Westford Education Foundation Recommends Five Grants

The Grant Committee of the Westford Education Foundation, a private non-profit group that helps fund Westford Public Schools has announced it recommends five grant requests it has received in the Spring of 2012.

#1. The Human Figure in the Western Landscape

photography teacher Lisa Bolotte has requested $1,525 for a week long digital photography workshop in Santa Fe, New Mexico from August 5 to 10.

#2. Responsive Classrooms Conference Trip for Crisafulli Staff

principal Sharon Kennelly and Crisafulli fifth grade teacher Lenore Kost have requested $1,793 to attend the Responsive Classroom Schools Conference at George Washington University from July 16 to 18.

There they will attend workshops in applying brain research to education and responsive school discipline and share their findings in a professional development workshop for other teachers and administrators.

#3. Special Education iOS

Technology specialists Andrea Gardner and Lisa Sanderson have requested $4,500 for a two-day training by Apple entitled "Special Education iOS" for nine information technology staff members and nine support service teachers.

#4. Live from the Scene

Westford Academy social studies teacher Ron Koehler and Westford Academy instructional technology specialist Stephanie Gosselin have requested $681 for the purchase of a portable green screen where the students would be able to "report live" from the scene of various 20th century protests and revolutions.

#5. Mobile Learning: iPads in the Classroom

kindergarten teacher Kate Maguire and Nabnasset special needs teacher Lisa Navarro have requested $1,374 for three iPads that would be use to help with skills such as identifying letters and sounds, phonemic awareness, listening, reading, comprehension, and writing letters.

 

Two requests were not recommended by the Grant Committee.

#1. Guest Chamber Music Coaching

Westford Academy music teacher Ken Culver has asked for $1,760 to bring members of the Alcyon Chamber Ensemble to present and rehearse a unit with orchestra students.

The committee did not want to grant this money due to the fact that a similar grant was awared two years ago.

#2. Wetting Students APPetites for Learning

fifth grade teacher Ruth Freeman and Abbot School instructional technology specialist Lisa Sanderson requested $2,000 for six iPod touches for use in the areas of language arts.

The committee did not recommend this grant due to the request's reliance on free iPod applications that did they say did not receive good performance ratings, along with the fact that the program was not clearly defined in their opinion.