GRANT ROUND SUMMARIES

2006 GRANT ROUND

Over $100,000 was awarded to 33 teachers for projects that provide educational experiences to hundreds of students in the Lake Pend Oreille School District.

1. Graphing Calculators - Sandpoint High School, Tom Albertson $10,823

Graphing Calculators are a necessity when teaching current math methods. Colleges and universities expect students to have a working knowledge of graphing calculators for all of their math and science courses. Students are expected to use a graphing calculator on college admission exams such as the SAT and ACT. All Sandpoint High students do not currently have access to this technology. This $10,823 grant will provide 3 sets of 30 graphing calculators for the math department.

2. Graphing Calculators - Lake Pend Oreille High School, Tom Pagliasotti $1,480

This grant will purchase ten graphing calculators and one calculator based ranger. The scope and potential benefits are wide ranging: the calculators will be kept in class and used by geometry and algebra II students. Both calculators would expose students to forms of technology most are not likely to encounter elsewhere and allow even beginning students to see the immediate connections between variables in basic functions and the ways graphs change when the variables of the functions change. The ranger allows the user to gather data on such things as distance over time, or velocity over time, making possible a wide range of experiments.

3. Math Olympiad - Farmin Stidwell Elementary, Naticia Litven $1,500

The Farmin Stidwell before-school Math Club provides any interested 5^th or 6^th grader an opportunity to learn advanced math skills in preparation for a Math Olympiad Competition held each spring in Washington State. A set curriculum will be used to teach students math concepts covering geometry, algebra number sense, probability statistics, measurements, and written problem solving skills. Students learn what it is like to work as a team of 3 or 4 to solve problems. The culminating event is to travel to Ellensburg, and attend the Washington State Math Olympiad in May 2007. The grant will fund the trip to Washington.

4. Weather Station - Clark Fork Jr/Sr High, Gary Quinn $3,100

This grant will fund an on-site weather station which will monitor and communicate current atmospheric conditions and long term trends in weather. Student teams will have project centers in each of two curriculums (physical and earth science) involving the scientific approach. The grant will purchase the digital instruments for students and teams to observe these concepts at work, gather, store and analyze data, and present their findings through multimedia technologies.

5. Brain Unit - Sandpoint Middle School, Rod Swerin $1,500

This grant is for continued funding of Sandpoint Middle School's Brian Unit. This unit's hands-on approach enables all students to be successful with highly challenging information. Learning becomes meaningful because they learn how their 7^th grade brain functions. The grant will promote the research and study of the physical anatomy of the human brain, the eight intelligences, learning styles, and study skills for all learners. All areas of the core curriculum including language arts, social studies, math and science will be meeting Idaho State Standards through this thematic unit.

6. Biology II / Human Anatomy - Sandpoint High School, Heather Morgan $2,948

This grant enables biology teachers at Sandpoint High School to alter the existing Biology II course to better serve the students. Biology II currently covers a variety of concepts, including cellular biology, genetics, and anatomy and physiology. The new course, called Biology II: Anatomy and Physiology, will focus on human anatomy and physiology for the entire year. This highly focused and intense approach will better prepare our students for college.

7. Nonfiction Reading Materials - Washington Elementary, Linda Dallmann $1,000

This grant will purchase resources to supplement the adopted curriculum materials (reading, social studies, science, and health) in the area of primary nonfiction sources such as magazines. Nonfiction comprises 80-90% of adult reading. In order to teach the comprehension skills required, the children need nonfiction sources, other than textbooks, that require different strategies and approaches for effective comprehension. The materials will be used in grades K-6, benefiting all students.

8. Take Home Reading - Farmin Stidwell Elementary, Peggy Gaudet $4,147

This grant will expand book libraries and increase the number of books available for students to take home to read. The goal is to establish an at-home independent reading program for every second grader. Extensive reading is one of the most effective methods of increasing fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Currently students are requested to read 20 minutes per day at home. The grant money will buy duplicate sets of guided reading books as well as enrichment books for high readers and high interest books for struggling readers. Take-home book bags will also be purchased.

9. I CAN (Intense Cognitive Advancement Now) - Southside Elementary, Pat Valliant $8,000

This grant will flood students with opportunities to become better readers. In some cases this program will teach students how to read. Equally important, Southside Elementary is a school on ALERT status; their reading scores did not meet AYP standards. With Project I CAN they propose to close the reading gap and dispel the myth that some students simply will not be able to read at or above grade level. With improved reading ability, students' scores in other curricular areas will be positively affected through better fluency and comprehension. The goal of this project is to target all students each morning prior to the beginning of each school day with reading opportunities.

10. Pottery Kiln - Sandpoint High School, Dan Shook $3,000

This grant will purchase a new pottery kiln for high school art students. The existing 10- year-old kiln has been rebuilt several times and is now in need of a complete replacement. A new kiln is more energy efficient and economical in the long run. The success of the pottery classes has evolved over the years to be very popular and an excellent artistic outlet for many students.

