To create a collaborative environment that will improve student achievement, Mrs. Pickrell and her colleagues will establish professional learning communities that share a common vision. The communities will be comprised of collaborative teams focusing on learning and best ... more »

Mrs. Benac will participate in comprehensive training of the Orton-Gillingham methodology, a research based approach to learning that has been proven to benefit students who struggle with reading, spelling, and writing activities. By completing the training, Mrs. Benac will ... more »

Mr. Steins will complete the nine unit Gifted and Talented Education (G.A.T.E.) Certification courses at the University of California Irvine Extension so that he can effectively differentiate instruction for his school's gifted learners. Upon completion of the program, Mr. ... more »

To help provide students and staff at The Integrated Arts Academy with the most current, professional school nursing knowledge and skills in the specialty practice of school nursing, Mrs. Mongeon will attend the National Association of School Nurses' Annual ... more »

Ms. Wright will participate in an Earthwatch Institute expedition, studying Trinidad's leatherback sea turtles.  As a member of the scientific research team she will participate in satellite tracking and collect data about migration patterns and habitat to predict ... more »

To reduce student risk factors and promote student achievement, Mrs. Kissell will implement the “Teachers Teaching Teachers” project at Anaconda High School.  Mrs. Kissell will lead a collegial study within the math department with the goals of improving ... more »

Mrs. Holtz will participate in four brain based education courses at the University of St. Thomas.  Upon completing the courses, Mrs. Holtz will assist in advancing brain based research and teaching strategies in her school and district.  Additionally, Mrs. Holtz ... more »

Mrs. Mecikalski will attend the International Reading Convention in Orland, Florida.  At the workshop, Mrs. Mecikalski will study ways to improve the reading scores of students at Pinewood Elementary, particularly Hispanic and African American populations.  Upon ... more »

Mr. Givand will investigate the use of technology in several school districts in Minnesota in an attempt to understand its relationship to student achievement.  In addition to examining the best practices of effective technology integration, Mr. Givand will examine ... more »

Four members of the Grand Rapids Public Schools staff will attain certification as behavior analysts, requiring intense training in effective instruction for students with autism.  In obtaining this certification, the colleagues will provide ongoing training and ... more »

Ms. Stewart will travel to Ghana for three weeks to study the musical traditions of the Ewe people.  As a result of her research, Ms. Stewart will revise her music curriculum to include an in depth unit for the upper elementary grades exploring West African music, ... more »

Mrs. Dewese will attend the Science Education for Public Understanding (SEPUP) Academy in Silverthorne, Colorado.  While there, she will study literacy strategies that support reading comprehension as well as written, oral, and media literacy; technology tools; ... more »

Norcrest Elementary School educators will implement the International Baccalaureate/Primary Years Programme (IBPYP) in all grade levels and with all students.  The IBPYP aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people.  Educators at Norcrest ... more »

Ms. Montano will attend the Columbia Teachers’ College Summer Workshop to improve her classroom practice so that she can provide her predominantly Latino student population with culturally relevant stories.  Upon returning from the workshop, Ms. Montano’s ... more »

Mrs. Grimble and Ms. Hines will study several books and professional articles on differentiated instruction for middle schools and will apply what they learn to lessons for the upcoming school year.  They will share this information with the language arts department ... more »

Teachers at Vance Elementary will receive training in fundamental conceptual mathematics instruction.  A team of five educators will work together to strengthen the current math program by increasing students’ abilities to reason and solve problems ... more »

Ms. Wendt and Mrs. Collins will foster creative, constructive writing through the use of twenty first century technology tools.  “From Pen and Paper to Mouse and Keyboard” will use innovative web 2.0 technologies, including blogs, wikis, webinars, podcasts, ... more »

Educators within the School District of Osceola will be provided with interactive whiteboards for classroom instruction.  This technology will promote high quality, equitable instruction while improving student achievement in language arts and mathematics.  ... more »

Students at Van Asselt Elementary will increase math proficiency through hands on exercises.  Scales will be used in math classes at all grade levels for measurement practice, with an emphasis on algebra understanding at the intermediate grade levels.  Students ... more »

Students at Yale Elementary and community volunteers create and maintain an outdoor organic learning center.  The center will allow students to view and interact with numerous living systems.  The hub of the learning center will be a greenhouse, which will promote ... more »

Mr. Rigby and Mrs. Cox will improve students’ mastery of technology by introducing Smart Boards and clickers in the classroom.  Students will work in groups to compile materials for use in multimedia classroom presentations.  Additionally, the less ... more »

Mrs. Tejada and Mrs. Root will lead students in the expansion of a school garden.  By planning and cultivating the garden, student will observe the life cycle of plants and will understand the origins of the vegetables they eat.  Additionally, rain barrels will be ... more »

To bridge the gap between special and general education students, Mrs. Keene and Mrs. Herrmann will introduce iPads in their classrooms as a way to enhance lessons through the use of technology.  The project will enable Mrs. Keene and Mrs. Herrmann to create innovative ... more »

To address the necessity of technological literacy in successful twenty first century learners, Ms. Snyder and Ms. Stoll will provide students with interactive multimedia technology via iPads and laptops.  The devices will be used to support academic needs, provide ... more »

