The Foundation awarded $48,915.15 in teacher grants in 2022, a record amount!
The grants went to teachers at every school and in a variety of disciplines from music to
technology and from books to
manipulatives. The awards were:
-
Stayin’ Alive, Stayin’ Alive – submitted by Kelly Eastman, WWJH. Affects
115 8th grade
students. Dollar Amount Approved:
$1000. The money from this grant will be used to purchase 10 adult and 4 infant CPR
manikins. CPR certification training
will be taught to all 8th graders enrolled in health classes. CPR is a vital life skill and
providing this training will
be beneficial to our schools, our community, and the families of the students.
- Science Lab Equipment and Supplies for Greater Student Success – submitted
by Mandy Roberts
as a team with Bria Jordan
and Emily Sides, EINT. Affects 190 4th grade students. Dollar Amount Requested: $2759.58.
The money from this grant will
be used to purchase science lab equipment such as beakers, graduated cylinders, beam
balances, circuits and electrical
components to test them, three-dimensional models, magnets, mass weights, weather measuring
tools, soils, and
supplemental curriculum and supplies. These materials will allow the students to gain
hands-on, real-world application
of scientific concepts and give them the opportunity to test hypotheses in a practical
environment. The equipment should
last for 10-12 years, if not longer.
- TIME for Kids magazine supplement for reading Language Arts – submitted by
Angie Kenley as a
team with Ramona Nelson and
Katie Fulton, WWJH. Affects 255 5th grade students. Dollar Amount Requested: $1402.50. The
funds from this grant will be
used to purchase a one-year print and digital subscription to TIME for Kids magazine.
Students will be engaged with
newsworthy, up-to-date, worldly topics that will spark curiosity, critical thinking, and
writing skills. These magazine
issues will enhance the future state testing changes that will align with science and social
studies content and even
technology. These issues will be used for years since they are digitized including 95+ years
of historic content for
future use.
-
Building Balanced Bulldogs – submitted by Alison South as a team with
Cliff Wilke, EJH.
Affects 680 6th – 8th grade
students. Dollar Amount Requested: $1851.94. The money from this grant will be used to
purchase different equipment and
tools to fulfill a new classroom that aims to help students regulate emotions, break down
barriers, and equip students
with coping strategies be successful in the classroom. Some of the items include weighted
blankets, floor mats, stress
balls, sand timers, bean bags, and much more
-
Texas Foreign Language Association Fall Conference – submitted by Emily
Taylor as a team
with Elisa Lerma, WHS. Affects
600 8th-12th grade students. Dollar Amount Requested: $1028. The money from this grant will
be used to pay for the TFLA
Conference in Allen, TX, for two Foreign Language teachers. A minimum of two. Consecutive
years of a World Language is
required by Texas for all students to graduate from high school. With this funding, these
teachers will have access to
diverse educational sessions including the most up-to-date methodologies, innovative
resources, and immersive
experiences. These educational opportunities will be implemented at all levels in the
department which affects more than
600 students per year across three campuses. Interesting note: These teachers were granted
this same request in 2020 by
the WBEF but had to forfeit the money and experience due to Covid.
-
History Department Chromebooks – submitted by Kendall Harrison as a team
with Grant Martin,
Michael Elliott, James
Toney, Patricia Snow, Cullen Hayworth, Josh Gillespie, Garrett Dowell, and Markelle Martin,
WHS. Affects 1300 9th-12th
grade students. Dollar Amount Requested: $6,900. The money from this grant will fund 25
Chromebooks and one Chromebook
Charging Cart which will be used as supplemental educational resources and technology in the
9 classrooms. The
Chromebooks will be used by students to dig deeper and expand their knowledge on Social
Studies topics. Students will
have access to assessments and study preparation programs such as Kahoot!, Quizlet, and
Google products. They will also
be able to access Google Classroom, which many teachers utilize for their subject
assignments and additional resources.
The Chromebooks will also be helpful in implementing the Science, Technology, and Society
History STAAR objectives and
teaching the students how to be appropriate digital citizens.
- Cross-Curricular Technology Integration – submitted by Sydney Enderlin as a
team with Ursula
Brekke, Julie Stewart and
Erinn Rice, EJH (will transfer to EINT next year). Affects 87 5th grade students. Dollar
Amount Requested: $4,000. The
money from this grant will be used to purchase 12 iPads for students to use in the classroom
to enhance daily
instruction and motivation to learn. These additional iPads would make enough for a “class
set”. Students will practice
a variety of skills, conduct research, take assessments, and communicate through this
technology.
- Sparking Students “Smarticles” – submitted by Suzanne Wright, ECC. Affects
40 preschool
students with disabilities.
Dollar Amount Requested: $989.42. The money from this grant will be used to purchase
classroom educational toys,
manipulatives, printer supplies, and lamination pouches for visuals and educational
activities. These learning tools
will help students with disabilities reach their individualized goals and objectives. The
toys, manipulatives, and
activities will provide an engaging and fun opportunity for students to learn and master the
skills that are necessary
to begin a strong foundation for their academic experience. These materials will help
provide creative lessons to reduce
generalization and gain retention.
