Berryville, VA, August 20, 2024 – Recipients for the 2024-2025 school year were announced at CCPS’s Convocation event held on August 13th. Seven teachers were selected this year who applied to the CCEF with innovative classroom projects. Classroom Impact Grants were created to provide teachers with a funding source for new and innovative projects as they begin the school year. This year, the following teachers will start the school year with the opportunity to implement a new project or idea in their classrooms. Congratulations to the following teachers:
Balancing Scales– Barbara Large, DG CES
With the implementation of new math standards, the importance of hands-on engagement has increased. Younger students need concrete models to understand weight and equality, and balance scales are ideal for both. Older scales have become damaged or lost over time, making it difficult for teachers to set up hands-on rotations that allow students to weigh and see equality for themselves.
Comunidad Hispana– Kate Blevins, CCHS
The goal of this project is to bring Hispanic culinary and cultural arts to Spanish students at Clarke County High School. The best way to learn and connect with a language is through its food, arts, music, and culture. This grant will fund a food or craft project for each of my classes each quarter.
Electromagnetic Spectrum: Visible Light– Stephanie Mclain, CCHS
The electromagnetic spectrum forms a basis for the Earth Science Astronomy unit. Many current theories about the solar system, galaxy, and universe are based on the study of visible light. The equipment requested will enhance previous activities that focus on the formation, composition, and movement of stellar bodies.
Listening and Recording for All! – Mandy Balas and Carissa Ferraro, DG CES
This grant will enhance our third graders’ reading experiences through the use of headphones and a small group set of headphones with a microphone. The use of headphones will allow the students to listen to fluent reading, record readers’ theater, record their own readings, and hear themselves read.
Sensory Items for the SPED Department– Christina Collings, BES
This project will allow for more flexible/adaptive seating options, sensory items, and an increased supply of noise-canceling headphones. These additional supplies can be invaluable for students with sensory-seeking behaviors, sensory avoidance, or ADHD. Items like wobble cups for the bottoms of school chairs, flexi-bands, wobble cushions, yoga ball chairs, scoop rockers, and noise-canceling headphones will be added to our inventory. These items can be loaned to teachers who need accommodations for their classrooms, providing them with tangible, interactive, and visual supports to help students retell, answer questions, and reenact popular stories.
3-D Printers– Jennifer McDonald, DG CES
This project will enable our students to create and print 3D creations, inspiring their creativity and problem-solving skills! The materials for this grant were purchased for both BES and DG CES.
Congratulations to this year’s grant recipients!
In addition to Classroom Impact Grant Funding, the CCEF was proud to sponsor the Clarke Innovation Conference by bringing Dr. Jill Siler as the keynote speaker. Dr. Siler served as the Superintendent of Gunter ISD for nearly ten years and now serves as the Deputy Executive Director for Professional Learning for the Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA). Jill has been serving as an educator for 25 years, beginning her career as a high school social studies teacher and coach before becoming a campus and district leader. Jill has a passion for impacting others and has been a frequent speaker to teachers and leaders alike. Jill’s first book, Thrive Through the Five, was released in 2020 and focuses on thriving through the most challenging seasons.
Dr. Siler delivered an inspiring and motivational presentation to our educators. With a compelling blend of passion, insight, and practical advice, she energized and uplifted our teaching staff. Her engaging storytelling and practical tips resonated deeply, equipping our teachers with renewed enthusiasm and effective tools to enhance their classrooms.
The Clarke County Education Foundation, established in 1991, is an independent public charity dedicated to promoting, expanding, and augmenting the educational opportunities for students and staff in the Clarke County Public Schools, by generating private support and involvement to enhance these publicly-maintained services. The CCEF has provided more than $3.6 million in student scholarships, teacher grants, system demonstration grants, and donor-defined projects through a combination of fund-raising and endowment income since its inception. For more information visit www.ccefinc.org