2011 Georgetown Education Foundation Grant Recipients
Read below or download the PDF
ELMO (Electricity Light Machine Organization) Cameras $3,000.00
Applicant: Dr. Donna Tanner, Principal Penn Brook School
This grant will fund the purchase of 4 ELMO cameras, one for each grade level
(grades 2-5) at the Penn Brook School. These machines combine a digital video
camera with a digital projector. They are the 21st century version of overhead
projectors. Instead of creating transparencies, the teachers are able to place
books and manipulative objects directly under the digital camera and have them
projected onto the white board. The document cameras will be used for students
to present their work to the class, to revise writing, to turn any book into an oversize
read aloud, and to give students a close-up view of how the teacher
is working with math and science manipulatives. Science experiments and
mathematical problem solving can immediately be projected for the entire
class to enhance and solidify instruction.
Key Skills by Sunburst $2,500.00
Applicant: Marianne Fravel, Technology Teacher Penn Brook School
This grant will fund the Key Skills Learning System, a language arts and math
software, which will benefit the students in grades 2 through 5 at the Penn Brook
School. Key Skills is based on national and state standards. It offers standardsbased
core curriculum exercises, differentiated instruction, and a teacher
management tool. The software is a complete and sequential learning tool,
containing 160 fun, animated activities. The systems management tool allows
teachers to monitor every student and adjust levels accordingly to support
differentiated instruction.
SMART Board $2,500.00
Applicant: Cheryl Lachendro, Penn Brook School 5th Grade Teacher
This grant will partially fund a SMART Board for Mrs. Lachendro’s classroom at the
Penn Brook School. SMART Boards are interactive whiteboards that enhance the
overall learning experience in the classroom.
Harmony Director Keyboard $1,999.99
Applicant: Corey Seapy, Georgetown Middle High School Band Director
This grant will fund a cutting-edge educational tool that helps band students
interact with and understand the music they study and perform on a deeper,
more advanced level. The Yamaha HD-200 Harmony Director keyboard is an
all-in-one, user-friendly device that allows students to hear how their individual
notes fit into a given chord or musical phrase, helping students play in tune and
together as an ensemble.
Audio Books and Lessons On-Demand $3,000.00
Applicants: Paul Swaim, Georgetown Middle High School Librarian; Jan Downing and Veronica Schaefer, Special Education teachers, Georgetown Middle School
This grant will fund the purchase of 32 MP3 players for Georgetown Middle
School English and Special Education students. This technology will allow students
to listen along, at school and at home, to the books already part of the middle
school English curriculum. The MP3 players will be inventoried and catalogued
like any other book in the GMHS library. The players will allow audio books to be
available to 32 students at a time enabling them to enrich their required reading
with the audio of the same selection.
Mobile Technology $2,598.00
Applicant: Jean Neble, and Bill Adams, Special Education Teachers, Georgetown High School
This grant will provide funds for the purchase of 2 HP ProBooks and 3 IPads for
students of the GHS Life Skills and Behavior Room programs. For these students,
especially those that are challenged emotionally, this innovative technology
will provide them with the opportunity to attain feelings of academic success and
increase their productivity. Providing these students with this new technology will
give them immediate satisfaction which will allow them to feel good about the
learning process and inspire them to strive for success.
NAVIANCE $3,895.00
Applicant: Stephen Umbro, Guidance Director, Georgetown Middle High School
This grant will provide funds for NAVIANCE, a premier web based planning
system for schools. It is a cutting edge tool for managing course, college and
career advising. The program brings together a suite of innovative planning tools
that help students develop short and long term goals that match to their individual
interests, abilities, and future aspirations. Each student can create a personalized
success plan of specific tasks necessary to achieve his or her academic, career
and post-secondary plans and goals in a very organized and structured manner
with guidance counselor, teacher and parent collaboration. NAVIANCE is a valuable
resource to help juniors and seniors explore and identify colleges which will
match not only their expectations, skill levels, and achievement levels, but also a
host of other criteria such as preferred majors, size of school, location, distance,
special programs, and extra-curricular and athletic activities. It will also identify
and manage relevant scholarship information. It provides and electronic delivery
system to upload and send college admissions documents such as transcripts and
recommendations to more than 1100 colleges allowing the GHS Guidance Office
to process student admission data more efficiently and cost effectively.
