Overall
Our annual 2012 auction, the United Way, Memorial Giving, and a donation by the Suffield Knights of Columbus (targeted to special education), allowed us to grant funds in the amount of approximately $47,000.
Mini-Grants
Spaulding | Lauren Perleoni obtained Lunchtime Conversation Towers which are used to stimulate conversions at the lunch table. Melissa Fortunato used her mini grant to fill her third grade classroom library with nonfiction books. |
Middle School | Sandra Vavalle purchased a subscription to an educational website, BrainPOP which encompasses more than 650 curricular topics. It can be used to introduce a new lesson or topic, to illustrate complex subject matter and to review before a test. David Schor used the funds for the 8th grade Project runaway, a team building exercise at the end of the school year for 8th graders who are not in band or chorus. David Schor and Shannon Picard purchased a camera for the Newsletter and Photo Club and the students involved which receive photo instruction. Mario Carrillo is creating an outdoor classroom at the Middle school to be used by all students and teachers. Students will care for what they are knowledgeable and passionate about. Students need to feel empowered to actively care for their schoolyard environment. |
High School | A student Dan D’Ostuni received funds to offset set the cost of a museum trip while on a Lacrosse field trip. Barb Kluas acquired Kindles for Special Education Reading Intervention program. Sara Fischer is using Digital Recorders for aiding support and inventions for special education students. |
Standard Grants
Middle School | This year’s Raise the Paddle grant was to fund the Student News Production at the Middle School. This project spearheaded by John Warrington will put hardware and software into the hands of students who with the guidance of teachers will plan daily announcements, new worthy stories, community interest stories, documentaries and public service announcements for production and presentation. Jennifer Ploudre, Anne Kelly and a student Bradley Grimard undertook the Raised Beds project which reconditioned the former greenhouse area into raised beds. The Quest and Family Consumer Science class will be responsible for the growing, maintaining and harvesting produce. All classes will have unlimited access other garden. This is a cross curriculum project that will touch many aspects of science, mathematics, art and consumer science. |
High School | Joe Grimard’s Water Investigation grant purchased a LaMotte SMART Water Analysis Laboratory. This tool will be used by all of the science classes including the agri-school. In addition calorimeter was be purchased. This will augment current activities and labs. Christina DeAngelis’ grant, Recording and Remixing our History, is using 30 digital voice recorders and accompanying headsets so that her 9th and 10th grade students will have the ability to go out in the field and give and conduct interviews, specifically with people who have been personally affected the students’ own lives. Joe Grimard and Jason Kaput created an Ecology and Outing Club and used the grant funds to purchase equipment for the various activities. The outing and ecology club is open to all students attending SHS. Members will partake in different outdoor adventures (caving, snowshoeing, camping, hiking, canoeing, etc.). They will also learn about the local ecology and wildlife of New England. |