Lexington Education Foundation Announces 2017 Fellowship Grants

Lexington, Mass. – March 27, 2017 – Fifteen faculty at Lexington Public Schools were awarded Fellowship Grants from the Lexington Education Foundation (LEF) this past week. Fellowships provide funding to individual educators to participate in professional development workshops, institutes, conferences and guided field studies to deepen their subject-area knowledge and strengthen teaching skills. These experiences transform their work and provide students with a more engaging and connected education experience.
Dr. Mary Czajkowski, Lexington Public Schools Superintendent, commended the commitment teachers who pursue the fellowships, saying “We are fortunate to be in a community that values our work and offers opportunities for faculty to continue growing professionally.” Lexington Public Schools offer many continuing education opportunities, but some requests fall outside the school budget; grants from LEF play a major role in filling the gap.
This is the 14th year LEF has awarded Fellowship Grants to Lexington Public School educators. According to Janice Litwin, LEF’s Co-president, “Teachers are drawn to the Lexington schools in part because of opportunities they have here to continue to expand their knowledge and hone their craft. The families and businesses that contribute to LEF recognize that these opportunities are critical to both teachers and students.”
Recipients of the 2017-2018 Fellowships are:

• Kate Bromley, Diamond Drama Teacher
• Kerry Donnelly, Fiske School Counselor
• Stephanie Hoban, LHS Technology Coach
• Susan Kaftan, LHS Nurse
• Heather Kramer, Estabrook Resource Teacher
• Brendan Moran, LHS English Teacher
• Donna Motherway, Clarke Nurse
• Danielle Paddol, Clarke World Geography Teacher
• Lysa Pirone, Fiske School Counselor
• Molly Rawding, Fiske Mathematics Specialist
• Valentina Sountsova, LHS Physics Teacher
• Cecelia Vosland, Diamond Guided Learning Specialist
• Eliza Sherriff, Harrington 2nd Grade Teacher
• Vanessa Wilson, Harrington 2nd Grade Teacher
• Michelle Wright, Lexington Children’s Place and District Nurse

An example of a Fellowship Grant is the award to Molly Rawding, a Mathematics Specialist at Fiske School. Ms. Rawding will have the opportunity to attend sessions at the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics annual conference by top leaders in the mathematics education field and bring those ideas and resources back to share with LPS colleagues. Ms. Rawding has also been invited to deliver a presentation on the groundbreaking work at Fiske and across the Lexington Public Schools to engage students in math by employing the principles of growth mindset -- a belief that basic abilities are not fixed and dependent on native talent but can be improved through perseverance and hard work. “This grant is a perfect example of how Lexington Public School teachers seek to continue education at the National level, and how Lexington’s successful approach, in this case with mathematics, is showcased as a model,” said Kelly Chase, LPS Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction and Professional Learning.
“We are grateful and honored to have the support of more than 1,000 local businesses and individuals who made donations to LEF in FY 2016, allowing us to award over $243,000 in grants district-wide,” noted LEF Co-President Karen Orf. LEF’s goal is to continue to grow community support through contributions from families and businesses in Lexington. LEF encourages everyone in the Lexington community to consider making a donation in support of Lexington’s public schools. Stay tuned for an announcement in April of the 2017-2018 Program Grants.
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The Lexington Education Foundation (LEF) was founded in 1989 to enable Lexington’s residents and businesses to contribute to the excellence of Lexington’s public schools, LEF raises and channels funds from the community to Lexington’s schools and teachers, funding grants that foster innovation and convey the excitement that comes from mastering new skills. To date, LEF has awarded more than $4.5 million to the Lexington Public Schools.

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