-
Hands-on learning materials to support reading and STEM in kindergarten –
submitted by
Sheryl Davis, ECC. Affects 20
kindergarten students. Dollar Amount Requested: $564.40. The money from this grant will be
used to purchase hands-on,
concrete manipulatives to support reading and STEM in kindergarten. These manipulatives will
help young students connect
to abstract concepts, use their imaginations to build and create, and will build STEM
problem-solving skills, teamwork,
and communication skills.
-
Leadership Literature – submitted by Kristian Spencer, WEJH. Affects 250
7th and 8th
graders. Dollar Amount Requested:
$891.70. The funds from this grant will be used to purchase a variety of literary resources
to support the leadership
and SEL curriculum taught in the Interpersonal Studies and LEAD classes. These resources
include class sets of 3
different books, along with 7 other books used to present the curriculum. These resources
will allow the students to not
only investigate what leadership is but to see it present in novels, through
self-reflection, peer interactions, their
relationships, and more.
-
Social Skills Through Games and Toys – submitted by Kristina Hadaway, ECC.
Affects 50
Special Education and Pre-K
students. Dollar Amount Requested: $995.09. The money from this grant will be used to
purchase materials to help make
and print color pictures to help non-verbal students. It will purchase more manipulative
hands-on activities for math
and reading and items that will help with social skills.
-
7th Grade Math VersaTiles – submitted by Allie Harris, WWJH. Affects 250
7th grade students.
Dollar Amount Requested:
$719.96. The money from this grant will be used to purchase 1 classroom set of VersaTile
Workbooks and 4 sets of 8
Answer Cases. These items will impact student engagement and participation for completion of
assignments. Students will
be able to work at their own pace while also checking their answers as they work. These
materials should last more than
10 years.
- Crossover the Mallet – submitted by Angela McKnight as a team with Mario
Trevino, EINT. Both
teachers touch all students
throughout the year allowing them to ask for $2,000 each. Affects 375 4th and 5th grade
students. Dollar Amount
Requested: $3,963. The money from this grant will be used to purchase Orff (mallet)
instruments of different sizes and
West Music for the music classroom. Mallet instruments allow for children to play multiple
notes at one time using
mallets in both hands. Playing mallet instruments forces children to cross the midline of
their body which creates space
for children to become fluent readers and is a precursor for higher levels of learning.
These instruments will last for
many years.
- Wylie West Junior High PE Equipment – submitted by Adrienne Ruffin as a
team with Shay Cox
and Garrett Cox, WWJH.
Affects 600 5th-8th grade students. Dollar Amount Requested: $2,928.28. The money from this
grant will be used to buy
footballs, football belts, dodgeballs, corn hole sets, jump ropes, storage shelves,
basketballs, and a dry erase board.
These items will help to improve health, social skills, and teamwork.
- Hands-on STEM Learning in Pre-K – submitted by Lacey Kennedy, ECC. Affects
18 Pre-K
students. Dollar Amount Requested:
$976.95. The money from this grant will be used to purchase a Magnetic Center with Turn and
Learn Magnetic Gears and an
Engineer a Coaster Activity Kit, See-inside Magnetic Blocks, Color Changing Light Table with
Manipulative Center, and
Crazy Shapes Magnetic Building set. These items will support and encourage STEM learning
while keeping the students
engaged in hands-on learning.
-
Get Back to the Basics While Giving a Helping Hand – submitted by Megan
Oliver, WElem.
Affects 44 2nd grade students.
Dollar Amount Requested: $990.86. The money from this grant will be used to purchase board
games to practice basic math
facts and financial literacy while building social skills such as teamwork and following
directions. It will, also,
purchase flashcards, coverslips, and colored covers to meet the needs of dyslexia and ADHD
students. Additional items
will create an organized student desk and classroom library such as boxes and baskets. Most
items will last 3-4 years.
- Sorry about the “mess”, we are learning here – submitted by Karissa Garcia
Sanchez, ECC.
Affects 18 Pre-K students.
Dollar Amount Requested: $991.89. The money from this grant will be used to purchase various
hands-on Learning Center
items. The items will include Math, Science, and Alphabet manipulatives as well as
multicultural baby dolls with various
accessories to help promote learning through play. These learning center items will give
students more opportunities to
learn social, emotional, and educational skills through play.
-
Fine Motor and Small Group Update – submitted by Leah Pruitt, ECC. Affects
18 Pre-K
students. Dollar Amount Requested:
$412.84. The money from this grant will be used to buy manipulatives that promote fine motor
skills, small group
differentiation, and student-directed learning in free choice centers. The new materials
will help students gain
confidence with holding a pencil, using scissors, finding fun in letters and numbers, and
encouraging their choices and
engagement with their own learning. The materials should last 8 years or more.
