Although the Oxford School District received nearly $8,000 in grants from the Assistance League of Southeastern Michigan, the extra education students in will receive is priceless.
Sixteen teachers secured a total of $7,852.59 for their various projects geared at helping students learn in a more creative way.
Julie McDonough, Carrie Klimowicz and Krista Faison, first grade teachers at Lakeville Elementary, requested a $1,000 grant for their project called ‘Listen to Learn.?
The grant will provide 18 CD headsets and accompanying leveled books so that children can listen, follow along and finally read the books themselves.
‘The idea is it’s for fluency, smooth, faster reading,? McDonough said. ‘It was just one more thing that we thought might help them become better readers.?
Also at Lakeville, Reading Specialist Colleen Kazor received $1,000 for her grant to implement a program called ‘Creating a Community of Flourishing Writers in the Information Age.?
The grant will provide seven supplemental writing program kits by Lucy Calkins to all teachers in grades 3-5. Teachers will use the books in the kit to help get new ideas on how to use the internet and media center to expand the student’s resources in the classroom.
At Leonard Elementary, teachers Michele Pinelli, Jennifer Gilbert and Amanda Davis also received $950 for the Lucy Calkins books on writing for the 3-5 grade.
‘We were looking for something that was going to make our program more cohesive and (create) more continuity for the grade levels,? Pinelli said.
At Oxford Middle School, five teachers were awarded grant money.
Science teachers Pam Molik and Jennifer Bennett received $929.50 to purchase a digital microscope.
Students currently use electric microscopes, but Molik said they tend to be difficult for students who have impaired sight.
‘This can be projected onto a large pull down screen, so it’s very easy to see some of the really small parts of leaves that might not be as distinct under a microscope,? she said.
Social studies and language arts teacher Catherine Colagross received her $989.89 grant to purchase 11 Global Positioning System (GPS) units to help students learn geography, like latitude and longitude, better.
Colagross said the GPS units can also be used as a scavenger hunt type project for other subject areas.
Special needs teachers Catherine Sullivan and Pam Sheldon were awarded with $1,000 for the grant on history and life skills.
Sullivan said the money will be used to help purchase new supplies, like books, for her history courses, as well as help pay for special field trips for her life skills course.
At Oxford High School, language arts teacher Molly Darnell and science teacher Ray Sutherland were awarded $1,000 for the Adventure Club.
The club, which focuses on team building and breaking stereotypes, takes canoe trips, hiking trips and even ski trips four times a year.
The grant money will be used as scholarships for students who can’t afford to go on the trips.
‘We never want the club to be a money issue,? said Sutherland.
Also at the high school, Transition Coordinator Cindy Hinds and teacher Gerry Wilson received $983.20 for a video camera for their grant project called ‘Awareness of the Oxford Community.?
Their project will help the multi-handicapped and cognitively impared students navigate independently around the community of Oxford.
‘When they go to the doctors, to the library, they’re always afraid because they’re sheltered.? Hinds said.
‘They need to be part of the community and they need to feel comfortable within the community.?
Regular ed students from Wilson’s class will create videos of certain areas, like the fire station, police station, barber shops, restaurants, Oxford museum, movie theater and doctor’s office to help them learn more about the places and to not be fearful.
The program will be monitored by Oxford school staff and parents.
‘We will be able to evaluate it by seeing how the students gain confidence with less anxiety and gain more independence while exploring the community,? Hind said.
Congratulations!