News

From the Manchester Cricket, July 2011:

Spaulding Education Fund Thanks Donors and Announces Spring Grants

As the school year draws to a close, the Spaulding Education Fund (SEF) would like to express its sincere thanks to the many members of the community who continue to generously fund this organization. SEF is a group of parent volunteers who focus on the mission of assuring excellence in the Manchester Essex Public schools by funding pilot programs and resources that open doors to innovative curriculum-based learning. Successful grant recipients have created initiatives or found materials that advance, enrich and enliven the classroom experience. This spring, SEF has been able to fund over $27,000 in grants. We are pleased to announce the following recipients and provide a brief summary of their grant projects.

Ms. Samantha Silag, librarian at the Manchester Memorial Elementary school, received a grant for the purchase of 10 iPads for library research. This will enable students to gain access to digital textbooks, digital literature and online sources that will, in turn, enhance the school library’s digital content. Learning information literacy skills with the iPad also aims to infuse technology into the research process allowing young students to better locate, organize and evaluate information and then create work to represent their learning with rich multimedia content. The number of iPads will also allow an increased number of children to efficiently work on research projects throughout the school year.

At the Middle and High School, librarian Sue Krause received a grant to sponsor two Author- in- Residence programs, one each for middle and high school students, to help explore the writing process. Students will have the opportunity to read, listen to and discuss the authors’ published work and then share their own writing in a supportive environment. They will learn what it takes to become a published author, while improving not only their reading and writing skills, but vocabulary, collaborative learning, and organizational skills.

Also at the High School, teacher Steve Cogger received a grant for the development and support of a one semester elective in Electronics to complement the Robotics elective. This class will give students an opportunity to learn about electricity and electronics, enhancing learning particularly in the area of STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education. This course will help students interested in Robotics to gain the required electronic skills and will teach the basics of electricity to those interested in Green jobs like wind turbine and solar panel technicians. Some of the material will also supplement the electricity curriculum of high school physics.

Students at the Essex Elementary School will benefit from a partial grant received by teacher Richard Carpenter. This grant is for a musical Artist-in-residence in a unit that blends the 2nd grade library and music curriculums. Daisy Nell will introduce students to American folk music through patriotic and work songs and chanteys that are the root of our musical and cultural heritage. She will also introduce the varied instruments that are used in this genre and help each class create their own original song.

In addition to the above grants, SEF will continue to provide support to the High School DECA program, 5th grade ballroom dancing at Essex elementary, and singing and signing for Memorial school kindergarten students. None of these amazing programs would be possible without the generous continued support from the communities of Manchester and Essex.