The Bristol Warren Education Foundation (BWEF) recently announced funding of $63,000 in enrichment programs for the 2016-17 school year, an all-time high in funding for the organization. The funds will support 25 teacher-initiated ideas that meet the organization's mission, to promote student excellence, in each of the Bristol Warren Regional School District's schools.
BWEF Grants Committee chairman Tyler Dixon was delighted to inform each of the teachers with accepted applications over the last several weeks after his committee completed their diligent review and scoring process against detailed standards. “BWEF is pleased to be able to continue to support these exciting teacher-led initiatives,” said Mr. Dixon. “BWEF's goal is to support innovative ideas and programs that impact all students in Bristol and Warren. We are equally thrilled to see several former grant ideas incorporated into the districts planning and funding for next year.”
This year's funding represented a material increase over the past nine years bringing total funding by the organization to over $350,000. The areas of study that will be supported include math, science, engineering, art, reading, geography, music, foreign language, nature exploration, history, problem solving, special education and health education.
“We are excited by all of the amazing ideas presented by the faculty, they continue to impress us with their innovative approaches to learning,” said Mr. Dixon. “Promoting student excellence in our school by supporting creative and engaging ideas such as these is our organization's primary mission.”
2016-17 School Year BWEF Funded Grants:
Cross District Grants
Hugh Cole COZ Garden – This grant provides an opportunity for the COZ summer camp students to maintain the Hugh Cole gardens thru the summer. The garden provides a wealth of opportunities for students to learn, to experiment, to predict and to problem solve. They also get the opportunity to enjoy the “fruits of their labor” when they can walk out to the garden and pick vegetables for a lunchtime salad, and prodly show off their hard work to visitors.
Summer Camp HEARTfulness – This interactive experience for children at summer COZ camp allows them to learn what love is, how to love themselves and how they can embody love in the word. Children will have fun learning valuable tools that will help them thrive. Through creative self-expression, mindfulness based practices and connecting hard mind and soul each child will enhance their own inner strength, self-love awareness and acceptance.
Colt Andrews School
One School, One Book – One School One Book is a family involvement initiative that has been growing and now exists in many schools throughout the United States. The goal of this project is to celebrate reading at Colt Andrews School and to encourage members of the Colt Andrews School community to develop a love for reading, buy providing a book for all elementary students to read together as a community
2nd Grade Home Based Math Games – The objective of this project is to provide each incoming second grade student with resources at home to support the opportunity to play math games (that are played in the classroom) to reinforce and strengthen math skills.
Guiteras School
Outside the box with Bitsbox – The goal of the project is to purchase three Classroom Bitsbox kits in order to give third-grade students the opportunity to learn and practice computational thinking skills and then teach others about their learning experience. The three Classroom Bitsbox kits are each based on a theme that is in alignment with topics covered during classroom and/or library instruction. The themes are: Super Powers (superhero/comic book/ graphic novel fiction), Zoological (animal nonfiction) and Once Upon a Time (fairy tale literature). Bitsbox is a web-based application where students learn computer programming by typing code using a text editor. Bitsbox's “code crafts” prompt students to create apps by making coding choices, which encourages tinkering and creativity.
One School, One Author - Melissa Stuart – This program is the opposite of most Author visits starting with the concept of “one book.” Students will be given a book list and each classroom will vote to select the book they choose to read and discuss. In addition to the class's choice of book, multiple books by the author will be available for students to borrow and read to provide as much student choice as possible. Additionally, the project will also have three unique features: a pre-visit Skype session, a day-long visit with four presentations and lastly, a Family Literacy Night.
Guiteras School Engineering Week – The goal of this project is to expose all students to engineering in a hands on way. Students in all grade levels will have the opportunity to participate in engineering explorations and to meet engineers from the community.
Rockwell / Guiteras School
Link-up with the RI Philharmonic – This project will allow the fourth grade music students of Rockwell and Guiteras Schools to participate in the RI Philharmonic's Link Up program, which is based on a curriculum developed at The Weill Music Institute of Carnegie Hall. This fantastic curriculum allows students to learn to play the recorder, and also allows students to learn about, play instruments and sing along to a program of diverse musical selections which are performed at the culminating concert.
Rockwell School
Grade 5 Puberty Education – At the elementary level, sexuality and family life education focuses on the roles and values held by the family. Students need to be taught an understanding to respect and appreciate the human body, friendships and feelings. The goal is for students to develop positive self-attitudes and a basic understanding of human sexuality concepts. Accurate information regarding puberty, growth and development and basic sexuality concepts gives the students the necessary foundation for preventing early adolescent risk-taking behaviors.
Performing Arts (Trinity Repertory) - Using materials provided by Trinity Repertory Theater Company, students engage in investigating dramatic enactments using dialogue from “A Christmas Carol.” After extensive, integrated classroom activities, students travel to Trinity Rep to view a live performance.
