Two Smithfield Schools Win Grants for Classroom Innovation

SMITHFIELD, RI — Old County Elementary and William Winsor Elementary have received grants from the Rhode Island Foundation. The grants will be used to teach reading and to finance innovation in the classroom.

First, at Winsor, the $5,100 reading grant will give third-grade students access to 500 new books, according to the press release. "Students will study the work and techniques of various authors as well as meet a local author, who will tell them what it is like to be an author and illustrator. More than 200 students are expected to benefit from the initiative.

“Inspired by these mentors and experiences, they will become authors themselves, creating their own published books to share with younger students at Winsor and preschoolers at the Greenville Public Library,” said Julia Tanski, who submitted the application and will direct the project.

“Their ability to apply this new knowledge into their own writing will be a true measure of the success of this project,” she said.

With the $1,000 grant for classroom innovation, Winsor Visual Arts teacher Lindsay Burrows will buy equipment, including a projector and software, which will enable students to become digital storytellers

“Students will engage in a mixed media creative process that is extremely prevalent in the visual world today. They will be exposed to technology and programs that they have never used in art before and technology and programs that are essential to successful contemporary artists, designers, filmmakers and photographers,” said Burrows.

The second Smithfield elementary school – Old County – will use its$3,500 reading grant to expand the way reading is taught by bringing in teaching artist Diane Postoian.

Students will role play folk tales with Postoian and embrace the different characters and messages within the folk tales. Through storytelling and role play, students will link dramatic expression to the written literature of folk tales. These activities will assist in developing listening and recall skills essential to sequential thinking.

“We expect to see students spend more time reading independently. They will be more excited about reading and discussing what they have read and learn how to determine the central message, lesson or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details either in the text or through role play,” said third-grade teacher Nellie Chomka, who co-wrote the application with Principal Laurie Sullivan.

Courtesy Photo Caption: Students at the Winsor School