Congratulations to all the 2018-2019 Grant Recipients in the WGSD! 

​iSee-iSaw-iPads - $2,531.80  is a project that is focused on improving communication and collaboration with parents, teachers and specialists by showcasing students’ daily activities and progress toward their individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals.  This multi-media journal will empower students to showcase what they are learning at school to their parents, demonstrate strategies in action and invite parents to be more involved in their special education activities and spread learning beyond the classroom.

Bringing Science Home  - $1,000  Blending learning at home and at school will enhance students' learning opportunities.  Utilizing this program students will take home kits to learn from with their families.  It will help families and students understand topics that are being taught at school and further support a collaborative learning approach between home and school.

Conflict Resolution Time Machine  - $500  A student's intelligence is not only the ability to understand material within subjects like reading, math, science, and others.  Learning how to be emotionally intelligent is critically important in the development of people.  Students can learn through this program how to become better problem solvers when experiencing a conflict with a peer or teacher, and others.  It capitalizes on "teachable moments" and teaching children how to learn to "Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood” It creates an environment of respectful listening and learning the concept of perspective, leading to life long lessons. 

Sound Domes - $3,394.00 - The “Sound Dome” concept are focused speakers hung from the ceiling to emit audio throughout a small area. Only the individuals standing directing below the dome can hear the sound being emitted.  This will create an intimate learning environment in a large space.  The school will use the Sound Domes to pair musical compositions that students create in class with a work of art or selection of writing, encouraging students to synthesize new information and see something familiar in a new and unexpected way.  This will also showcase the school’s use of new technology in the education of our students.

Find, Feature, Film - The Power of Positive - $2,147.00 - This project is all about student voice and choice. It allows students to showcase  that our school community , as well as the WG community in general, does great things which are certainly news worthy.  This grant will allow a different medium to express their creativity.  Student will be able film and edit stories and/or other projects based entirely about their subject and personal inspiration. They will have to communicate in all areas (reading, writing, speaking, listening, interviewing)..  Students will learn to evaluate and select best social media ways to share out their creation. Students will scaffold video editing learning progressing from aps like Snapseed and Art Studio to more advance video editing such as Photoshop and Adobe Premiere. 

All the Feels, Social Emotional Learning - $2,529.00 - This “Second Step” program takes place in partnership with the University of Missouri - Columbia’s Department of Special Education.  The curriculum a will help ensure academic success for elementary school students experiencing personal trauma (home life), peer anxiety, and low socio-emotional functioning by reinforcing skills and encouraging positive behaviors that promote self-regulation, emotion management, problem solving, and responsible decision-making.  The program creatively interweaves catchy songs, fun games, and other engaging activities that develop social-emotional skills and are beneficial for all students; children learn how to make friends, manage their emotions, solve problems, and deal with peer pressure.

En Plain Air - $1,000 - The purchase of new outdoor looms will give Edgar Road students the opportunity to be inspired by their beautiful outdoor campus as they weave among the landscape.  As the art room at Edgar Road does not have windows, this grant gives students the opportunity to bring the inspiration of the natural world into their woven creations through color, subject, materials, and environment, including natural habitats, entomology, plants, and light.

Light Up the Learning - $313.72 - Supplies would be purchased to go with the light table that meet a wider range of curricular goals - specifically science, math, and reading/writing.  A new experience would be created for children by adding the light table into centers or stations during specific lessons. For example, putting numbers in order from 1-50 on the light table, matching upper and lower case letters on the light table, finding part of the body on x rays on the light table, building a tower using 3D shapes on the light table, and more! After exploring and learning at the light table with new materials, the children will be able to write about, draw and or share about their learning experience at different stations. Many children will benefit from this different way of learning. Still specific to goals, but more hands on and engaging for the young minds.  

The Living Portfolio - $3,804.00 - The “Living Portfolio” is the next phase following the implementation of Teaching for Artistic Behavior.  The Living Portfolio Project is a student-curated collection of personal thoughts, moments, big ideas, accomplishments and creations that have come out of their learning experiences in art.  This project demonstrates an innovative use of technology, allowing students to create a personal digital portfolio that will authentically represent their journey as artist spanning the most crucial years of development.

