2020-2021 Approved Grants
Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum – Rockwell – 5th grade students will travel to the Boston Tea Party Museum where students will have an opportunity to 'join' Samuel Adams and the Sons and Daughters of Liberty at the meeting house where they protest the King's unjust taxes. They will also play an active role in a reenactment of the historic town meeting, board an authentic replica vessel where they will throw the Crown's tea into Boston Harbor, explore below deck to learn about life at sea and funny anecdotes from the BostonTea Party. Students will experience a debate on Griffin's Wharf where they will learn the results of these powerful actions. Each student will learn how the Boston Tea Party sparked the American Revolution.
Constellations Come to US! Science Rocks! – Guiteras – The Boston Museum of Science will visit 5th grade students for two program visits. The first would bring a portable planetarium to the school gym and allow student scientists to travel to space to view and learn about the patterns in the night sky allowing them to 'see' the constellations, moon phases, planets and other patterns first hand. The second program would allow student scientists and engineers to get a hands-on experience changing matter and applying experiment inquiry skills with scientists from the Museum of Science.
Literary Pen Pals – Hugh Cole – The Literary Pen pals project will have members of the Warren Senior Center and Ms. Ursillo's 4th grade students read the book, Walking With Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy independently. Through handwritten letters, the students and the seniors will correspond about the book.
Mindful Movement Sensory Path – Guiteras – This grant will create a sensory circuit on each of the three floors of Guiteras School which is a creative and playful way for kids to build sensory pathways, connections in the brain that are responsible for sight, touch, sound, etc. and which enable kids to complete complex, multi-step tasks. Sensory pathway activities are designed to have students take a 'brain break' to allow the body and brain to refocus, reorganize, and 'reset' to allow the child to practice self-regulation.
Parents as Literacy Partners – Colt Andrews- This grant provides multi-sensory manipulatives for kindergarten and 1st grade children receiving literacy support outside of core instruction to be used at home under the guidance of parents. Expanded this year to include emergent readers.
Parents as Literacy Partners – Colt Andrews- This grant provides multi-sensory manipulatives for kindergarten and 1st grade children receiving literacy support outside of core instruction to be used at home under the guidance of parents. Expanded this year to include emergent readers.
Playground Inclusion Initiative – Hugh Cole – This grant will enhance the communication, social emotional, and adaptive education of students with complex communication needs through a program bringing low technology Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) systems to the preschool and main elementary school playgrounds. The program will specifically involve the design and placement of four weather resistant communication boards (two on the preschool playground and two on the elementary playground) as well as subsequent training, consultation, and support for staff and students in the technology.
Raising Readers – Guiteras – This grant will give parents and students access to reading books at an independent level determined by the kindergarten and reading teacher. Each student will be given a 'Kindergarten Book Pal Tote' with books at their independent reading level, a reading buddy to read with, and a strategy checklist with grade appropriate strategies that are developmentally appropriate for parents to use with their child at home.
Releasing the Writer Within – KMS - Local author Hannah Goodman will work with all students at KMS as part of a school-wide author study. Releasing the Writer Within is a writing workshop designed to help students release their inner writer 'through a combination of meditation and various writing exercises that allow for deep and authentic expression.' Every workshop session begins and ends with a mindful meditation that focuses on bringing the writer 'into the here and now'.
Science Olympiad – Mt. Hope High School – The Science Olympiad is a national program that was created to create interest in science. All topics and events covered align with the state and national Next Generation Science Standards. The Science Olympiad aims to teach science by involving students in active, hands-on activities that emphasize problem-solving and the scientific process.
SEL Tier II Reset Stations for Emotional Self-Regulation – Hugh Cole - This grant will help build a school-wide model for social and emotional learning (SEL), by contributing to the resources available at Tier 2, i.e. reset station materials for students who are in the yellow-zone, feeling frustrated and needing a brain break.
Self Regulation in Disguise – Hugh Cole – This grant will leverage martial arts principals to develop 4th grade students' self-regulation and character. The specific principals that will be incorporated in this program are: honesty, modesty, integrity, self-control, perseverance, self- discipline, self- and other-respect, confidence and excellence. The program is based on research that shows that martial arts exposure can enhance social-emotional skills, especially self-regulation.