- Cooking Necessities for Daily Living Class – submitted by Rachel Hamilton,
WEJH. Affects 7
Functional Academic 5th-8th
grade students. Dollar Amount Requested: $436. The money from this grant will be used to
purchase cooking appliances and
supplies. They will be used to provide hands-on learning experiences for special needs
students. They will have the
opportunity to practice making recipes, learn proper food handling, and how to cook to
ensure future independence. The
appliances and tools will be used for many years to come.
- The Great Escape – submitted by Jeanette Rodriguez, WEJH. Affects 120 8th
grade
students. Dollar Amount Requested: $912.
The money from this grant will be used to purchase six Breakout EDU kits and two years’
worth of online subscriptions.
The Breakout EDU brings a real-life escape room to the math classroom. The kits will provide
students with a different
platform to review concepts they have learned while developing team-building skills to
complete various tasks to
ultimately make their great escape. The subscriptions will last two years and will be
renewed at the discretion and
expense of the teacher.
- Let’s Scope Out Our Love of Reading! –
submitted by Tanya C. Miles, WWJH. Affects 85 6th grade students. Dollar Amount
Requested: $934.05. The money from this grant will be used to buy 85 Scope Scholastic
reading magazines. These
will
empower middle school Language Arts students with thrilling multi-genre stories and engaging
activities that
strengthen
literacy skills and instill a lifelong love of reading. It inspires kids to think critically
about their world
with
resources that reflect their lives, interests, and identities. Plus, these monthly magazines
reach every reader
with an
ever-expanding set of differentiation tools, like thoughtfully leveled texts, audio
read-aloud support, and
more.
- Cross-Curricular Connections –
submitted by Angie Kenley as a team with Stephanie Barham, WWJH. Affects 80 5th grade
students. Dollar Amount Requested: $1,631.77. The funds from this grant will be used to
purchase fiction and
nonfiction
books to enhance the transfer of learning across all discipline areas, especially in
reading, language arts,
science,
and social studies. Students will have the opportunity to make deeper connections and make
learning a meaningful
and
impactful experience.
- Pushing Through Pottery –
submitted by Lisa Camp, WHS. Affects 150 10th – 12th graders. Dollar Amount Requested: $600.
The money from this grant will be used to purchase a North Star Stainless Steel Clay
Extruder package. This
package
includes both the extruder and the dies needed to create different shapes both hollow and
solid. With the use of
this
manual classroom tool, the students will be able to create the base and basic structure of
their clay works more
quickly
and have more class time to focus on the design aspects of their works. This clay tool will
last for many years.
- Sing, Say, Read, Play – submitted by Mario Trevino as a team with Angela
McKnight, EEL. Affects
775 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
graders. Dollar Amount Requested: $3,994.04. The money from this grant will be used to buy
drums and resonator
bell sets
to better learn collaboration and real-world social-emotional learning skills. Instrument
group and partner work
aid in
musical collaboration using learned skills such as active listening, applicable music
theory, and historical and
cultural relevance. Students will take tools learned in the music classroom and apply them
in other parts of
their daily
lives.
- Broadcasting Class Develops with a Quality Camera – submitted by Ann Hurst,
WWJH. Affects 20
8th grade students. Dollar
Amount Approved: $1,000. The money from this grant will be used to purchase a Canon XA11
camcorder so that
students can
create quality video and film projects including interviews, campus announcements, creative
films, awareness
segments,
and promotional videos. The camera is a great camera for beginner journalism projects. The
technology will also
contribute to building a multimedia/broadcasting program.
- Popular Book Series Collection for the Library –
submitted by Suzie Haden, EINT. Affects 350 4th-5th graders. Dollar
Amount Requested: $1,988.95. The money from this grant will be used to purchase 151 books
for the new East
Intermediate
library. These popular fiction book series have been requested by the students. The books
will add to the small
selection currently available and will encourage a love of reading that can inspire students
for a lifetime.
- Novelty in Early Childhood Education Experiences –
submitted by Jillian Johnson, ECC. Affects 15 Pre-K students. Dollar
Amount Requested: $997.80. The money from this grant will be used to purchase 17 learning
activities and defined
center
areas. The activities include sorting, fine motor skills, social-emotional interactions,
dramatic play, math and
reading
skill-building. These items will bring more opportunities for students to be engaged and
explore learning
through play
with their peers.
- Sensory and Fine Motor Activities for the TK Classroom –
submitted by Mandi McVay, ECC. Affects 15 TK students. Dollar
Amount Requested: $997.33. The money from this grant will be used to purchase items and
storage materials to add
fine
motor and sensory activities into the classroom. These manipulatives will help encourage
sensory exploration,
incorporate hands-on learning activities, and foster creativity.
- Student Art Tables/Flexible Seating –
submitted by Tina Jones, EJH. Affects 285 6th – 8th grade students. Dollar Amount
Requested: $1,956.80. The money from this grant will be used to purchase 4 art tables. The
tables will match the
current
tables used in the art room and will allow for a more uniform environment in the seating
arrangements provided
to the
students. Being able to vary seating allows for flexible seating options to accommodate
various projects, and
differing
learning styles and maximizes student engagement.