Sensory Garden - $500 - A hands-on sensory garden will be a beautiful and useful addition to Hixon Middle School! The garden will include plants with a variety of colors, textures and smells and not only serve as an area for multi-disciplinary learning, but also attract butterflies and other pollenating insects. The grant includes gardening tools that students will use to maintain the garden for years to come!

STEM-spiration - $2,058 (Funded by Class of 1958)  - This STEM-inspired program will provide opportunities for students to experiment and tinker with computer science- and engineering-related instruments at the middle school level, sparking student interest and helping students to recognize their potential in STEM-related fields.  Classroom STEM kits will be created for students to use in the middle school classrooms to teach students that STEM is everywhere and everyone is a STEM-capable learner; access to hands-on tools that surpass typical classroom content and experiences will provide opportunities for students to go beyond the material being taught and cater to their natural abilities to be creative.

Outdoor Stage - $7,915.33​ - This is an innovative way to integrate the community into the goals of the district to enhance student learning through diversified learning opportunities.  This is an alternative way to enhance a students' interest in a variety of ways to share their knowledge and learning.  It is an incredibly creative way to integrate learning AND providing a community space.

Authentic Inventing for Design Thinking - $3,600 - The “Authentic Inventing for Design Thinking” will change the Library Media Center at Dr. Henry Givens Jr. Elementary School to a more innovative space for creative thinking, coding, STEM and problem solving.  Little Bits for Education Packs will teach fifth and sixth grade students the basics of using circuits for engineering. Once students have mastered the basics, they will be able to take what they have learned and apply it by creating their own inventions. This activity has the potential to deeply engage students by allowing them to explore a new avenue for their learning. By requiring students to invent solutions to problems in small groups by using components of design thinking, they will be engaging in higher-level skills not achieved through ordinary problem solving. 

VR Robots, Oculus Rift and Steam Outreach - $1,200 -  This grant provides funds for three oculus rift packages that expands on a project initially funded by the Foundation.  The WGHS Statesbots Robotics Team plans to expand community outreach, learn how to create content for the VR systems and begin the process of learning how to link the robots the program creates to a VR environment.  Their ultimate goal with this grant is to create robots that are then controlled by members of the program wearing the VR headsets.

Canvas Creativity - $1,699 - The grant committee was excited to award a Dell Canvas to Webster Groves High School! The Dell Canvas is a 27-inch combination drafting table and intuitive digital art board that students can use to bring their creations to life and become effective visual communicators. The canvas will be housed in the Makerspace lab, and available to all Webster Groves district students. Immediate visions for the product include Makerspace and A.M.P.E.D. students creating design models for their clientele, as well as visual arts and computer students using it to enhance creativity and learning.

Junior Gardeners - $650.00 - The Junior Gardeners program will create a space where preschool-aged children can learn how to appreciate nature by interacting and observing in the planting/cultivating/harvesting process with the use of a ten-by-twelve foot greenhouse.  The greenhouse will provide one-hundred and twenty square feet of sanctuary for children to create a relationship with nature that will stay with them for years to come.  Besides teaching young minds how to maintain their own fruits, herbs, vegetables, or spice garden, the project fosters a sense of community as students work together and will be able to give back to needy in our community with their produce.  Additionally, the development of programs for the preschool greenhouse can inspire creativity within current high school programs.

October 20th, 2018 was a special day to celebrate the 15th Annual Ivory Crocket Run for Webster.  As always, all the participants and volunteers made for a FANTASTIC community event. From the 5K through the beautiful streets of Webster Groves, to the 1 mile fun run and walk that brought families together, and the signature 100 Yard Dash with its endless smiles, the morning was a huge success. 

The raced kicked off with words from Ivory Crockett, the fastest man in the world, (read more about his story here)  and then the runners and walkers were on their way! 

As finishers completed the run, participants came together inside the high school at the Pancake Breakfast and Kids Activities Fair.  Chris’ Cakes outperformed again and served THOUSANDS of pancakes to hungry families. And while the parents waited in the line, the little kids kept busy with the Kids Activity Fair hosted by the Child Development Department at WGHS.  Arts and crafts, sticky fingers, full bellies and lot of smiles filled the inside of WGHS!

One of the biggest highlights of the morning was the much anticipated 100 yard dash. Up first were the pre k runners, and followed was each grade through 6th grade. These kids were so fast! and they were all awarded medals at the finish line!

