S08MG1 - Peterson Toscano’s Performance

$750

Caroline Berz – LS

Ms Berg plans to bring Peterson Toscano’s one man show to L-S. The show uses humor to explore “queer history, homophobia and sexual minority issues through the words and lives of lesbian and gay poets.” The goal is to educate and sensitize the L-S community about sexual minorities in the hopes of promoting more understanding and acceptance of one’s differences. The performance will tie directly into the curricula of several courses including: Race and Membership, Psychology, Introduction to Wellness as well as Breaking Barriers and the Gay Straight Alliance. Peterson will work with students in at least one class as well as other interested groups in addition to the performance. It is possible performance could be taped for future viewing.

S08MG2 – Massachusetts Music Educator”s All State Conference

$220

Robert Mealey – Curtis

This grant would enables a Mr. Mealey to attend a three day conference March 27 -29. At the conference, Mr. Mealey will learn about ways to incorporate the latest technologies into music education. Specifically, the teacher will focus on further use of SmartMusic, a program already in use in our music program. Sessions on arranging music for middle school band and jazz band will also be presented.

S08MG3 - Model Me Kids: Videos for Modeling Social Skills

$335.92

Linda Dube – Noyes

This grant will fund the purchase of a set of videos designed to teach social skills to students who have a disability that impedes their natural ability to interact well with others. Improving social skills will help those students to perform better in both social and academic settings.

S08MG4 – Word Study: Integrating Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling Instruction

$750

Jan Binus – Curriculum Specialist, Susan Laufer – Loring Literacy Specialist

This grant will allow the implementation of a comprehensive word study program in the fourth grade at Loring Elementary School. The program is based on using Words Their Way: Word Study in Action, a research based program. Grant would fund purchase of teacher resource guide, teacher resource CD with games and activities and student word study notebooks. Three different levels of materials would be ordered to allow for differentiation among students’ abilities. Students will be assessed before, during and after the program to determine success of program. If successful, applicant intends to expand program to include third and fifth grades. Trial will run through the end of the 2009 school year. Materials can be reused in future years. SERF is only funding a portion of this trial. Without SERF this will be tried in fewer classes rather than across an entire grade.

S08MG5 – Book Club Extension

$750

Carole Hebb and Mary Kate Gentile – Noyes

This grant will allow the purchase of sets of books as well as create questions to stimulate discussion of those books in “book clubs”. Ms. Hebb and Ms. Gentile have used book clubs for 13 years in this way and would like to update and expand the collection of titles from which to choose. Teacher time will be used to select and purchase books as well as to write the open ended questions used at the book club.

S08MG7 – Guided Reading – Putting Theory into Practice

$660

Kim Swain – Haynes Literacy Specialist, Josh Baumer- Haynes 1st Grade

This grant will fund 15 copies of Guided Readers and Writers. Ms. Swain and Mr. Baumer are leading workshops to train teachers in Guided reading. The Workshops are available to teachers in grades 2-5 from two elementary schools. The workshop is also being shared at a district level to allow the remaining schools to benefit. The district is funding the majority of the costs of this workshop. SERF has been asked to purchase a text to support each teacher in the classroom.

S08MG8 – Document Camera to Enhance Writing

$692.10

Karen Koebbeman – Haynes Special Educator, Barbara Wasley – Haynes 2nd Grade

Haynes teachers would like to purchase a document camera to be used to share visual materials in the classroom. Camera will be available to be signed out to any teacher in the school.