FMPS Awards $90,000 In Grants For 2019-2020
2019-20 Grants
We are thrilled to announce the awarding of $90,000 in new grants for the upcoming school year.
Mosaics—MCCPS
An array of tools will give MCCPS art students the ability to manipulate tiles and create authentic mosaic projects. These art projects dovetail with the fourth-grade study of ancient Greece and Rome.
Ukuleles—MCCPS
This grant gives MCCPS’s blossoming strings program a chance to grow! Due to demand, twelve ukuleles will augment a previous FMPS ukulele grant.
LED Light Kit—MCCPS
Sustainable LED lighting for the two tower gardens at MCCPS is now possible thanks this grant. The vegetables from the gardens are used in the school’s salad bar, and growing and harvesting produce teaches students about the importance of local food sources.
Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents—District
Lynn Lyons, an authority in the study of childhood anxiety disorders, will come to Marblehead to speak to our community. The goal is to provide parents and teachers with insights and practical strategies to address anxiety at school and at home.
Co-Teaching at MVMS and MHS
Studies show co-teaching—pairing a subject teacher with a special-education teacher—benefits all students. This professional development workshop that will support teachers at MVMS and MHS is the capstone of a year-long effort.
Eyes Wide Open: Reading to See the World—Glover
Creating a diverse library in each Glover classroom will open students’ eyes and encourage them to look at their own community–and the world–with a heightened level of openness and creativity.
Train the Trainer for Restorative Justice—Glover
Restorative Justice is a discipline program that promotes a safe, positive, inclusive learning environment based on respect, responsibility, and relationship rebuilding. This approach allows students to feel safe and develop a voice to stand up for themselves, and also builds empathy in the wrongdoer and ultimately creates a stronger school community.
MHS English Teachers Attend NCTE Convention
Three days of instruction, round-table discussions, and exposure to the latest research and methodology will provide the English department with the tools needed to improve curriculum and instruction.
Bread and Puppet Theater—MHS
The world-renowned Bread and Puppet Theatre will work with MHS students to design and build paper maché puppets and stage a performance for the community. Throughout the theatre residency, Bread and Puppet will also hold workshops in visual and performing arts classes, and student advisories will hold open discussions about art, censorship, respect, and community.
Camera Slider Kit—MHS
The slider kit combines the steadiness of a tripod while offering more freedom of movement. This technology will be especially valuable for students who will pursue video production in college and the workplace.
Expanding Wood Shop Opportunities—MHS
This grant for midi lathes and scroll saws will limit wait time for wood shop classes and provide more technically-challenging opportunities for students.
You Bring the Sound; We’ll Bring the Music—MHS
Installation of recording microphones, mixers, and powered speakers in the band and chorus rooms, and the purchase of a portable sound system, will greatly improve rehearsals for ensembles and enable students to listen, analyze, and utilize high-quality recordings in all the MHS music classes. With this equipment, new courses in live music technology, sound production and recording can be offered in the future.
Graphic Novels—Village
Graphic novels are for every reader, but especially those who haven’t yet developed a passion for reading, students with reading difficulties, and English language learners. This grant includes software to create graphic novels, allowing teachers to develop a comprehensive graphic novel unit.
Ukuleles for Village
Woodwinds and percussion are used in the music curriculum, and this grant for a classroom set of ukuleles will introduce strings. The ukulele is an approachable and popular instrument, and students can accompany it with singing.
Executive Function Professional Development—Village
Executive function skills include organization, self-monitoring, and time estimation ability that help students in school and in their daily lives. Expert Sarah Ward, founder of Cognitive Connections, will provide teachers with knowledge, actionable strategies, and resources.
Village School Outdoor Learning Space
This grant funds phase one of a plan to transform the unused Village School courtyard to useful educational space. This functional and beautiful area will be used for science, art, and music and will be a place for all students and staff to reap the benefits of outdoor learning.
Dash Mats—Village
Village fourth graders are learning coding with Dash and Dot robots (funded by a 2018-19 FMPS grant). These new silicone mats will enable fourth grade students to take their robotic competition to the next level by providing a sturdy and consistent surface for the robots.
Unstoppable—Village
#Unstoppable is a training for educators to better academically, socially, and emotionally support their community. This training involves tools for stress reduction and affirmative support for students who have experienced a traumatic event that effects their academic performance.
Enhanced Social Studies Text Sets—Village
The goal of this grant is to have text sets for fourth grade classrooms that will engage students and be appropriate for a variety of reading levels. Students will have access to materials that will promote reading, research, and discussion related to the Ancient Civilizations, European Explorers, and Westward Expansion social studies units.