
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.
Congratulations to all the teachers who will be implementing innovative and creative learning in their classrooms!
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.
Congratulations to all the teachers who will be implementing innovative and creative learning in their classrooms!