11. Arts, Authors and Us - Washington Elementary, Tom Prez $1,000

This grant will assist in funding of "Arts, Authors and Us 2007", an annual celebration of literacy and the arts at Washington Elementary. Through this program, students read, listen, create and participate in the arts and literature. The goal is to encourage, motivate and inspire our young writers and artists through hands-on activities, led by community artisans, parent volunteers and a published guest author or artist. Funding will enable the school to continue to provide an enriched literacy and arts education.

12. Ovations Performing Arts - POAC $5,000

This grant supports POAC's Ovations program. Students will gain first hand experience with professional performers, providing cultural and artistic exposure uncommon in the local community. Students from grades K-12 attend educational performances at the Panida Theater, and schools. In addition, master class workshops in music, theatre and dance are offered to students.

13. Kaleidoscope and Perspectives Visual Arts - POAC $2,000

This grant supports POAC's visual arts education programs. The funds will provide visual arts education to approximately 2,000 rural students in 2006/7. Approximately 10 artists and 60 volunteers will reach students in 13 schools and 56 classrooms. Numerous studies demonstrate that arts education improves academic performance. POAC provides year round arts enrichment to students in Lake Pend Oreille School District.

14. Multi-cultural Musical Instruments - Farmin Stidwell, Tami Gunther $4,646

These grant dollars will be used to purchase authentic, multi-cultural instruments for the students at Farmin Stidwell and other schools within the district. These instruments, commonly referred to as "Orff and percussion instruments," can be used by kindergarten through sixth-grade students during music class as extensions and enhancement to the current music curriculum. The Orff method is a time-proven method of teaching music to children. Speech, natural movement, play and song in combination with instruments allow students the opportunity to create, listen, perform, write and assess their experiences.

15. Dance Masters - Sandpoint High School, Cindi Smith $2,208 (Diehl Fund) + $2,052

This grant will broaden the horizons of the Sandpoint High Dance Team. The instructor will bring four very diverse and different masters to fulfill this goal. The first, Andy Vaca, is well versed in the areas of modern and jazz. Carol Fipps will meet the girls' needs in the ballet and lyrical technical areas. Beth McDonald will reach the team with the use of props in dance, and Mina Ortega will bring the diversity of Hip Hop to the team. In addition, each master will bring a specialized choreographed number. The dancers will use these numbers in competitive performances as well as in performances for the school and community.

16. Art Exhibition Space - Sandpoint High School, Heather Guthrie $1,254

This grant will provide a venue for exhibition of art student's work. The grant will add one glass case for the display of three dimensional art to the student commons area. It will enhance student exposure to the quality art produced by students and increase interest in the visual arts at the High School.

17. We the People - Sandpoint High School, Derek Dickinson $2,000

This grant will continue the "We the People" program, which was created by the Center for Civic Education and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education. The program complements the regular school curriculum by providing students with instruction on the history and principles of democracy in the U.S. The primary goal of the program is to promote civic responsibility and a greater understanding of our constitutional government. The program is geared to specifically enhance critical thinking and public speaking skills. The program culminates in a simulated congressional hearing competition in Boise, Idaho.

18. Advanced Placement English - Sandpoint High School, Deborah McShane $5,000

The purpose of this grant is to purchase essential materials that will ensure students' success in the AP exam and in their post-secondary education. The AP class is equivalent to a first year university course, and the focus is representative works from the sixteenth through the twentieth centuries.

19. Journalism Master Class - Sandpoint High School, Erin Daniels $3,500

This grant funds guest instruction by a major force in the newspaper industry. This year, professional journalists judged the Cedar Post to be fourth best among the hundreds of entries at the national journalism conference in Chicago. Design is one of its strongest points. This grant enables the instructor to bring in a leader in the field of newspaper design, Tim Harrower, who wrote The Newspaper Designer's Handbook, the "bible" for newspaper designers worldwide. (It is also the text used at the high school)

20. Foreign Language Resource Kits - Sandpoint High, Dana Stockman $1,185

This grant will fund resource kits for each of the four teachers of the Survey of Foreign Languages classes at Sandpoint High. The kits include binders with a variety of overhead transparencies, class activities, quizzes, and maps, as well as boxes of flashcards for all of the vocabulary. These materials will develop continuity among the four teachers and their respective languages. They will build upon the already teacher-produced textbook funded by last year's grant.

21. Basketball Hoop for Gym - Lake Pend Oreille High, Colleen Ross $1,875

This grant will purchase one basketball standard and hoop. As research shows, regular physical activity can enhance students' mental health, reduce symptoms of stress and depression, improve self esteem and lower drop-out rates. This request is part of a continuing program to expose students to life long fitness activities. The ability to play basketball in the new gym at Lake Pend Oreille High will continue the already positive results that students have experienced.

22. Athletic Club Work Outs/Community Service - Lake Pend Oreille High, Pam Lippi $500

This grant allows "at-risk" students to benefit from visiting the local athletic club. Students will be taught the skills and safety necessary to pursue strength training and other sports, including racquetball and swimming. In addition, as a community service project, the students will rake yards and collect fruit which will be made into jam for holiday gifts.

23. Digital Photography - Sandpoint Middle School, Debby Price $1,463

This grant will create a program within the middle school computer classes to teach basic digital photography. Students will learn to take pictures using a digital camera. Once the pictures are taken the student will learn photo editing and manipulation using Photoshop Elements.

