Fall 2019 Grants
“Our two classes have benefitted immensely from the purchase of the 24 Chromebooks that were placed in our classroom. Through this purchase, our students have been able to be more engaged in 21st century learning skills, have had an added enrichment and remediation if needed, and will be able to collaborate with their peers on skills taught in class through different venues accessed by the Chromebooks. The ease and efficiency of the Chromebooks allow us to utilize them each and every day.”
Shea Smith and Taylor Alling 6th Grade Teachers, HMS
Edgewood Elementary
OG for Upper Grades
This grant will provide registration and travel fees for two fourth grade teachers at Edgewood Elementary to attend the Intermediate IMSE Orton-Gillingham Training in Atlanta, GA on January 27-31, 2020.
Assessing Readers
As a school, Edgewood is using the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessments to assess each student on their reading level, including fluency, accuracy, and comprehension. This grant is for two additional Benchmark Assessment 1 kits for third grade teachers.
Using a Mega Map to Learn through Movement
In order to make map skills more comprehensible with a resource that is engaging for all learners, this grant will provide a National Geographic Giant Map of Alabama. The mega map will be used by all grades but particularly helpful with the fourth-grade study of Alabama History.
EES Writing Workshop
For the new writing lab at Edgewood, this grant will fund an authentic curriculum that will help make the writing lab a success while improving the quality of instruction for students at EES.
Lucy Calkins Kindergarten Units of Study in Opinion, Information, and Narrative Writing Workshop Curriculum
This grant is for the purchase of two sets of the Lucy Calkins Writing Workshop Curriculum to implement during literacy instruction time in kindergarten. By having two sets, Edgewood kindergarten teachers can share this resource in writing workshop time.
Hall-Kent Elementary
The Ron Clark Academy
For the 2019-2020 school year, Hall-Kent Elementary School will be implementing a student advocacy program (House System) for all students in grades K-5. The goal is for every student to be well-known by at least one adult outside of the academic classroom. This grant provides funding for four teachers to learn from the creators of the House System at Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta.
Get Your Teach On!
The Get Your Teach On Conference provides teachers with research-based strategies that challenge students to high academic rigor and engagement, leading to a successful classroom focused on best practices. This grant will allow two teachers to attend the regional conference in Houston, TX in February 2020.
Shades Cahaba Elementary
Pedaling in the Library
This grant will add two pedal desks to the Shades Cahaba library to better serve students who are kinesthetic learners, to provide a way for students to be active, and to provide an alternative activity to students during recess and Physical Education (PE).
Multisensory Literacy
Four second grade teachers from Shades Cahaba will attend Comprehensive ISME Orton-Gillingham Training.
The Ron Clark Academy
Shades Cahaba is sending a core group of teachers to the Ron Clark Academy to improve its established NEST program, increase staff morale, and promote student engagement and academic rigor.
Our Students, Their Future: Preparing our Students for a World of Emerging Careers
This grant will provide resources to the teachers of Shades Cahaba so that they can better implement the new Digital Literacy and Computer Science Course of Study (DLCS), to include books, building resources, and robotics.
Homewood Middle School
Ready to Roll
This grant will provide a set of Spheros for the sixth grade at HMS. Spheros are high-tech, robotic spheres that will provide students with the opportunity to learn coding and programming, learn how to debug computers, and improve logic reasoning. Once teachers work together to create a database of lessons, the entire middle school faculty will have the tools and resources to implement the Computer Science Standards, as well as insight into how technology can complement their subject areas.
Enhancing Mathematical and Literacy Skills with IXL
This grant funds additional IXL licenses for all 6th and 7th grade language arts and math students.
Homewood High School
Art Abilities
With funds for a specialized instructor and reusable art supplies, this grant will introduce art forms to Homewood High School special education students, encourage art as a hobby and/or relaxation tool, and help students determine if they have an interest in creating artwork for a source of income in the future.
Professional Learning Opportunity for the Social Sciences
Two HHS teachers will attend the National Council for the Social Studies Annual Conference in Austin, Texas on November 21-24, 2019.
Show Choir Formative Assessment
This grant will provide the High School Show Choir leaders with a professional quality video camera to be able to use through the rehearsal process and performances, as a means of assessment.
Multiple Schools
Get Your Teach On!
One teacher from Edgewood and one from Hall Kent will attend the Get Your Teach On (GYTO) National Conference next summer in Orlando, FL. GYTO is an education celebration that includes four days filled with research-based workshops that guide teachers in creating rigorous and engaging lessons in all content areas that can be used throughout the year.
Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools Conference
Two special education teachers and a counselor will attend the Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools conference to learn best practices and strategies when working with students who have experienced trauma.
District-wide
Instructional Partnerships: Unmistakable Impact
Dr. Chappell is taking each school’s Instructional Partner Coordinator (an identified, trained, & stipended teacher) to the Teaching, Learning, Coaching National Conference Oct. 6-8, 2019, in Kansas City, Kansas. The conference will help Homewood implement the instructional partner concept in the district.
Building Leaders in Technology Integration
The District Director of Technology plans to establish a cohort of educators who are willing to strengthen their skill set over the course of the school year in technology integration so that they help fulfill the intent of our district’s strategic plan regarding technology. The cohort will help to build capacity in leading technology integration at each campus. This grant provides funding for Google Educator Level 2 Academy, plus payment for non-contracted work days.
Multi-Sensory Training for Homewood Teachers
Homewood is in the process of getting teachers trained in Orton-Gillingham multi-sensory strategies to improve reading instruction. The five-day training normally costs over a thousand dollars per teacher. Homewood Schools is hosting two week-long training sessions, saving over $300 per teacher. The Foundation will fund half of the cost of the two training sessions through this grant.