Plano ISD Education Foundation Grants

$67,000 for Innovative Classroom Programs

by PegNews wire

The Plano ISD Education Foundation made surprise visits to several schools today to present $67,000 in 58 grant awards to teachers. Foundation board members, business volunteers, district administrators and PTA Council members visited schools to present the grants. Prize Patrol vehicles and drivers were donated by Park Place Lexus.

Largest Grant Distribution in PISD History

The Foundation's award of $67,000 in grants represents the largest single-year distribution in the program’s history. Since its inception, more than $350,000 has been awarded through the program. This year's increase was made possible due to the support of major sponsors: Nortel, Countrywide, Park Place Lexus, Plano ISD Council of PTAs and Jenny Birgé.

Plano ISD Education Foundation Board Chair Keith Braley said, "The Foundation is thrilled to increase funding of grants to Plano schools and teachers this year by nearly 20 percent. The Grants to Educators program is one of the best ways that private dollars support outstanding classroom instruction of educators across Plano ISD."

Grant Committee Chairman Sam Stricklin added, "Because schools are unable to fund all instructional projects worthy of support, teachers frequently dip into their own pockets to enhance instruction in their schools and classrooms. The Foundation helps to fill this funding gap. We are proud to offer this competitive grant program to Plano ISD educators every fall. They make our classrooms exciting places for students to learn."

Funding of Grants

Hightower Elementary SchoolFunds for the grants are provided through an annual campaign supported by staff, parents, Foundation board members, businesses, the broad PISD community and Ski Plano, a special event fundraiser open to the public. This year’s Ski Plano event will be held on February 3, 2007, at Southfork Ranch.

Since its inception more than a decade ago as the Plano Futures Foundation, the Foundation has raised more than $1.8 million to increase the quality of education in Plano schools. For additional information about the Foundation or to make a donation, contact (469) 752-8272. The Plano ISD Education Foundation is a 501(c) (3) organization that supports quality education for all Plano ISD students.

Programs sponsored by the Foundation include the Grants to Educators, Fund for Employees in Crisis, student scholarships to Camp Collin 5th grade camp, after-school tutorials, Teacher of the Year, New Teacher Dinner, Convocation, and other district pilot programs.

Judges & Prize Patrol Volunteers

Park Place Lexus RepresentativesVolunteer judges for this year’s Grants to Educators program included Foundation board members Mark Ball, Sam Stricklin, Mark Johnson, Tom Clerkin, and Lori Heil; community volunteers Gary Venner and eight members of the Plano ISD Council of PTAs; Plano ISD Teachers of the Year and Teaching Excellence awardees, and Plano ISD curriculum staff.

Prize Patrol volunteers include: Foundation board members André Davidson, Sue Kay, Keith Braley, Sam Stricklin, Robin Joseph-Williams, Lori Heil, Bart Ridley, Jordan Case, Mark Thornton, Mark Ball, Cathy Larson, and Sharon Goldblatt; program donors Carole Greisdorf, Dr. Richard Lowe, Gary Venner, and Robyn Tatman ; Ski Plano committee members Ann Boswell, Susan Stricklin, Denise Cullers, Lori Geer, and Julia Shanklin; and PISD staff.

Winning Grants

Following is a list of grants by school, grant program and applicant. Detailed descriptions of these grant programs may be viewed on the Foundation Website.

Armstrong Middle School - "Writers' Workshop" - Shirley Sadowski, teacher, $1,500

Barksdale Elementary - "Global Grooves: The Celebration Continues!" - Heather Coleman, Music Teacher, $1,300

Barron Early Childhood School - "Teach Me To Learn!" - Nancy Grant, Lead Teacher, $1,500

Beaty Early Childhood School - "TOPS: Teaching Our Parents Success," Elena Farmer, ESOL Teacher, Team Leader, $850

Bethany Elementary - "Windows of Opportunity Library" - Kim Murff, Librarian, $1,500

Beverly Elementary - "Comprehension Cafe" - Cynthia Smith, Third Grade Teacher, $600

Bowman Middle School (Five Grants) - "Band Together" - Chris Ostertag, Assistant Band Director, $1,500; "Instruments for Success" - Brenda G. Johnson, Orchestra Director, $1,500; "Padres Unidos" - Adrian Rodriguez, Behavior Specialist, $1,500; "Proud Promising Raiders" - Linda DeLaney, Special Education Team Leader, $615; and "Words for Life" - Kathie Williams, English Dept. Head, $1,500

Christie Elementary School - "Science Sleuths" - Miriam Madill, ESL Teacher/IC Vertical Team Chair, $1,316.70

Daffron Elementary School - "Holistic Therapy Solutions for Students with Autism" - Julie Spence, Bilingual Special Educator, $497.57

Davis Elementary School - "Breaking the Sound Barrier to Literacy Skills, Part 2: A Listening Library" - Deborah Tubbs, Teacher of Students with Hearing Impairment, $1,000

Forman Elementary School (Three Grants) - "Bound to Read, Bound to Dream, College Bound" - $1,500; "Leaping Towards Our Dreams!" - Clarissa Adas, Bilingual Kinder Teacher, $1,500; and "Partnering with Parents: Our Kids are College-Bound" - Tricia Lancaster, Title 1 Math Specialist, $1,500

