Bedford Education Foundation’s Summer Grant Recipients

September 22, 2017

Submitted by The Bedford Education Foundation

The Bedford Education Foundation (BEF) is proud to announce the funding of nine grants in our Summer 2017 grant cycle, totaling $13,700. Congratulations to all of our grant recipients! To date, the BEF has funded $190,000 towards creative and innovative projects and materials in the Bedford Public Schools.

Davis School teacher Michael Dattoli and the entire second-grade team have been awarded a $1,400 grant for Journey Around the World curriculum materials. Each second-grade classroom will get new kits filled with various hands-on materials–international children figurines, world landmarks, animals from around the world, and continent puzzles–to help the students better understand different world cultures and regions.

Lynda McGraw and Kimberly Comeiro were awarded a $3,000 grant for materials for the new Innovation and Design Lab at JGMS:

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  • ŸCubelets – robot construction kit
  • ŸSoldering station – chisel-tip soldering iron
  • Ÿ3D scanner – uses an iPad to create 3D scans of rooms, objects, and people
  • ŸSnap Circuits – circuitry kit
  • ŸLilypad Lab and accessories – sewable microcontroller designed for building soft interactive e-textiles
  • 3D printer pen – replaces ink with plastic, which is heated at high temperatures but cools instantly, allowing for the creation of 3D objects

Seventh-grade teacher Nicole D’Entremont was awarded a $450 grant for two standing desks for her English classroom. These desks will help students who benefit from a non-traditional seating arrangement to be more comfortable and focused in the classroom. **With this grant, the BEF is happy to round out its history of successfully funding alternative seating options.**

BHS English teacher Christine Magoon was awarded a $1,600 grant for materials to launch a Using Yoga and Mindfulness program for students in the STEP program, with the goal of offering yoga to the larger BHS population in future years. Ms. Magoon is a certified yoga and meditation instructor. Items funded include classroom sets of yoga mats, yoga blocks, yoga straps, and yoga blankets; mindfulness books; and a children’s yoga teaching certification program.

BHS librarian Jeanne Smyth and instructional coach Kristen Tracey were awarded a $1,750 grant for a 3D printer and a vinyl-cutting machine with accessories for the new Inquiry Lab in the BHS library. This new space will enrich the educational experience for students at BHS by inspiring students to question, think, create, and solve problems.

BHS Chorus & Theater teacher Katrina Faulstich was awarded a $1,400 grant for 4 eight-foot double ballet barres to launch a new Beginner Ballet class at BHS, open to students of all levels and experiences.

BHS Latin teacher Kim Alexander was awarded a $500 grant for a Latin children’s books library, or Bibliotheca Latina. Having students read familiar stories will help reinforce and expand upon their knowledge and understanding of the Latin language in a more modern context.

BHS Robotics teacher John O’Connor was awarded a $1,250 grant for materials that his students will use to use to design, build, and install a solar-powered charging system for the robotics and technology used in his Technical Education classes.

Teachers as Scholars:  The BEF funded a $2,400 grant for four spaces for Bedford teachers to attend the very popular Teachers as Scholars program. Teachers as Scholars offers content-based professional development seminars led by university faculty for K-12 teachers educators. This program allows teachers to study a chosen topic in depth, enabling them to bring creative and innovative ideas relating to this discipline back into their classrooms.

The Bedford Education Foundation (BEF) promotes classroom innovation and empowers teachers and students to meet the growing challenges of the 21st century. Through direct grants to individual classroom teachers and school administrators, and by collaborating with other established school organizations, the BEF is dedicated to enhancing classroom curricular creativity and innovation in the Bedford Public Schools. To learn more, visit https://bedfordeducation.org/

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