Investing in Community Education

Elmbrook Education Foundation Announces Spring Grant Package!

Posted by Elmbrook Education Foundation on April 1, 2009

Background
Excellent education requires great ideas, creative teachers, engaged students and up-to-date facilities/equipment.  The Foundation’s Educational Grant Program was developed to help fund projects that support the mission of the Elmbrook School District by helping innovative staff implement and share ideas that enhance the education of Elmbrook students.  Sharing their successes serves to inspire others and subsequently benefits the entire District. 

Since 2001, the Foundation has funded nearly $215,000 in grants benefitting eleven schools across the district.

Foundation Grant Cycles
“Innovation grants” help students and staff get their ideas off the ground.  “Continuation grants” help the rest of the district benefit from their experiences.  Grants of up to $1,500 are available in both categories in the Fall and Spring each year.  The EEF grant review committee includes Principals and PTO representatives from each level.   In addition, the grant committee consults with the district’s Chief Information Officer, Chris Thompson, to make sure technology projects will receive preferred pricing and be adequately supported once implemented.

Spring Grant Package Approved
Elmbrook Education Foundation’s Spring Grant Package was approved by the EEF Board of Directors on 3/16/09 and will allow the following projects to be pursued:

Curricular Projects:  The Foundation supports staff ideas on how to extend curriculum in ways that engage and inspire students.  Many of these programs are in a proof of concept stage with hopes that lessons learned can be shared district wide.

• Summer Reading Program for At-Risk Emergent Readers:  This proof of concept program at Dixon Elementary provides low cost targeted instructional material to students over the summer to ensure that they can start the new school year off on the right foot.  
• Expansion of Socratic Tutorial Method:  The Socratic (Student led) tutorial method integrates an inquiry-driven process using high level questioning techniques to collaborate as a student group.  This method has proven to be a successful strategy for improving analytical and collaboration skills during the implementation of the AVID program at Brookfield East High School.  The EEF approved a continuation grant to expand the use of this technique into additional curricular areas at Brookfield East High School.  

Interactive Response Systems:  The Senteo system provides opportunities for real time assessment of instructional strategies and student understanding of material (i.e. assists with differentiation and daily instruction).  It is an innovative extension of SMARTboard technology and therefore complements the District’s Technology Plans; however, Senteo’s can not be included in the District’s operating budget.  The Foundation is funding a grant for a Senteo Interactive Response System at Dixon and Brookfield Elementary to assist with Everyday Math, and at Brookfield East to benefit the Science department.

Student Run Business:  The Foundation supports programs that involve students in planning and implementation.  The Foundation provided a grant to assist the students of Brookfield Central High School in developing a student run business for engraving/graphics projects.  In addition to the benefits this program would provide to the students, this business could also provide a low cost valuable service to the community once fully funded.

“The grant review process is so rewarding ... we are inspired by the innovative ideas developed to continually improve the student experience in the School District of Elmbrook,” said the Foundation’s Executive Director Laura Schmidt.  “Our goal is support high-impact projects that all schools will benefit and learn from.”

The 2009 Spring Grant Cycle was funded via the proceeds from the Foundation’s past community events and a generous donation from Elmbrook School District staff through their annual appeal.  The next EEF grant cycle will occur in Fall 2009. 

Super Grant Program
The Foundation also raises funds to award “Super Grants” of up to $15,000 to schools for larger programs.  “Super Grants” are intended to support the District and building level PTO’s in their efforts to implement key programs that support the District’s strategic plan.  Last year, the Foundation awarded each High School with a Super Grant for $15,000 to support each building’s Technology Plan.  The Foundation is now raising funds to benefit Middle School Technology Plans that can not be funded by the District Operating budget. 

Have questions?
For information on specific grant awards, the Foundation’s Continuing Education Scholarship program, donation information, and/or more information about the Foundation, please refer to the Foundation’s web site www.elmbrookeducationfoundation.com.