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The A+ for Mexico Education Committee recently awarded $30,953.13 in grants to Mexico schools for extra classroom items and teaching tools. There were 23 grant applications received with 19 of those being approved for full funding and two approved for partial funding. The Mexico Public School received $29,269.81 in grant money and St. Brendan Catholic School received $1,683.32.
The grants are awarded annually to the schools by A+, a not-for-profit organization which was started in 1991. Designed to provide private support for Mexico schools, the funding comes completely from generous donations by individuals, businesses and foundations through a spring fund raising campaign.
The following grants were approved for funding (**items represent partial funding):
Eugene Field Elementary
Popcorn Mania – Michelle Whanger, Christy Alexander and Lorie Meyer
Grade: 2nd
Popcorn Mania is a small business run by the second-graders throughout the year. Earnings are used to sponsor the Audrain Humane Society, Camp Barnabas (which is a camp for people with special needs, and Heifer International (where students choose animals to donate to third world countries). The students apply for a loan from Commerce Bank and learn about interest and repayment. Students do various jobs as designers, poppers, cashiers, custodians and accountants. Students also learn about interest rates.
Hawthorne Elementary
Inside Recess Movement Rocks – Jennifer Pascoe and Kim James
Dept: Librarian/K-5
During months where inclement weather and cold temperatures make outside recess impossible, the Wii will provide students with a variety of physically interactive games, dance and exercises to keep them physically fit. Research shows students who are provided with physical activity also improve their academic ratings.
McMillan Elementary
Listen Here Friends – Nancy Oliver and Gina Gilman
Grade: 2nd and Curriculum Facilitator
Guided Reading is a time that teachers are able to work with a small group of readers while other readers are actively engaged in literacy based activities. The stations will support communication arts grade level expectations and essential skills for students to become successful readers.
Show Me a Great Lesson! – Linda Kraft
Grade: 3rd
The SMART Document Camera will be used with a SMART board to display materials as well as give examples of student work. The use of the camera will quickly allow projects to be taken from a book and projected for all students to see without each individual page of material being scanned. Students will have clear visuals of all materials being presented.
Mexico Middle School
Graphic Novels to Boost Readers – Jennifer Strunk
Dept: Library
Many students may require reading intervention because they are not reading at their grade level. The selection of the graphic novels will be a great addition for all students. The mission is to provide materials for readers that will be appealing and accessible while being high-interest titles. The collection will help by boosting self-esteem and also serve the needs of some of the ESL students by providing easy text with illustrations giving them an opportunity to expand their English skills.
Ancient Civilizations-Bringing History to Life – Matthew Nachreiner
Dept: Social Studies
The purpose is to aid student relatability to historical and geographical concepts. Ancient Civilizations cover from the beginning of time, and includes geography, economics, farming, trade and warfare. The use of SMART technology will allow students to gain a “mind’s eye” perspective of the historical period. Students will be able to participate at a hands-on level where they can manipulate things like geography, battlefield arrangements, architecture, and even trade routes. This will make visualizing difficult concepts easier.
Communication Arts in the 21st Century** – Micha Becker
Dept: Communication Arts
With the use of a document camera and clickers, students of the 6th-8th grade communication arts will become fully engaged in learning and this will allow teachers to analyze data and student needs immediately. Students will be challenged to use Higher Order Thinking Skills to complete assignments that can be assessed through a quick survey through clicker activities. Teachers will be able to identify students who may need a focused activity. The document camera will allow guided practice and immediate display of both teacher and student work. It will provide a tool to demonstrate learning strategies in real time.
Reading in the 21st Century – Stacey Ellison
Grade: 8th
With our ever changing technology, students must be prepared for the future and the use of Nook (eReaders) will give the students hands-on experience they will need. There is cost of purchasing novels in paper form vs. the cost of the same novel in electronic form. Electronic form is cheaper. Students benefit from the oral reading as a source of modeling fluency and expression. Students would immediately define unknown words and have the ability to highlight parts of the text that need more attention, and have the ability to have multiple books on each device.
Technology for Standards based Grading – Becky Schafer
Dept: Mathematics
During the last school year the seventh grade saw 61 percent of their students receive either an advanced or proficient on the Math MAP test. One of the reasons for the gain is the strategy of Standards Based Grading. The bookkeeping process of recording the scores would be greatly improved with the use of a tablet equipped with the software to record the scoring while in the classroom with the students.
Mexico High School
Document Camera for Science Students – Sarah Pence
Dept: Science
The use of the cameras would allow students to model many skills essential to learning and to science. The cameras can be connected to LCD projects and SMART boards to provide an interactive educational experience for all students. Students would be able to immediately share, save images for later use. Parents would also be able to “see” what their children are learning throughout the day.