The money raised during this fun community event helps the Webster Groves School District Foundation carry out its mission of expanding learning opportunities for the students of the district. In addition to providing students and teachers with innovative new curriculum, materials and experiences, the Foundation uses proceeds from the Run for Webster to award annual Ivory Crockett Scholarships to several graduating seniors who are entering college in health-related fields.  
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The Ivory Crockett Run for Webster continues to be one of the best community events in Webster Groves.  Evident by the WGHS Band, WGHS Cheerleaders, WGFD Fire Truck, WG Mayor Gerry Welch, WGSD Student Singers, WGSD Administration, Adult and Student Volunteers and Community Sponsors. Without all this support, none of this could take place. Thank you Webster Groves! We can’t wait to see you next year, October 19th, 2019 at the start line!

​Congratulations to many students and teachers across the WGSD for their awarded grants! Over $25,000 of grants were awarded to 5 of the WGSD Schools including; Edgar Road School, Avery Elementary, WGHS, Bristol Elementary and Hixson Middle School. 

The following teachers and schools were awarded grants for innovative opportunities in their classrooms:

Congratulations to Samantha Gegg, Kerry Anne Cocos, Tiffany Tebbe and Carrie Sachtelben at Edgar Road School for their grant title “Play the Part”.  Funds for this grant will help purchase materials to help students learn and grow through hands on learning by being able to ‘play the part’ such as, but not limited to: a scientist, an engineer, a chef/baker, an architect, an artist, an author or illustrator and more. These new materials themselves are innovative, thus allowing the children to be innovative with them. There is no one way to learn. With being surrounded by interactive, hands on and innovative materials, the children will have a chance to show their learning and understanding in creative ways.
 
Adventure Club at Bristol Elementary will now be a prototype for other WGSD adventure clubs with the purchase of new materials that will be funded from the WGSDF. Congratulations to Jenn Hahn at Bristol Elementary Adventure Club for her grant titled “Prototype for Future Adventure Club”.   Centers in their “Think Tank” will change daily and weekly to include sensory, light exploration, building, dramatic play, and movement. These centers will create a new framework and will require new materials to create these learning centers. Funds from this grant will supply Bristol Adventure Club to be able to put these new ideas into action.  Bristol will be the prototype for the five other after school programs in the Webster Groves School District. By creating learning spaces with new materials they will be able change the way children interact with building, art, and many other aspects of the Adventure Club program.
 
Congratulations to Jennifer Puppilo at Avery Elementary for her Grant titled “Stemitizing Project Based Learning”.  Students will have the opportunity to collaborate and problem solve around a central question, problem, or situation. Purchased materials from funds from this grant will give students a chance to increase the number of solutions to the problems, questions, or situations that they will be uncovering through the Project Based Learning Unit. This type of problem solving allows students to interact with grade level content in an authentic way. Students will know exactly why they are learning the things that they are learning because they will need that content in order to finish their project. These units positively impact the learning environment in the classroom because all students can find a way to be successful.
 
Starting in the 2018-19 school year, the WGSD is introducing an everyday Physical Education, Health, and Fitness curriculum for middle school students.  Congratulations to Scott Gillian at Hixson Middle School for his grant title “Functional Fitness”.  With the purchase of new equipment, there will be a variety of tools to all students with differentiating instruction.  With the ease of having the new equipment on storage racks that can be rolled and placed to any position of the room, we will have the opportunity to change workouts easier and use the equipment at any point during instruction without taking away precious minutes of instruction.  Technology will be applied to the instruction and learning experiences will be enhanced through using iPads for video analysis of movement performed by students.  The staff will use Google Classroom to post videos of techniques so students can practice outside of the physical education setting. 
 
Congratulations to Dr. Greg Fick at WGHS for his grant titled “Makerspace Takes Flight”. This project will have two major strands. One will focus on STEM and engineering while other will focus on physics, flight and careers. There will be an overlap of skills between the two strands, but the main focus will be different. Both of these programs will be housed in the WGSD Makerspace, but all district students will have access.