Mrs. Green and Mrs. Rutherford will expose students to nineteenth century culture through a visit to the historic Biltmore Estate and Grounds.  Through hands on interactive lessons, students will discover the rich history that exists within the walls of the estate and ... more »

Through “Water Quality, Water Quality, What’s Your Location?,” students will use technology, the school campus, and the community to develop real world understanding of the importance of water.  The project will integrate language arts, science, math, ... more »

To address a growing student population in need of additional reading support, faculty at Skoi Yase Primary School will create a leveled library.  The use of leveled books will enable Mrs. Ackerman and Ms. Cotter to provide differentiated guided reading instruction and ... more »

Mr. Kukan and Mrs. Markby will implement the “Global Perspective Project,” which will provide students with a hands on approach to social studies learning.  Students will focus on the “where” and “why” of the world and on the people ... more »

Through the “Cleaner Energy Project,” Mr. Andres and Mrs. Young will work collaboratively to engage students in proper research skills and inquiry based science labs focused on the topic of renewable energy.  After completing preliminary labs and research, ... more »

Through “The World of Engineering,” DeKalb Elementary students will be exposed to a comprehensive instructional unit on engineering fields.  Students will then use engineering concepts to design and build robots to compete in the school wide “Robocup ... more »

Mrs. Carter and Mr. Berrios will introduce their third grade students to an integrated curriculum focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).  In this construction challenge, students will design and test scale roller coasters and study the ... more »

Ms. Stotz and Ms. McCurdy will enhance reading and math lessons through the use of the TeacherMate system, a technology designed for differentiated and individualized instruction in elementary classrooms.  Students will work in teams of six and partake in small group ... more »

The entire Morgan Elementary School faculty will study the book How to Give Effective Feedback to Your Students by Susan Brookhart.  Collaborative teams will review the text, the research, and student and classroom data over the course of the year to support ... more »

Mrs. Walker will attend the Connecting the Mind, Brain and Education Institute on brain research at Harvard University.  At the institute, Mrs. Walker will work with experts in the area of brain research to design and plan specific ways to use cutting edge research to ... more »

Ms. Oaks will attend the five-day Summer Reading Institute at Columbia University's Teachers College Reading and Writing Project to gain the tools needed to implement a successful reading workshop model in her classroom.  Upon completion of the institute, Ms. Oaks will ... more »

Ms. Caulfield will attend Columbia University’s Teachers College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), a leading educational institute in advancing teaching techniques that align with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).  After attending the seminar, Ms. ... more »

Mrs. Brockett will lead a professional learning community in the study of differentiated instruction.  The project will support teachers by allowing them to explore specific site based educational needs.  Group members will collaborate regularly to identify ... more »

Mrs. Elliot will lead a collegial study in Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK), a framework for increasing technology integration.  After an overview of the TPCK model and exposure to several sample units, teachers will work in grade level teams to ... more »

Dr. Cuspard will attend the ASCD Annual Conference to enhance her knowledge about learning opportunities that help educators create better schools and improve teaching and learning programs.  The learning will assist Dr. Cuspard in her position as Redan ... more »

To gain a greater understanding of early intervention strategies, Mrs. Navarrete will attend the seminar Powerful Early Intervention Strategies to Help Students Struggling with Reading and Writing through the Bureau of Education and Research.  Upon completion, Mrs. ... more »

Students at Potowmack will participate in a new math instructional program entitled Math Through Music.  As part of the program, students will sing and dance to the sounds of educator Dr. Jean, who has created motivating songs to teach young children math skills and ... more »

To foster a deeper appreciation of the language arts, Ms. Lavergne’s fourth grade special needs students will participate in an accelerated writing and publishing institute and produce books.  Students will use digital technology and publishing software to design ... more »

View Acres Elementary School students will design and develop a large vegetable and native plant garden as part of a new staff-initiated science program that is based on state science standards, student inquiry, and project based learning.  Lessons focused on the ... more »

Mrs. Stover and Mrs. Marsh’s students will learn how to solve open ended, differentiated mathematics problems.  Through inquiry exploration, students will engage in whole group, cooperative group, and independent learning opportunities.  Students will ... more »

Wilder Elementary students will engage in technology rich experiences with opportunities for creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, and decision making using iPad tablets.  Partnerships with pre-service teachers at the University of North Dakota and ... more »

Mrs. Parker and Mrs. Watson will implement guided reading as the primary method of literacy instruction at all grade levels at Fox Road Elementary School.  Educators will provide targeted instruction to students in small groups, allowing individual students to learn ... more »

Mrs. Cafiso and Mrs. Mahoney will create a classroom library to encourage students to read.  Classroom lessons will focus on phonics based instruction aimed toward English language learners.  Students will ultimately create a series of bilingual books which will ... more »

Fourth grade students struggling with reading comprehension will be responsible for compiling The Chilly Press, a student publication of current events and interviews.  Students will read about and report on current events, interview teachers on classroom activities, ... more »

Second grade students will work cooperatively to create a successful and informative school newspaper for West Broadway Elementary School.  The project will aid students in making real world connections between the outside world, the local community, and the ... more »

Schwegler Elementary students will visit Kansas’s Tallgrass Prairie in order to understand the historic and cultural importance of the ecosystem.  The project will enable students to engage in community learning while discovering the relevance of local ... more »