Learning & Leadership Grants: Winter 2010 Recipients

Alabama

Ms. Jennifer Manning, Birmingham
Special Education Teacher, Glenwood
Grant Amount: $2,000

To educate teachers, staff, and family/caregivers of children with severe autism and aggressive behaviors enrolled in Glenwood's Allan Cott School, Ms. Manning will establish a multi-media autism resource library.  Subjects will cover: strategies to teach children with autism about play and social interaction; behavior intervention; academic level diagnostic tools; and lesson plan and group ideas.  Utilizing knowledge gained, teachers will offer workshops to Glenwood staff as well as participating families, caregivers, and community members interested in learning more about autism, behavior intervention, and teaching children with autism.

Arizona

Ms. Georgine Woodley, Tucson
7th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Altar Valley Middle School
Grant Amount: $2,000

In order to learn more about whole brain learning and poverty, Ms. Woodley will attend the ASCD Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas.  At the conference, leaders in the field will talk about the connection between brain-based learning in low-income students and student achievement.  Ms. Woodley will also learn how to teach the "whole child," using brain compatible practices.  This knowledge will be used to design a whole-brain based learning curriculum for social studies.

Arkansas

Mr. Scott Bassham, Little Rock
3rd to 5th Grade Music Specialist, Watson Intermediate School
Grant Amount: $2,000

Through a two-week seminar in the summer of 2010, Mr. Bassham will learn creative ways in which to teach diatonic modes, functional harmony, creative movement, improvisation, barred percussion instruments, and the recorder to students.  Mr. Bassham will also learn to compose songs, instrumental pieces, canons, and body percussion pieces in elemental form for ready use in the music classroom.

California

Ms. DeAnn Karl, Rio Linda
4th to 5th Grade Teacher, Westside Elementary School
Partner: Mrs. Beverly Ruby
Grant Amount: $5,000

Guided Language Acquisition Development (GLAD) is a model of professional development in the area of language acquisition and literacy that traiteachers in the use of core curriculum through local district guidelines.  Westside Elementary staff will work collaboratively as a professional learning community to implement new and effective GLAD strategies, measure results, and continue efforts to improve the achievement of ELL and Hispanic students.

Mr. Jackie Ferreira, Sacramento
6th Grade Teacher, Union House Elementary School
Partner: Ms. Tara Higashino
Grant Amount: $5,000

A vertical, K-6 team will create an effective research driven math and science website, “Be Bright,” which will incorporate technology training with principles from the book Whatever it Takes.  The website will build the technology capacity of staff and serve as a collaborative, interactive website that integrates blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, downloadable interactive white board lessons, document sharing, web based activities, and video streaming to help students excel in California math and science content standards.

Colorado

Ms. Christine Hannum, Louisville
6th to 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Louisville Middle School
Partner: Mrs. Emily Martin
Grant Amount: $5,000

Ms. Hannum and colleagues will conduct a three-week intensive and thematic social studies and music unit with all 7th grade students.  The goal is for students to comprehend the relationship between African culture and music.  Students will learn the chronology of American spirituals, blues, and jazz from West African drumming, South African apartheid choral music, blues verses, and the demonstration of jazz improvisation.  Educators will share their findings in study groups upon completion of the unit.

Connecticut

Ms. Adina Alexandru, Glastonbury
11th Grade Foreign Languages Teacher, Glastonbury High School
Partner: Mr. James Wildman
Grant Amount: $5,000

Ms. Alexandru will conduct multiple sessions with foreign language teachers in order to support teacher professional development in the six languages offered in the district in grades 1-12.  The sessions will focus on curriculum development and refinement, communication with parents via school portal and email, and development of student assessments by performing data analysis on their midterm and final scores.

Florida

Dr. Caroline Guardino, Jacksonville
Assistant Professor, University of North Florida
Grant Amount: $2,000

Dr. Guardino will develop both an online course and a web resource with information on deaf education for pre- and in-service teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents.  The goal of this project is to make both resources fully accessible to people who have a hearing loss by captioning and interpreting all course materials and website content.

Georgia

Ms. Donica Cuspard, Ph.D., Lithonia
2nd Grade Teacher, Redan Elementary School
Grant Amount: $2,000

Dr. Cuspard will attend the Staff Development of Educators Differentiated Conference to enhance her knowledge of meeting the diverse needs of students in the ever-changing environment of today's classroom.  The conference will increase her current knowledge of diversity and strategies to close the achievement gaps and will allow her to serve as a facilitator for professional development for the faculty and staff.

Hawaii

Ms. Catherine Hawkins, Kailua Kona
1st to 2nd Grade Teacher, Innovations Public Charter School
Grant Amount: $2,000

Ms. Hawkins will take two professional development classes from the University of Texas online program: 1) The Nature and the Needs of the Gifted and Talented and 2) The Social and Emotional Aspects of the Gifted and Talented.  While taking the classes, she will participate in a weekly study group with other elementary and middle school teachers to discuss the course work and implementation of strategies to support students and parents of students who have been identified as gifted.

Illinois

Ms. Jennifer Weil, Wilmette
2nd Grade Teacher, McKenzie School
Grant Amount: $2,000

Ms. Weil will participate in an internship at the Center for Teaching and Learning in Edgecombe, Maine.  Through the internship, Ms. Weil will work with experts in the teaching of reading and writing to elementary school students.  Upon completing the course of study, Ms. Weil will share her findings with her colleagues.

Indiana

Ms. Sandra Maytan, Merrillville
Elementary Music Teacher, Jonas Salk Elementary School
Grant Amount: $2,000

“Virtues Through Music & Music About Virtues” will allow Ms. Maytan to be trained in the Virtues Project Methods in order to develop a curriculum that combines the experience, methods, and materials of the Virtues Project.  Lessons will focus on musical concepts that will contribute to the creation of a “musical child” and through the child a “musical society.”