Under the STEM strand, students will have the opportunity to scratch build, design and engineer their own aircraft. Students will apply physics and mathematics in teams to create planes and drones, ranging from simple glider to complex quadcopters. The second strand of the project will focus on drone flight and careers. The goal is to create an experiential learning environment where students will be trained in the basics of drone flight. Students will also study the remote pilot regulations and policies from the FAA. Students can then take their fight test and earn a part 107 remote pilot certificate issued by the FAA. They will need to register as a drone pilot thought the FAA and take the 107 test at a testing center. There are a number of high school flight schools throughout the country with a variety of educational and career applications.  This STEM flight program is innovative and an exciting way to learn applied math and science. The drone flight program will prepare and introduce our students to emerging careers in drone piloting. Having drones and drone pilots at the high school will create exciting opportunities around film and flight and open the door for creative applications in a variety subject areas.
 
 
The “Amazing Places, Outdoor Spaces” grant is awarded to Diane Stromberg and Student, Paige Sanders at WGHS for work with the Statesmen Preschool. This grant will help enrich the learning of the preschool children through experiential activities. Children will revitalize interest in the environment and will participate in STEM activities as they interact in an incredible new learning site. Funds from this grant will help to purchase a cascade waterfall, a quiet space arbor, a problem solving table area and a mud kitchen. Amazing Places, Outside Spaces will be cross curricular and provide a learning area for many classes at WGHS and throughout the district. The drama class can perform children’s theater in our arbor area. The FACS classes could use the tables as outdoor cooking and eating space. The fine arts classes can work on sketching and photography in the area. The science classes can support their learning of gravity, ecosystems and principles of water in the cascade waterfall and water table. There are plans to add additional co-curricular activities in the coming years.
 
Congratulation to Diane Stromberg and Students Hollen Peterson and Alina Casto at WGHS for their grant titled "Take a Look and Listen to a Book".  Funds from this grant will allow for a new way to explore reading opportunities at the Statesmen Preschool at WGHS.  When students are read to during their preschool years, they make exceptional progress in literacy and language development as well as important STEM Skills. Funds from this grant will help with the purchase of new listenting stations and dynamic audio books for preschoolers to learn and listen.  High school learners will deepen their understanding of the learning process by engaging with these young learners while they ask questions and engage in these audio book.  Exposing kids to new opportunities and activities has been a long time goal of the Statesmen Preschool.
 
Congratulations to Jenny Malloway at Steger Sixth Grade Center. Jenny will be moving over to Hixson Middle School and was awarded a grant titled “Preparing for a World of Independent Living”.  “Preparing for the World of Independent Living” will equip Hixson Middle School staff with the tools required to provide hands-on, functional skill experiences to students with developmental disabilities. Functional skills are the skills needed to live independently. “Preparing for the World of Independent Living” will change the classroom from just a  SmartBoard and desks with chairs, to a classroom with a kitchenette furnished with the necessary appliances and kitchenware to complete cooking and cleaning tasks, as well as a laundry room.  By giving students authentic experiences with repeated practice, they will become the independent, productive citizens they wish to be in the future.

Congratulations to all the grant recipients! The WGSD Foundation is proud to support your innovative and creative learning opportunities!

WOW!!! Many thanks go out to the entire Webster Groves Community for another FANTASTIC Webster on Wheels! Sunday May 6th was a day filled with family FUN!!

The day began with a chance to for a free bike safety check from The Hub Bicycle Company to make sure all riders had a safe riding experience. Both bike decorating and a bike rodeo station kept kids busy until the ramble began.  With the National Anthem sung to start of the race, riders were off to complete the either 1 mile of 5 mile route. 

As bikers returned to the Bristol Blacktop, they were greeted with great music from The Whiskey Band Club, phenomenal bar-b-q provided by J. Greene's Pub, tons of FUN from the Bubble Bus and then an outstanding stunt show from the St. Louis Sprockets.  Many volunteers and the help of the Webster Groves Police Department made sure that along the bike route, riders were safe on the streets of Webster Groves. WOW!! What a GREAT community event!!!

But none of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors.  Special thanks goes to The Hub Bicycle Company for all their support over the years to not only the WGSD Foundation, but also the the WGSD. We are so thankful!! Also, thanks to our many sponsors including J. Greene's Pub, Robust Wine Bar, Moneta Group, Orange Theory Fitness, Ameren Illinois, The Joel Svoboda Team, Christian Cycling Club, The Whiskey Club Band, Naturally Pure Salon, Century Used Brick, Auto Evaluators and Senior Living Investment Brokerage. 