Frankford Middle School (Two Grants) - "Parental Involvement - a Pathway to Progress" - Kaye St.Peter, ESL Dept. Head, $1,000; and "Links to Literacy" - Karyn Wynne, Library Specialist, $1,500

Haggar Elementary, Weatherford Elementary, Wells Elementary and Skaggs Elementary - "5th Grade Book Club Co-Op (or 8 Librarians Searching for Some Novels)" - Laura Blankenship, Librarian, $1,500

Haggard Middle School - "Life Skills Class" - Vicki Pickett, Teacher, $1,496.80

Haggard Middle School, Vines High School, Plano Senior High School - "Literacy Alive" - Susan Mullins, Deaf Education Teacher, $2,880

Hickey Elementary School (Two Grants) - "Awesome Amazing Authors (AAA)" - Michele Rollins, Second Grade Teacher, $885.50; and Writer's Workshop, Page Finley, Reading Title I, $1,400

Hightower Elementary School - "SPArKS (Scientific Processes Are Key Skills)" - Sara Stewart, third grade team leader, $688.36

Huffman Elementary School (Two Grants) - "ABC Bags: Letter Sounds Are All you Need to Read!" - Andra Harris, Kindergarten Team Leader, $500; and "Fidget Fix-It" - Jane Oestreich, Special Education Team Leader, $1,333.87

Hunt Elementary School - "Fluency Fun Bags" - Trish Alway, first grade teacher, $500

Jackson Elementary and Bethany Elementary Schools - "Everyday Language Made Simple - ELMS Club" - Angela Marshall, ESOL Teacher, $1,300

Jackson Elementary School (Two Grants) - "Morning Math Mania" - Kitty Schieck, PACE Specialist, $350; and "Ticketing Students For Success: Passport Required" - Marietta Sterling, Counselor, $1,500

Meadows Elementary School

Jasper High School - "Finals Round-Up" - Melanie Schulte, Academic Support Coordinator, $976.80

McCall Elementary School (Two Grants) - "Reading to Go" - Margie Flores, Team Leader ESOL, $1,439.11; and " Writer’s Library: Growing Accomplished Writers on an Elementary Campus" - Nancy Bassett, Reading Support, $1,228.39

Meadows Elementary School (Three Grants)- "Dual Language Literacy Library" - Catherine Morales, ESOL teacher, $1,500; "FC²=Success (Fluency+Comprehension Center=Success)" - Monica McCaffrey, 2nd Grade Team Leader, $500; and "The Read Naturally Fluency Lab" - Ms. Jeanette Aguirre, Title 1 Reading Teacher, $1,471

Memorial Elementary School (Three Grants) - "Academia de Padres Comprometidos (APC)" - Elizabeth P. Griffin and Carolina P. Williams, Bilingual Literacy Specialist and Fourth Grade Bilingual Teacher, $1,500; "GOT SCIENCE?" - Mandy Brock, 4th grade Teacher, $1,500; and "Writers' Workshop" - R. Ann Gray, Curriculum Coordinator/Literacy Specialist, $1,500

Mendenhall Elementary School (Two Grants) - "Fun with Fluency" - Jeanne Shilstone, second grade teacher, $1,400; "Elementary, Lights, Camera, Action" - Joan Bartell, Literacy Support Reading Teacher, $670

Murphy Middle School - "Beefing Up Vocabulary 3" - Susan Burgess, 6th grade language arts teacher, $475

Murphy Middle School, Hendrick Middle School, Clark High School, Williams High School - "Wired ES (Electric Strings)" - Brian Henson, Orchestra Director, $2,781.30

Pearson Early Childhood School - "Joint Attention Routines" - Karen A. Cannon, Speech Language Pathologist, $500

Plano Senior High School, Haggard Middle School and Wilson Middle School - "Creative Art Mentors" - Jaclyn Moore, Art Teacher, $1,556

Rasor Elementary School - "D.E.A.L. Club" - Tami Barlow, Special Education Teacher, $850

Rice Middle School - "School Newspaper" - Lorrie Weidenbruch, Teacher, $600

Robinson Middle School - "Homework Club" - Nancy Kovatis, Academic Specialist, $707.55

Shepard Elementary School - "Literacy Links" - Brandy Burns, First Grade Teacher, $607.66

Sigler Elementary School (Two Grants) - "ESL for Parents" - Sheryl Sanguinetti, Title I Reading Teacher, $1,462.21; and " Reading in the Classroom" - Dianne Hakari, Second Grade Teacher, $500

Vines High School - "Partners in Making Big Dreams a Reality" - Janis Williams, Administrative Intern, $1,500.00

Wells Elementary School - "S.M.A.R.T.S." - Donna Hartman, PACE Specialist, $1465

Williams High School - "W103 in the A.M." - Glenda Rouse, Administrative Intern, $1,500

Wilson Middle School (Two Grants) - "K. R. Wood and Band" - Lisa Farmer, Texas History Team Leader, $900; and "Vocabulary Scrabble" - Susan Wail, English/Special Education Teacher, $299.85