The A+ for Mexico Education Committee has announced $27,439.30 in grants for extra classroom items and teaching tools for Mexico schools. Money is awarded annually to the schools by A+, a not-for-profit organization designed to provide private support for Mexico schools.
Funding for the grants comes completely from donations by individuals, businesses and foundations through a spring fundraising campaign. Including this newest round of grants, the committee has distributed more than $337,000 to Mexico teachers since the program started in 1991. Altogether this year, 28 grants totaling $27,439.30 were approved from the grant applications – St. Brendan School, $3,891.53 and Mexico Public Schools, 23,547.77. 
The A+ Committee received a total of 37 grant applications totaling $43,071.09. Each year, area teachers prepare written grant applications for classroom items. Grants requests were received from Eugene Field Accelerated School, Hawthorne Elementary, McMillan Elementary, Mexico Middle School, Mexico High School, Early Childhood Center and St. Brendan School. The A+ Board evaluates the applications and then decides on them in November, at which time the teachers are notified of their approval and funding. 
The following grant applications were recommended for funding:
Microsoft Office Software License – St. Brendan School, Bill Gleeson, Entire School, $977.40. The licensing will allow the school to purchase the current version of Microsoft Office (2007) for all computers in the school’s computer lab.
Social Studies Illumination Project – Mexico Middle School, Roger Brallier, Sixth Grade, $1,478. LCD projectors will be integrated with text books purchased in 2005-2006 that are technologically oriented with enrichment activities online and will increase student involvement.
Projecting Science into the 2first Century – Mexico High School, Lou Mongler, Science, $2,400. LCD projectors for use in the science classrooms that can be interfaced with the instructor’s classroom computer to show science lessons, lab data and current science discoveries. Students would use the projectors to show their research projects.
LCD Projector for Math Department – Mexico High School, Jill Price, Math, $539.99. Mathematics courses have many computer based visuals that can be used to enhance the students educational experience, as many students have a visual learning style.
Handwriting Without Tears – Early Childhood Center, Teresa Freyer, Early Childhood and Special Education, $849.86. Handwriting without tears provides a foundation for learning to write by following the natural development progress from easiest to the more advanced skills, and moves children through the natural sequence of learning from imitation to independent writing.
No Peek, No Speak, It’s Test Time! – Eugene Field Elementary, Julie Robinson, Kindergarten, $268.71. Students at the kindergarten level usually sit at tables in small groups of four which typically enhances cooperative learning. Students at this age need something to be used at test time to provide a divider between them.
Math! Math! Let’s Read All About It! – McMillan Elementary, Sue Nixon, First Grade, $715.45. This grant will allow the purchase of 104 math literacy books, which will help increase about 40-50 first grade students math comprehension per year. The math literacy books are children’s books that are math based.
Science Videos – St. Brendan School, Elizabeth Coil-Bickell, Theresa Farnell, Vanessa Kerr and Mary Meyer, First, Second, Third and Fifth Grades, $644.13. The DVDs will be used as a supplementary  source for science classes at all levels. Topics selected will correspond with current science curriculum (planets, gravity, motion, pollution, asteroids, etc).
Smart Board and LCD Projector for World History Students – Mexico High School, Clark Winslow, Social Studies, $2,794. The integration of the smart board will allow students to be exposed to the latest technology, learning tools and primary history source documentation (online history information, sound bites, video, etc).
Choral Music Folders – Mexico High School, Julie Dreier, Vocal Music, $625.32. The black leather choral folders will provide students with a unified and professional look for performances and can be used continually for years to come before needing replaced.
Reading first-third Supplements – St. Brendan School, Vanessa Kerr, First Grade, $277.09. The materials will bring a hands-on aspect to reading.  Materials can be sent home with students to reinforce word families, word patterns and consonant blends.
Promoting Literacy w/Photo Predictable Books – Early Childhood Center, Cary Travis, Special Education and Pre-Kindergarten, $1,536.21. The Photo Prediction Books help captivate meaningful experiences and interests. The fast recovery cameras will be used for four classes along with the books to help the children connect and to activate their reading knowledge and skills.
Listening Station Equipment – Eugene Field Elementary, Lorie Meyer and April Georgetti, Second Grade, $249.60. Listening stations are incorporated into the daily reading block and allows students to learn to become fluent readers as they listen to tapes and CD’s.
