporary dramatic texts.

DESIRED OUTCOME: To inspire students to become excited about and engaged in the experience and interpretation of the language of the classics and dramatic texts and to provide both teachers and students with sufficient tools to sustain them in their further pursuits of dramatic texts and literature in general.

To learn more about this program send email to grants@waltham-ebf.org