PANTHER PRIDE FOUNDATION CONTRIBUTES TO EDUCATION GRANTS – APRIL 2007

Students in the Central school district are getting new opportunities to learn thanks to some additions in the classroom.

The Panther Pride Foundation and the CUSD #3 School Board have once again teamed up to provide money for Learning Enhancement Grants. Almost $3,000 was awarded this past spring to eleven projects submitted by teachers.

They include:

• $342.13 to expand current reading program for Early Childhood by purchasing First I Can Read books and cassettes. (Mary Elliott)
• $50 for a Beginning Phonics Picture Card Library, Beginning Sounds Set, Ending Sounds Set, and Word Building Puzzles to help first grade students identify beginning and ending sounds. (Dara MacArthur)
• $349 for Rigby PM Shared Readers which enhances opportunities to provide rich, authentic, interesting text for the teacher to model reading for first grade students. (Alison Dickhut)
• $135 for a listening center to help second grade students benefit from listening to fluently read text.
• $90.95 for Reading and Language Set P. The games allow second grade students to be engaged in meaningful practice of reading and language skills. (Joan Kroeter)
• $359.03 for Roll and Write Prompts, Spin-a-Sentence Write and Wipe Mats, Listening Center and more to help second grade students strengthen skills in reading, writing, and language arts. (Julie Gille)
• $256.37 for a set of 4th Grade Science Daybooks, Teacher’s Edition, and Write Traits Classroom Kits. Students will read a variety of genres to synthesize scientific thinking skills to make reading and writing relevant. (Julie Beaver)
• $239.98 for two Applesmart NEO laptops to assist learning disabled students with language and spelling. (Denise Eastman)
• $151.84 for a digital camera and editing program that will combine photography with journalism. (Debra Walter)
• $500 for 40 pedometers to help high school P.E. students understand why walking and exercise is important to a healthy lifestyle. (Amy Shaw/Rod Houston)
• $500 for TI Graphing calculators to help high school math students graph algebraic functions and more. (Erica Smith)

The Learning Enhancement Grants provide teachers with a chance to expand on their curriculum and teaching aides with supplies that aren’t usually provided through the normal school budget. A total of about $6,000 was awarded during the 2006-2007 school year.

Since 1997, the Panther Pride Foundation has made an annual commitment to supply grant money for classroom projects that allow students to expand their horizons and learn with the latest technology and resources available.