Distance Learning Center $4,730.00
Applicant: Paul Swaim, Librarian/Media Specialist Georgetown Middle High School
The funds for this grant will provide our students with a “virtual classroom” via
equipment which will allow us to broadcast and receive audio and visual stream
making the possibilities for learning limitless. The equipment includes a Polycom
V.500 video conferencing device, a Logitech webcam C600 and 1-ASUS G73
laptop, as well as necessary support service. The distance learning lab will allow
our students to reach out and connect with the world whether it be the Spanish
class connecting with a class from Uruguay or a science class taking a virtual field
trip to NASA. Reach for the stars Georgetown!
Lighting and Sound Equipment to Enhance Student Performances $1,094.00
Applicant: Elizabeth Carroll, Penn Brook School Adjustment Counselor, Director 5th Grade Musical
This grant will provide funds for the purchase of speakers and lighting equipment
that can be used for the 5th grade spring performance and any ongoing
performances for all students now and in the future. For the past three years the
fifth graders have participated in all aspects of mounting a full musical production.
For these productions we have been fortunate to have community members willing
to donate their expertise and lighting equipment. Because this equipment belongs
to others and can only be used for a short period of time we have not been able to
fully involve the students in the hands on learning that only develops with time and
actual practice. Having our own equipment will allow the students the time and
hands on opportunity to develop their skills and use their creativity.
Interactive Music CART $3,100.00
Applicant: Brian Hicks, Music and Band Director, Penn Brook School
Funds for this grant will provide Penn Brook students with an interactive
music CART. The cart includes a musical instrument digital interface keyboard
with general music software, a 27 inch iMac computer, microphone, speakers,
headphones, notation software and an audio adaptor. The MIDI-keyboard allows
student to compose and explore notated music by playing it into the computer.
The dynamic software programs are designed to facilitate general music
education and music literacy. This cutting-edge technology acts as a recording
studio and makes practicing interactive. All students at Penn Brook will discover
how important and useful computers can be in the learning and making of music
as well as be provided with an innovative approach to understanding the basic
fundamentals of music.
PARTNER IN EDUCATION AND GOLDEN APPLE AWARDS
Golden Apple Award
Heidi Mongeau
Heidi Mongeau began her teaching career in Georgetown in 1997.
Heidi spent eleven years teachings social studies at the middle school where
she was the Grade 8 Team Leader for 5 of those years. She is currently
teaching social studies in our High School and is recognized as one of
the most passionate and enthusiastic teachers in our district. In any given
day you will find her students involved in seminar discussions, simulation
activities, primary source research, video explorations, or creative writing
activities. She has a firm belief that mastery of the subject and the craft of
teaching is a life-long process.
Heidi truly believes there is always one more approach she can try, one
more thing she can learn, one more experience or responsibility to take on
to broaden her abilities. As part of this drive, Heidi continually solicits the
opinions and suggestions of co-workers regarding curriculum, methodology,
and student issues. Furthermore, Mrs. Mongeau is also happy to reciprocate,
as she is a willing sounding board for any teacher and serves as a
leader of our mentoring program. The clearest example of her devotion to
lifelong learning however, is her unfailing willingness to accept new roles
and responsibilities. During her time in the Middle School, state changes
prompted a realignment of the department’s curriculum several times. At
each juncture Mrs. Mongeau volunteered to take on the responsibility of
a new course. Each time she has approached the task of developing her
curriculum with great enthusiasm, even though it involved intensive work.
With every advance Heidi makes, she gives back to the faculty and students
ten-fold.