Participation at events hosted by the Webster Groves School District Foundation help support innovative learning opportunities in classrooms across ALL the Webster Groves School District schools!! What a super fun day!

Photography provided by Holly Kunze Photography

February Mini Grants were awarded to both teachers AND students at WGHS and Edgar Road School.  

Congratulations to the teachers at WGHS for being awarded 3 different grants. The “Physical Activity Backpacks” grant is an opportunity for Statesmen Preschool Students to take home physical activity backpacks each with unique equipment and activity ideas.  Preschoolers will be learning the importance of a variety of skills including cooperation, hand eye coordination, hand foot eye coordination, gross motor skills, appropriate use of resources, safety and more! Congratulations to students Glory Patrick and Ashli Wagner for their awarded grant!

The “Responsive Spaces” grant was awarded to Sara Herrera and Jennifer Aguado for their students in speech and language therapy.  This new space will allow for different seating spaces, brainstorming ideas, and different learning options for all their students. Students will now be able to be more innovative and move around differently and use different materials in the classroom. This innovative space will allow for students to collaborate, showcase their learning and have an area where there is a quiet place for them to learn.

“This is What a Scientist Looks Like” grant was awarded to Joe Boeckman, Skylar Garcia, Greg Heard and Jeanette Hencken.  Members of the science department at WGHS believe it is important for students to know that people of all races, ethnicities, gender expressions, socio-economic backgrounds, and ages are scientists and are currently involved in scientific research.  The grant will allow for the purchase of posters to be framed and displayed in the science halls to demonstrate that scientists make up a diverse-cross section of human beings 

Congratulations to Edgar Road School! Incoming Kindergartners will feel welcome and at ease about the transition to elementary school with the funded grant for all incoming families to read the book Kindergarten, Here I Come! We are happy to be able to welcome the new families to the Edgar Road School Community!

The Webster Groves School District Foundation continues to be dedicated to a tradition of academic excellence by expanding innovative dynamic learning opportunities that impact student success. 

February 11th was another wonderful night for the WGSD Foundation.  The sounds of the WGHS Jazz Band and the Kevin Squared Jazz Quartet filled the room with music from a New Orleans inspired celebration.  Community members, alumni and district families enjoyed a night of great music, food and drinks all for a great cause.  Money raised from this event helps support our ability to award grants to teachers around our district for innovative and dynamic learning opportunities in the classroom

Special thanks goes to Cyrano’s Café for hosting our event. Also, thanks to WGHS Jazz Band, the Kevin Squared Jazz Quartet, Sugarfire Smokehouse BBQ and Triumph Grill. View the slideshow of pictures from the event below.  Photography provided by Holly Kunze Photography. 

 Congratulations to Meghan Casey at Walter Ambrose Family Center for her awarded grant titled “Connecting with the Outdoors”.  Funds from this grant will allow our youngest learners in the district the opportunity to create waterways, construct hideout and smaller spaces and explore the world of art.  The children will grow their creativity and expand their cognitive abilities, increase peer interaction by working collaboratively and doing this all while experience the joy of nature.  Congratulations again to Meghan Casey for helping to construct an outdoor space to problem solve, construct and create spaces of wonder!  

Congratulations to 7th grade teacher, Leslie Creath, for her awarded Grant titled “Responsive Spaces”.  The definition of Responsive Spaces can be defined as “A classroom where the teacher follows the Responsive Classroom approach is a positive space where students' voices are heard and where they play an active role in their education.

​Responsive Spaces provide an opportunity for students to collaborate and learn in different ways.  Teaching in the 21st century is requiring teachers to rethink the traditional model of school.  With this grant from the WGSDF, Leslie will be able to provide new seating options in her classroom. Her students will be able to engage in new, innovative and dynamic formats.

The end of November was an exciting time for many teachers around the WGSD. This year for the first time, the WGSDF awarded Major Grants during the fall semester.  This opportunity gives teachers more time to implement a larger project during the academic year.  Typically, major grants were only awarded during the spring semester.

Grant checks were awarded to Hudson Elementary, Steger 6th Grade Center and The Computer School, Edgar Road School, WGHS and Avery Elementary.  Below is a summary of the awarded grants. 