Spanish Language Enrichment – This Spanish Language Enrichment Program provides opportunities in grade 1 - 5 that engage students in reaching higher levels of social, emotional, and academic achievement.
Art Docent Program – The art docent program uses works of art to promote interdisciplinary and multicultural connections through direct experiences in creative expression. Parents and members of the community bring their unique expertise and vision to this art appreciation experience.
Science Collaborative with Audubon Society – This project would provide an opportunity for students to participate in five (one hour) hands on science lessons in the classroom provided by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island. Each lesson is aligned with specific content standards from the district science curriculum. This project will complement and enrich the existing curricula by allowing students to participate in more meaningful experiences to increase their understanding of specific district science content standards.
Lego Education More to Math – This project will provide a hands-on educational tool for teaching mathematical problem solving. Each problem solving task will introduce and provide practice in Common Core mathematical competencies, such as: reasoning, perseverance, precision, modeling, and representation through individual and team problem solving experiences. By using the familiar LEGO brick and real-life understanding, partners will feel encouraged and motivated to think, write, and speak freely about mathematics.
Hugh Cole School
Visual Arts Digital Learning Journal – The art class is an ideal place where technology and teaching can work together to enhance student creativity, visual literacy, communication, collaboration and more. Its' not about doing away with the great things that are always done in the art room, the iPad and other technologies can be valuable additions to creative teaching and learning. In this program, technology will be used to empower students to independently create individual visual arts digital journals/portfolios.
Hot Dots for Learning – This project would allow all students to be engaged in their learning in a fun way that allows for immediate feedback as to how they are doing. Hot Dots are cards or books that have multiple choice answers to questions. Students use the Hot Dots pen to check their answer. The pen flashes green and gives audible encouragement for correct answers. Students would be able to use these cards and books in the classroom for reinforcement, but more importantly would take them home to practice skills. This would allow students the ability to continue their learning even when an adult is not there to assist them.
Writer in Residence - Julia Cook – This program will bring writer, teacher, counselor Julia Cook to the school for one week to work with students and faculty. She will lead entertaining discussions on the use of storybooks to offer children and adults a fun way to learn important people skills. Topics will include tattling, bullying, personal space, video game addiction, digital citizenship, interrupting, divorce, anger, responsibility and personal safety. The goal of Mrs. Cook's books and efforts is to actively involve young people into her fun and creative stories to teach them to become life-long problem solvers.
Mad Science Workshop – Weather – The goal of this project is to host a workshop in the classroom for all grade 3 students through Mad Science which is aligned to STEM objectives in science. Workshops and curriculum-correlated and meet NGSS standards.
Colonial Days – The goal of this project is to expose fifth grade students to hands on projects relating to the Colonial time period. The day serves as an activator for the Social Studies unit on Colonial times as well as the Revolutionary period. Part of the goal is to introduce members of the community, parents and itinerant staff members as well.
Kickemuit Middle School
Natures Classroom - 7th Grade – BWEF helps to subsidize funds for Nature's Classroom, creating an extraordinary opportunity for students to learn in a way that cannot be duplicated in a classroom. Over a five-day period of time students engage in activities that promote learning about science and nature, teamwork and self-awareness.
Best Buddies Kickemuit – Best Buddies is an international program designed to foster one to one friendships between individuals with and without intellectual disabilities, as just one of its goals. This grant will allow students from grades 6, 7, and 8 to participate in this program and promote an inclusive culture at KMS. Funds will be used to market the program, as well as provide materials that will allow participants do their own fundraising, making it self-sustaining.
Beginning Band Program – BWEF funds the Beginning Band Project, providing students with small group instruction by professional musicians at the beginning of the school year to ensure each student has the resources needed to succeed.
KMS After Zone HEARTfullness – This interactive experience for children and teens in the KMS After Zone program allows them to learn what love is, how to love themselves and how they can embody love in the word. Children will have fun learning valuable tools that will help them thrive. Through creative self-expression, mindfulness based practices and connecting hard mind and soul each child will enhance their own inner strength, self-love awareness and acceptance.
STAAND: Students Taking Action Against Negative Decisions – In accordance with the BWRS Strategic Plan, the goals and objectives of this project clearly align with Goal III. The further objective is the STAAND students will facilitate other students by and community peers by guiding and assisting them with making healthy and positive choices concerning, drugs, nicotine, alcohol and other substances. This will in turn continue to build self-esteem, create strong leaders and produce viable members of the community. “Their job is to make a difference!”
Mount Hope High School
Functional Fitness - With the goal of remaining on the forefront of fitness programming, and acknowledging the advent of functional fitness and dynamic training as exemplified by CrossFit and other similar programs, this MHHS PE staff initiative seeks to broaden and expand fitness activity opportunities for our physical education students. This grant will supplement the PE department's purchase of the latest in functional fitness equipment, including flip trainers, sandbags, ropes, resistance bands, and weighted bars. We envision using the new equipment in our classes to engage physical education students in meaningful, productive, innovative, and fun fitness-focused activities.