24. InterWrite School Pad 400s - Northside Elementary, Jayne McMillan Sturm $1,616

This grant will purchase two portable InterWrite School Pad 400 models that will enable students to have direct interaction with already existing equipment. In addition, this grant will create a blue tooth hub to enable a wireless environment. Students will physically interact with existing science, language, and social studies lessons. ISAT internet lessons, as well as PLATO lessons can be presented as interactive whole-class learning sessions

25. Video Projector and Cart - Sagle Elementary, Steve Guthrie $1,562

This grant will fund a mobile video projector that can be used by all teachers at Sagle Elementary. With the use of this data/video projector, students will be able to present their digital projects to the whole class. In addition, teachers can be more effective using pictures, video and lesson-specific PowerPoint presentations. The projector will increase student learning by providing efficient cross-curriculum lessons and group instruction in usage of programs such as PLATO, RENAISSANCE Learning, and other LPOSD district wide software.

26. Mobile Computer Lab - Farmin Stidwell Elementary, Alan Larsen $6,673

The grant will fund a mobile computer lab cart and establish wireless connectivity in Farmin Stidwell. The lab will include a projector, notepad computer and a radio frequency response system that will allow every student in the classroom to respond to questions and surveys created by teachers and peers. The mobile lab will also free up time in stationary labs by allowing students to give interactive, electronic presentations in their classrooms rather than in the labs. Wireless access will allow students to have access to their projects on the server without having to use disks to transfer work from the labs to the cart. This is a great opportunity to introduce wireless technology to elementary school kids.

27. BrainPop/MathType/Inspiration8 - Sandpoint Middle School, Sandy Ross $3,899

This grant will fund high interest video and software products. BrainPop is an online data bank of animated video clips. The data bank includes topics that range from science to math and social studies to English. The video clips are short, high interest, and content dense. MathType allows users to quickly and easily type math using special characters and fonts. Inspiration 8 is software with built-in templates, graphics and easy editing features that help students organize their thoughts. Inspiration can be used in any subject area or learning task that calls for organization of steps or thoughts.

28. Academic Decathlon Supplies - Clarkfork Jr. Sr. High, Chandra Martz $5,000

This grant will supply students with the necessary equipment and curriculum to succeed in the Academic Decathlon class and the scheduled competitions. In order to build a successful Academic Decathlon program at Clark Fork, it is essential that the students have access to necessary materials and computer technology. Academic Decathlon is a competitive program that provides students the opportunity to learn and master a variety of skills, including public speaking, written composition, test taking, and interview skills.

29. Parenting Class - All Elementary Schools, Tom Prez $2,500

This grant will acquire the funds needed to conduct four Love and Logic parenting classes throughout the school district during the 2006-07 academic year. Classes will be held weekly for six, two hour sessions, at designated elementary schools, conducted by the school counselor. Love and Logic offers techniques to guide children to think and to become responsible for their actions. Parents receive practical techniques and dialogues constructed to improve communication and parenting skills.

30. Welding Equipment - Sandpoint High School, Yogi Vasquez $4,218

This grant will enable the purchase of welding equipment to support Sandpoint High School's Vocational program. It will enable students to compete in state and national PTE Skill USA Welding competitions. To date, students have built a 7-station welding booth for Mig and Tig welding. Still needed are 4 additional welders in order to provide enough welding time for students. There are 80 students in the first phase of this program; 120 were turned away in September due to limited equipment. With the current need for certified welders in the northwest, this plan will help students seeking employment.

31. Academic Decathlon - Sandpoint High School, Mary Bird $5,000

This grant will help cover the costs of materials and travel for the Sandpoint High School Academic Decathlon Team. Academic Decathlon offers a curriculum not found in most high schools. Next year, for example, students will study climatology, classic literature, the art of China, Chinese music and instruments, the history of the People's Republic of China, international trade and global economics, algebra, geometry, trigonometry and calculus. All students at all grade levels in Academic Decathlon will study the same topics. Academic Decathlon builds skills needed for high school, college and the workplace. The students are involved in three to four competitions per year.

32. May Baskets for Head Start - Sandpoint Middle School, Irene Adler $300

This project provides a gift of toys, books, games, etc. to each Head Start child in the Sandpoint Head Start program. Students and staff provide all of the gift items for each Head Start child. The project involves 100% of the people in Sandpoint Middle School and provides opportunities for students to give to their community. Grant money is used to fund the baskets and wrapping.

33. School Beautification - Kootenai Elementary, Julie Reister-Keaton $1,000

This grant will fund the "Kootenai Pride Project". Money will be used to begin the landscaping of the barren Kootenai Elementary northeast lawn. The goal is three-fold:

1. Collaborative, multi-age lessons concerning math (measuring, volume, money, area, multiplication, charting), science (botany, horticulture, weather, climate, and physics) and art (landscape design).
2. Team teaching multi-age students in the care and maintenance of their school grounds.
3. On-going learning and growing project—continue to landscape various areas of Kootenai school grounds by involving more classrooms. The benefits of the project include school pride, beautification of campus grounds and cross-curriculum education