Social Studies first-third Supplements – St. Brendan School, Vanessa Kerr, First Grade, $234.60. These supplemental materials will allow the teachers to help a diverse range of students learn the same non-fiction information. Areas of study include social studies topics, health, safety, biographies and non-fiction plays.
Making a Difference with Differentiated Reading – Mexico High School, Bridget Bingham, Special Education, $868.18. Materials include recorded CD story sets with comprehension questions and writing activities.
Guided Reading Sets – St. Brendan School, Elizabeth Coil-Bickell and Theresa Farnell, First-Fifth Grade, $843.74. Provides students with the opportunity to learn about content and literacy elements through different genres of writing and discussion with students.
Rachel’s Challenge Bracelets – Mexico Middle School, Mel Hamm, Seventh Grade, $1,510. Bullying behavior and tolerance of it can make school a negative experience for many students. The Rachel’s Challenge Program is designed to challenge students to make a positive impact on others. Students must sign a pledge and receive a bracelet as part of that pledge, they must attend assemblies and be a positive role model in the school.
Inspiration Stations – Hawthorne Elementary, Kim James, Janet Tate, Deanna Curtis and Katie Lehnen- Kindergarten, $864.04. After direct instructions the students will be given the opportunity to expand their understanding with the inspiration stations. Students will be out in small groups to help them learn to identify sounds, letters, sight words, vocabulary and other skills.
I’ll Stand Up for America Because History Matters – Eugene Field Elementary, Julie Robinson, Kindergarten, $786.50. The materials (book sets history, symbols, biography, patriotic activities) will be used to teach concepts of citizenship, governance, American history, American heroes and national holidays.
Creating Successful Readers – McMillan Elementary, Valerie White- Special Education, $504.90. Wilson Reading System teaches the structure of words in the English language so that students will master the coding system for reading and spelling. It includes sight word instruction, fluency, vocabulary, oral language development and comprehension.
MP3 (Magnificent Marvelous Manipulative Program) – McMillan Elementary, Donna Troesser, Special Education, $1,514. Sensory disorders vary between individuals in characteristics and intensity. Students with special needs will be taught through these manipulatives the ability to tolerate sensory experience.
VAK Pak – McMillan Elementary, Sue Nixon, First Grade, $950. Students who learn visually, audiotorally and kinesthetically will be allowed to enhance their reading, writing, math concepts and comprehension skills. Materials include: math kits, listen center set and vocabulary photograph cards.
Wilson Works: Closing the Gap for Struggling Readers – Eugene Field Elementary, Mexico Middle School and Mexico High School, Elizabeth Hall, Melissa Chastain and Bridget Bingham, Special Education, $1,903. Highly structured remedial program that teaches the structure of language to students and adults who have been unable to learn with other teaching strategies, or who may require multi-sensory language instruction.
Ball ‘N’ Chair Sensory Integration – McMillan Elementary, Donna Troesser, Special Education, $324.96. Good balance is important and many students have difficulty integrating the sensory and motor information necessary for good postural and the extra assistance with adaptations will help students be able to sit at a desk or table in the regular classroom, which will increase their participation in classroom activities and their level of independence.
Literacy Station Materials – McMillan Elementary, Desiree Pexley, Second Grade, $1,441.09. Classroom literacy stations assist in the development of students’ reading and writing through the opportunity to interact and engage in active, hands-on learning with peers. They give students the opportunity to improve fluency, phonics and comprehension skills when reading.
Science Supplements – St. Brendan School, Theresa Farnell, First-Eighth Grades, $915.57. The non-fiction reading materials and models of the solar system, insects and plants will provide the knowledge which increases understanding of scientific principles.
Write On – Eugene Field Elementary, Julie Robinson, Kindergarten, $1,098.96. Often weak writing skills lower students reading test scores. Students have limited fine motoer skill because of extensive time on the computer yet strong handwriting skills are critical for students to be able to write quickly and to have the ability to communicate on a higher level.
Word Tools – Eugene Field Elementary, Tammy Angel and Bryan Green, Third Grade, $325. Writing is a major component of daily instruction and students need to broaden their vocabulary to include words that are enticing to the reader. Age appropriate dictionaries and thesaurus will aid in their writing development.
Anyone wanting to contribute to A+ for Mexico Education may send a check to P.O. Box 403, Mexico, MO.