Examples of Previous Years Approved Grants
MINI-GRANTS
2005 – 2006
Got Books?
The Hingham Journal - March 18, 2006
By Chris Kay/ Special to the Journal
Plymouth
River School is holding a book drive in support of the launch of the 1000
Book Club Program designed for preschoolers and their families to read 1000
stories together by the end of Kindergarten. PRS is looking for donations
of “gently used” paperback books that would be appropriate to
be read to a four or five year old child, excluding chapter books or books
for older readers.
Modeled after a program at the Birchwood Elementary School in Niskayuna, NY, Reading Specialist Elizabeth Danis, along with Kindergarten teachers Laura Donovan and Sue McHugh have initiated the 1000 Book Club at PRS to facilitate preschool children and their parents to develop a lifetime bond with books and reading at home.
Danis explained, “The main goal is to have quality literature readily available so that each child will have heard 1000 stories by the end of kindergarten”. Studies show that the most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is for children to be read aloud to. Donovan added that the program will also “foster a positive connection between home and school and ease the transition from preschool to kindergarten by frequent visits to the ‘big school’ for book selections and monthly story times”.
Beginning with a kick off event slated for Spring 2007 at PRS, preschool children and their families will be able to select a bag which will contain 10 books to bring home. Every two weeks they can swap that bag for another, until they have checked out 100 bags, or 1000 books. When the children have completed milestones of 25, 50, 75 or 100 bags, they will receive a certificate, ribbon, t-shirt, or trophy respectively and will graduate from the program at the end of kindergarten.
Monthly story times for participants will also be held at the school in the Story Time Corner in the school’s cafetorium. The children will be able to experience a “read-aloud” with their future classmates, giving them an opportunity to feel comfortable in the school where they will attend Kindergarten.
Participation will begin next spring with children who will be entering
kindergarten in either September 2007 or 2008 and who reside in Plymouth
River School district at the time that they are registered for kindergarten.
Books can be donated to a collection box labeled 1000 Book Club inside the
front entrance of Plymouth River School. Books will also be purchased for
the program to supplement those that are donated. If you would like to honor
someone special by purchasing a bag of books in their name, forms are available
in the front office at PRS. Bags of books are $25.00 and checks are payable
to the 1000 Book Club Program. .For more information, contact Laura Donovan
at ldonovan@hinghamschools.com.
*Hingham Education Foundation approved a grant for partial funds of the 1000 Books Program in May 2006 after this article was published.
2003 – 2004
$1,250 to launch an upgraded and comprehensive HHS Guidance & Counseling Department website for community use - parents, students, teachers, college reps, prospective families, etc.
$950 to bring a professional poet to the HMS 8th grade to conduct a one-day poetry workshop with 2 days of follow-up activities by classroom teachers.
$500 to fund a pilot four-session professional voice teacher workshop for the PRS 5th grade chorus with the goal of extending it to all three elementary schools in the future.
2002 - 2003
$2,000 to a HHS Latin teacher to create a mosaics program for students to study ancient mosaic techniques, the mythological and cultural influences on the imagery and to create their own individual classical mosaics as well as a large wall mosaic for the school.
$1,742 to the 2nd grade teachers at PRS to create a collaborative home/school reading program to develop student comprehension skills by purchasing a specialized book series which provides support for parents to extend the particular skill development at home.
2001 - 2002
$1,200 to a South School parent to implement an interdisciplinary program involving science and english curricula for grades K – 5, in which students observe nature through nature trail walks followed by classroom discussions/analyses, creative writing assignments and a guest presenter.
$800 to three HHS students to paint murals in the wrestling room and in the school hallway.
MAJOR GRANTS
2003 – 2004
$5,238 to purchase six physics data collection instruments which record data and display it immediately on a computer screen for use during HHS Honors and AP physics labs.
$3,300 to help defray expenses of the HMS Adventure Club including faculty and photographer stipends and a medical kit. The club was organized by three HMS teachers and is creating important opportunities for outdoor and environmental education/trips for HMS students.
$3,625 awarded to South School teachers to partially fund the purchase of Lexia Learning Systems stations and software which teach and reinforce reading skills taught in the classroom while also providing instant student assessment and feedback.
2002 – 2003
$2,525 to an English teacher at HHS to develop a film studies course and attend a course at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts during the summer of 2002.
2001 – 2002
$4,500 to the Reading Consultant at PRS to create a literacy newsletter to be sent to all elementary school parents.
$4,750 to the music teacher at Foster School for the purchase of 12 musical keyboards to create a musical instrument digital interface lab.
1998 – 1999
$10,000 to the High School Climate Committee to fund professional training sessions for faculty to foster an improved atmosphere at the High School.