Freshman Summer Bridge Program – MHHS and KMS – The Freshmen Summer Bridge Program at MHHS is a collaborative vision between KMS and MHHS. KMS and MHHS will continue to work together to identify the needs of rising ninth grade students in order to provide them with a summer transition/bridge program to assist with those needs. It will include programming to facilitate a more successful transition to high school by providing social, emotional and organizational support as well as initiating engagement with the high school community.
Performing Arts Integration (Trinity Repertory Theater/Christmas Carol)- Rockwell – Using materials provided by Trinity Repertory Theater Company, students will engage in investigating dramatic enactments using dialogue from 'A Christmas Carol'. After extensive, integrated classroom activities, students will travel to Trinity Rep to view a live performance.
Link Up with the Philharmonic and a Visit to the State House – Guiteras – This project will allow the 4th grade music students and 4th and 5th grade students in the Community Strings Project to participate in the RI Philharmonic Link Up program, which is based on a curriculum developed at The Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall. It allows students to learn to play the recorder and play and sing along with a program of diverse musical selections which will be performed in a culminating concert. Students will also experience a mini-workshop taught by a Philharmonic musician. Following the concert, students will receive a tour of the State House including the Charter Museum where they will view the State Charter. They will also meet with a State Legislator and learn about the workings of the State legislature and how they may become engaged citizens.
RISD Museum Trip – MHHS- French students will visit the RISD museum to learn about and experience first-hand the Impressionist school of painting. Students will study art related French vocabulary and expressions, the historical context of the 19th Century and Romanticism, and aspects of analyzing and evaluating works of art. Student presentations on various works housed at the museum will be the culmination of this program.
JR. DECA – MHHS – This program will allow Mt. Hope High School DECA members to implement and expand the club at the middle school level which gives students at KMS an opportunity to be exposed to the basics of business, leadership, and community service prior to becoming involved at the high school level. The goals of this program are to prepare middle schoolers for high school DECA as well as a real-world learning and working environment through collaboration, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
Project Lead the Way Medical Detective Course Start Up – KMS –This grant will support the startup of a new STEM course at KMS in 20-21 school year. In this course, students play the role of real-life medical detectives as they collect and analyze medical data to diagnose disease. They solve medical mysteries through hands-on projects and labs, measure and interpret vital signs, dissect a sheep brain, investigate disease outbreaks, and explore how a breakdown within the human body can lead to dysfunction.
Movie Making Mobile Lab – KMS – This grant endeavors to create equal access to quality storyboard film production for all students by establishing a mobile movie making lab with equipment capable of high quality filming, editing and sound production. It will also encourage students to explore various real-world job opportunities and skills: problem-solving, writing for an audience, filming, using editing software to enhance audio and production quality, collaboration with peers, integration of art (music, visual, spoken language), and producing a quality finished product for an audience.
The Orchestra Sings – Rockwell – This grant will allow the 4th grade music students and 4th and 5th grade students in the Community Strings Project to participate in the RI Philharmonic Link Up program, which is based on a curriculum developed at The Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall. It allows students to learn to play the recorder and play and sing along with a program of diverse musical selections which will be performed in a culminating concert. Students will also experience a mini-workshop taught by a Philharmonic musician.
Speak Truth to Power – MHHS - Based on Kerry Kennedy's book Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World , the human rights education program, Speak Truth to Power (STTP) , combines powerful storytelling and interactive learning to create a global citizenry of students and teachers who are ready to end and prevent human rights abuses and violations. At the heart of STTP are the stories of human rights defenders from around the world. Educator training is a major component of the program to ensure successful implementation in the school and community. The stories are brought to life through lesson plans, a traveling photo exhibit, a play, and contests, providing young people with a unique entry point into understanding human rights issues while encouraging them to become empathetic and emboldened champions of justice in their everyday lives.
Be The One for Kids – Guiteras - This grant would purchase the book 'Be The One for Kids' for each of the teachers at Guiteras school. A book club will meet monthly where they will focus on each of the chapters and how they can use the topic to form a common child-centered and supportive language within the school. Topics include 'How to make kids feel special', showing kids 'How to have fun in learning', 'How to make an impact with your colleagues'. Faculty will brainstorm practical ways to make changes in their school based on their discussions.