Congratulations to Hudson Elementary for their Grant to fund Lego League 2.O.  Lego League is part of the international FIRST LEGO League Jr. Program. The program objectives are to introduce STEM concepts through LEGOs, promote teamwork and inclusion and build confidence and have fun!! Hudson Parent, Chris Jackson, submitted the grant and coordinates the program at Hudson Elementary. 

Congratulations to Steger 6th Grade Center and The Computer School for their grant to fund “Video Production for All”. Kendall Olsen, Librarian at Steger plans to teach her 4th – 6th graders “Bloxels” materials, which will give them experience in computer coding and producing their own video games.   The video games that the students create will be tied into their curriculum in other content area and core classes. 

Congratulations to Edgar Road School for their grant for “One Book, One School”. The grant idea came from Julie Wuch, Kelly Lee and Susan Berger.  The focus of the project will be to look at equity in a variety of ways using literature and art in a whole school and community approach.  This multi media project incorporates speakers, students, teachers, parent involvement and community artists to motivate and encourage learning in a variety of areas of English Language Arts and Art Education. 
 
Also awarded were funds to help support the grant “Tools to Practice Anti-Racism”. Colleen Schrappen, Teacher at Edgar Road School wrote a grant to help fund a program called “Witnessing Whiteness”, a training program and book study about the need to talk about race and how to do it.  The focus being on taking action and being an agent for change – not just “admiring the problem”. 

Congratulations to Stacey Kuschel at Avery Elementary for her grant titled “Water Filtration”. This funded grant will allow students to now understand the issues of water pollution and importance of clean water. Studens will experiment with filtering various substances from water by making their own simple water filters. This activity will allow students to think about our planet’s major problems and by working with small scale models, students could begin to problem solve global issues.  

Congratulations to Spanish Teacher, Jaime Schwartz at WGHS, for her grant titled “A Classroom to Reflect Redefined Teaching Strategies”. The focus is to have a more communicative and collaborative space to better instruct students in their target language. A greater emphasis can be placed on speaking, reading, watching and listening by students not sitting in traditional desk format. With help from the WGHS Parent Club and the WGSD Foundation, Jaime has transformed her classroom and the students LOVE the space!

Congratulations to Nicholas Kirschman at WGHS for his grant titled “Physical Computing”. This funded grant will purchase a Digi-Comp II, which is a mechanical computer that can be used to demonstrate binary thinking and more broadly, how a computer works.  The Statemen Robotics Team will use this tool to increase community outreach and to educate and inform people about robotics and technology. Their outreach efforts span across our district to different elementary schools and also the St. Louis Science Center and the Rotary Club.  Additional Math and Computer Programming classes with benefit as well.
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Congratulations to all the teachers who will be implementing innovative and creative learning in their classrooms!
 

​The WGSDF had the pleasure of awarding Fall Mini Grants across the WGSD in September and October. Grant recipients are from Edgar Road School and WGHS.

Congratulations go out to Betsy Moppert, District Science Coordinator and Administrative Intern at Edgar Road School. In September, Betsy was awarded a $1,000 check for her grant titled “STEMetize my Learning”. This grant is a Professional Development opportunity for teachers in the district to learn how to create interactive hands-on creative learning for students with STEM activities. STEM activities and projects are a great way to motivate students to take learning outside of the classroom and combine multiple content areas into a relevant project.  Congratulations Betsy!!  

In October two Mini Grants were awarded! Mebbie Landsness, Chemistry and Physics Teacher at WGHS, was awarded a $1,000 grant for her project titled “Inquiry in Physics:  Electricity Comes to Life”.  Mebbie will be using the CASTLE (Capacitor-Aided Systems for Teaching and Learning Electricity) approach to allow students to “see” electricity. Students will have a hands-on inquiry lab based curriculum that allows them to be fully engaged in their learning. New electricity supplies will allow students to discover and really connect with the ideas surrounding electricity. Congratulations Mebbie!

Also in October, the WGSDF awarded a grant to Edgar Road School Kindergarten teachers, Samantha Gegg, Kelly Wilkes, and Kerry Anne Cocos for $425.  Kindergarten students can “Wake Up and Be Awesome” at Edgar Road School!  Interactive, hands-on, problem solving, creative and fun supplies will be added to their morning routine. This new approach will encourage a new way for Kindergartners to learn in non-traditional ways.  Congratulations Edgar Road School!