The Arlington Educational Enrichment Fund, Inc., (AEEF) is very pleased to announce the recipients of the Fall Grant Cycle:

The 21^st Century Laboratory

Jacques Duranceau

Arlington High School

This AEEF grant enables science instructor Jacques Duranceau to purchase 8 calculators, and the necessary accompanying software, to effectively utilize Vernier Lab Pro probe controllers in his chemistry classroom.

Mosaic Tile Mural

Nancy Muise

Arlington High School

High school art teacher Nancy Muise will be working with students to create a 4’ X 8’ mosaic tile mural with “The Tree of Life” theme, to be installed in an Arlington municipal building.

Incorporating Trade Books into 7th Grade World Geography

Donna Martin

Ottoson Middle School

Seventh grade world geography curriculum includes one term of study on post-1945 Asia, and one on post-1945 Africa.  Geography teach Donna Martin has been awarded a grant to purchase 120 copies of The Breadwinner, a novel revolving around the life of an 11 year old girl living under the government of the Taliban in Afghanistan.  She will also purchase various trade books relating to Africa.

Creating Characters Through Papier Mache

Robin Cassel & Laurie Smith

BISHOP SCHOOL

Three two-hour papier mache workshops will be conducted by former art teacher Wendy Campbell, for art-enrichment volunteers, so they can present the puppet and animal projects to current 4^th and 5^th graders, and to students in the future.  Although this is a Bishop School project, art volunteers from other Arlington schools will be invited to participate.

Multicultural Literature

Pamela Watts-Flavin

PEIRCE SCHOOL

Pamela Watts-Flavin, a children’s librarian at the Robbins Library, will conduct an interactive event for parents and teachers highlighting multicultural books.  She will discuss multicultural literature and its role in the home and school.  Hands-on extension activities will be demonstrated, and additional multicultural literature resources will be made available.

Integrated Thematic Murals

Shunsuke Yamaguchi

THOMPSON SCHOOL

Artist in residence and Thompson parent Shunsuke Yamaguchi has volunteered to organize mural projects for each grade.  Students and teachers are collaborating with Shunsuke to develop themes related to the curriculum, and could involve social issues such as diversity, cooperation, friendship, and/or historical topics. 

Parent Literacy Workshops

Amy Jo Koonce,  1st grade teacher

Hardy School

Amy Jo Koonce, a 1^st grade teacher, will co-present with literacy consultant Donna Driscoll, two workshops for the parents of kindergarten and first grade students.  These workshops would focus on strategies that parents could use for helping beginning readers and writers.

Whale Day

Stratton School

The New England Aquarium will assemble a life-sized, 42-foot inflatable right whale in the school for a one-day program.  Aquarium staff will train teachers and parent volunteers to assist students in a program designed to engage the students in inquiry-based activities with hands-on interactive tools, to learn more about marine mammals.

Mathematical Challenge Center

Nancy Coppola and LeiLanie D’Agostino

Brackett School

Nancy Coppola and LeiLanie D’Agostino, 4^th and 5^th grade teachers, will create a Math Challenge Center that is intended to enhance and enrich the current math curricula.  This center will provide multiple activities that stem from classroom lessons, and utilize a variety of learning strategies to address all levels of learning ability. 

Art and Artists

Camilla Lillbask

Dallin School

Kindergarten teacher Camilla Lillbask will use her grant to teach about different artists and their styles, enhancing the awareness and understanding of art for elementary students.  Students will read biographical information about the artist, have discussions about paintings by that artist, and paint in the specific artist’s style.  Some artists that will be focused on are Van Gogh, Degas, Georgia O’Keefe, Henri Matisse, and Claude Monet. 

Multiple Intelligences Portfolios for English Language Learners

Paula Leoni-Bacchus

Town Wide

There are approximately 200-250 English Language Learner (ELL) students in the Arlington schools.  AEEF has awarded a grant to Paula Leoni-Bacchus, the ELL coordinator, which will   allow the ELL teachers to create a CD portfolio for each student.  These digital portfolios would follow the students from grade to grade to show ongoing progress.  The information would be stored in a central database and be accessible by teachers and specialists, and  allows for easier communication between the ELL specialists and parents.

AEEF is a non-profit corporation staffed by Arlington parents and teachers.  Our goal is to augment and enrich the Arlington Public Schools by funding enhanced educational opportunities for teachers and students.  For more information, please contact Bonnie Echmalian at 781-648-3855 or Bonnie@ech.net.