Heidi is an asset to our Georgetown community and we so happy to be able
to recognize her with this award.
Partner in Education Award
Pamela Lundquist
Pam is our 2011 winner of the Partner in Education Award for her continuing
efforts in support of the Georgetown community and schools. Pam’s involvement
in our schools and our community reflects the high level of dedication,
commitment and service recognized by this Award.
Currently Pam is the Chairperson for Georgetown Special Education Parent
Advisory Council and Georgetown CARES, a community youth substance
abuse prevention coalition. In addition, Pam also coordinates the Penn Brook
Ski & Snowboard Program and serves as Secretary of the Georgetown Health
and Wellness Advisory Committee.
Pam has been a constant volunteer in and around our schools, donating her
time to the Penn Brook Library and also as room and yearbook parent. Having
worked in marketing before becoming a full-time stay at home mom, Pam
enjoys building relationships with school administrators, other parents, and
children to help build the quality of Georgetown’s educational experience.
She is a huge asset to our school system and our community.
Pam has lived in Georgetown with her husband Tom and their three sons for
18 years. All three boys attend Georgetown Public Schools, and are in grades
8, 6, and 4.
2010 Grant Award Winners:
Our Civic Life - Sponsor Deanna Petchonka
“Our Civic Life” is a Social Studies curriculum resource used to teach the core ideals of Democracy, including: the foundations of our government, types of governments, equality, liberty, justice, the rule of law, and the common good. Part of this project is a set of texts, which combine fifth grade literacy concepts with the study of Democracy. In addition, computerized resources provide an innovative way for students to access the curriculum.
GMHS Interactive Music Cart - Sponsor Corey Seapy
The GMHS Music Department is extremely grateful for its new CART (Composition and Audio Recording Technology) workstation! This self-contained, mobile setup includes a wide variety of state-of-the-art music technology that is already enhancing classes in grades 6-12. Among other things, the CART features a variety of interactive software for learning and practicing music on all instruments (including piano), composition software for writing music, ear-training software for developing listening skills, exploratory programs for middle school students, high quality recording and playback devices (microphones, headphones, and speakers), and a large mp3 listening library!
2009 Grant Award Winners:
Heidi Begin, 1st Grade Teacher Perley School and Perley School Science Committee Representative along with Dr. Kristan Rodriguez, Director of Curriculum and Science Curriculum Committee members, Bethany Collins and Monica Bailey for Air/Weather and New Plants Science Kits in the amount of $1,842.40.
Terri Brooks, Julie Homans and Jaclyn Taylor, teachers at Penn Brook for Listening Center Workshop in the amount of $1,991.83.
Monica Bailey, 5th Grade Teacher at Penn Brook and Penn Brook Science Com Rep along with Dr. Kristen Rodriguez, Director of Curriculum and Science Curriculum Committee members, Heidi Begin and Bethany Collins for Environments, Models and Design and Lights and Sounds Science Kits in the amount of $1,955.08.
Marianne Fravel, Technology Teacher Penn Brook School, along with Dr. Donna Tanner, Principal, for Kidspiration 3 by Inspiration Software, Inc. in the amount of $1,449.50.
Cerise Cauthron, teacher GMHS, for the Vernier Dynamics Carts Systems in the amount of $1,631.52
How are grants awarded?
The GEF Board of Directors appointed a Grant Review Committee for purposes of reviewing grant proposals received from the Georgetown Public Schools. The Grant Review Committee will make recommendations to the Board of Directors on which grants should be awarded. All awards must be consistent with the mission of the GEF as determined by its Board of Directors. Grants will be reviewed between September and January of each year, with funds made available to the Georgetown Public Schools by June of each school year. The level of awards is dependent on the GEF’s success in raising private donations.
How to apply for a grant?
The following links allow interested parties to download the full grant package as an Adobe Acrobat file and also to download editable word documents of all of the required forms. All grant applications must be received by December 18, 2009 for consideration in 2010.