Kansas

Mrs. Sue Stinson, Overland Park
Kindergarten to 6th Grade Physical Education Teacher, Apache Elementary School
Partner: Mrs. Suzanne Bangert
Grant Amount: $5,000

Since physical movement has been proven to optimize learning and retention, a professional learning community consisting of physical education teachers and classroom teachers from five schools will study various ways to include movement in the everyday core curriculum.  Collaboratively, the group will develop a handbook that will enable classroom teachers to incorporate movement seamlessly into their daily lessons.  This tool will be used to train teachers in schools throughout the district.

Michigan

Ms. Julie Raynor, Muskegon
Elementary Speech-Language Pathologist, Reeths-Puffer/Central Elementary School
Grant Amount: $2,000

To gain a greater understanding of childhood stuttering, Ms. Raynor will attend and earn a certification in the Lindcombe Program, a highly effective therapy that addresses stuttering.  Upon completion, Ms. Raynor will share with her colleagues the methods learned in the training.

Nebraska

Ms. Kathleen Wingard, Lincoln
School Bus Driver, Lincoln Public Schools
Grant Amount: $2,000

Ms. Wingard will study current best practices in library science in order to develop reading and literacy projects for students who ride her school bus.  Ms. Wingard will work with local literacy experts and librarians to plan a timeline of learning events that feature literacy programs and libraries, and will share her findings with other Lincoln Public Schools staff, including ESPs, mentors, teachers, and librarians.

New York

Ms. Shirley Terrinoni, Hannibal
9th to 12th Grade Music Teacher, Hannibal High School
Grant Amount: $2,000

Ms. Terrinoni will attend the Jazz at Lincoln Center Band Director Academy in June 2010 in New York.  The program will provide innovative instructional ideas to better prepare students and assure more success and fulfillment through their study of jazz and improvisation.  Upon completion, the current curriculum will be modified to incorporate musical improvisation into lessons.

Ohio

Ms. Christine King, Warren
Head Custodian, Champion Local School District Middle School
Grant Amount: $2,000

Ms. King will participate in custodial technician professional development.  This knowledge will benefit students, staff, and community members by allowing Ms. King to learn new information in the areas of safety and security, blood borne pathogens, sanitation and disinfection, cleaning chemicals, and preventive maintenance. 

Oregon

Mr. Shawn Daley, Gresham
10th to 12th Grade Social Studies Teacher, Gresham High School
Partner: Ms. Katrina Levin
Grant Amount: $5,000

Mr. Daley and Ms. Levin will lead a professional learning community in Gresham High School. The group will focus on the effect global crises have on populations worldwide.  Educators across subject areas will meet to discuss ways to incorporate geography into their lesson plans.

Pennsylvania

Ms. Nicole Titus, State College
1st to 8th Grade Teacher, State College Area School District
Partner: Dr. Bernard Badiali
Grant Amount: $5,000

Ms. Titus will team with Dr. Badiali, a professor at Penn State University, to pilot models of co-teaching with mentor teachers and teacher candidates within the context of a professional development school.  Teachers will learn about seven models of co-teaching as a way to enhance their own understanding of instruction and a way to mentor novice teachers.  Teacher candidates and mentors will learn to collaborate through the implementation of co-teaching models, through reflective dialogue, and through assessing the impact co-teaching has on their students.

South Carolina

Ms. Laura D’Eugenio, Mount Pleasant
1st to 8th Grade Music Teacher, East Cooper Montessori Charter School
Grant Amount: $2,000

The Orff-Schulwerk approach to music education is a hands-on program using singing, dancing, and instrument playing to teach children.  Ms. D’Eugenio will complete the Orff-Schulwerk training this summer by attending an institute at the Eastman School of Music.  Upon completion, Ms. D’Eugenio will implement advanced improvisation lessons in her music classes.

Tennessee

Dr. Evelyn Dwyer, Erwin
Kindergarten to 4th Grade Music Teacher, Love Chapel Elementary School
Partner: Mrs. Jennifer Bishop
Grant Amount: $5,000

Dr. Dwyer will lead a group of five early elementary grade teachers of music, library science, guidance, and physical education from Love Chapel Elementary School in the use of Rosetta Stone software and audio companion to develop the Spanish language skills necessary to communicate more effectively with Hispanic students and their families.  Teachers will also increase their knowledge of Hispanic culture (social studies, music, art, literature, dance, festivals, and food) through study of teacher resource materials, compact discs, and digital videodisc media.  Rhythm instruments common to the Hispanic culture will also be explored.

Virginia

Mrs. Jeanne E. Porter, Vienna
Special Education Teacher, Freedom Hill Elementary School
Partner: Mrs. Erin Snell
Grant Amount: $5,000

Mrs. Porter and her colleagues will conduct an in-depth study of math and early childhood special needs students.  The group will use common assessment data to track how and what students are learning monthly, and use the data to drive instructional decisions.  The team will provide learning activities for practice and enrichment and develop, analyze, and refine curriculum objectives.

Washington

Ms. Mary Newell, Kent
Nurse Facilitator, Kent School District
Partner: Ms. Cecilia Pizzalato
Grant Amount: $5,000

Ms. Newell and Ms. Pizzalato will conduct a diabetic training program for several educational teams in the district.  Teachers in the district, which has seen an increase in the incidence of diabetes diagnosed in general and special education students, will learn that each student is unique in terms of their disease progression, developmental and intellectual capabilities, and required levels of assistance for disease management.