LCD Projectors for Science Students – Michelle Yount
Dept: Science
The use of technology in the class room will help the students stay current with changing trends in science. It will allow students to create hands on interactive projects that can be used with current SMART board and Internet resources. It will serve many students in the years to come.
Flipping for Languages – Julie Exendine
Dept: Spanish
The demand for technological literacy is quickly rising and students need to have access to the technology if they are to compete in the global market. One of the applications for the cameras will be for the students to not only hear themselves but see how to form new words as well as their mannerisms when communicating in another language. Students also plan to participate and are working on writing scripts for a film festival in 2012.
There’s “No Bored” in the SMART board learning! – Donna Troesser Dept: Special Education
The use of a SMART board would enable students to view the writing and editing process more clearly, and to increase the students’ participation in the educational process by providing visual context. The students would be able to working in groups to answer parts of practice sets and fill in the questions presented on the screen.
Kindles in the Classroom** – Lindsey Yancey
Dept: Librarian
The focus is to raise reading ability as a foundation to success by using emerging technologies. With the use of eReaders the students will be provided with their curriculum novels, and will be provided with additional resources to help raise their ACT, Gates, and EOC test scores. In many cases the electronic copy is either free or much cheaper. The Kindles also have the ability to highlight unfamiliar vocabulary and provide definitions, thus increasing students’ understanding of a subject.
Monitor, Motivate, Make that Heart Beat – Rachel Leu
Dept: Physical Education
Childhood obesity is truly an epidemic. New research has shown that this generation, if they continue on their current path, will be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Heart Rate Monitors are an easy way to teach students how to be aware of what physical activities best benefit them. They will teach students how to self-regulate their physical activity. During the course of the class, students will be challenged to increase physical fitness through knowledge, self-motivation, and team sports.
St. Brendan
Literary Discussion Book Sets – Theresa Farnell
Grade: 4-5
Numerous Newberry Medal Award books will be purchased as a great source of literature that will draw students into the love of reading and increase their usable vocabulary. Students will read the books as a class and participate in learning activities.
Writing in the Primary Grades – Vanessa Kerr
Grade: 1st
Using age appropriate lessons and writing aides, teachers will address writing, reading and grammar skills as well as sight words by the use of reinforcements and practice. The resources will be used to supplement K-2nd grade class rooms. The step by step procedures will build students’ confidence and help them becom more independent readers.
Stamp a Story – Read the Book! – Tina Peery
Grade: K
Through the use of rubber stamps with frequently used words and objects, the students will begin to see themselves as writers and readers. These items will be combined with prepared blank books and they will share their works with others.
Teacher Resources to Increase Student Performance – Vanessa Kerr
Grade: 1st
The objectives of providing student vocabulary, reading and writing materials is to help increase student interest in the written word, help them develop writing skills, build their confidence, and to give them the means to express their thoughts through their own words and stories.
Literacy Centers K-2 – Vanessa Kerr
Grade:1st
Students will develop their early writing and reading skills through the use of the materials, thus giving them the opportunity to develop their senses. Students in grades K-2 will be able to use the materials. Studies have shown the children need opportunities to interact with words and manipulate letters as they explore patterns, word families, blends and diagraphs. This grant will provide many ways for them to interact in whole group, small group, and independent settings.
Sticker Bodies – Debra Thurman
Grade: 4th
Studying about the body can sometimes be dull. Students sometime need extra help to make their knowledge solid while enjoying the learning experience. The project is mostly hands on kits to help learn human body parts. There is a model for teeth, double side and labeled skeletons, posters, and brain hats. The kit includes quiz information about the major bones of the body. Information can be used for many years.
Contributions are appreciated to support the local grant program, and can be sent to A+ for Mexico Education, P.O. Box 403, Mexico, Mo. 65265
The A+ for Mexico Education Committee recently awarded $30,953.13 in grants to Mexico schools for extra classroom items and teaching tools. There were 23 grant applications received with 19 of those being approved for full funding and two approved for partial funding. The Mexico Public School received $29,269.81 in grant money and St. Brendan Catholic School received $1,683.32.
The grants are awarded annually to the schools by A+, a not-for-profit organization which was started in 1991. Designed to provide private support for Mexico schools, the funding comes completely from generous donations by individuals, businesses and foundations through a spring fund raising campaign.
The following grants were approved for funding (**items represent partial funding):
Eugene Field Elementary
Popcorn Mania – Michelle Whanger, Christy Alexander and Lorie Meyer
Grade: 2nd
Popcorn Mania is a small business run by the second-graders throughout the year. Earnings are used to sponsor the Audrain Humane Society, Camp Barnabas (which is a camp for people with special needs, and Heifer International (where students choose animals to donate to third world countries). The students apply for a loan from Commerce Bank and learn about interest and repayment. Students do various jobs as designers, poppers, cashiers, custodians and accountants. Students also learn about interest rates.
Hawthorne Elementary
Inside Recess Movement Rocks – Jennifer Pascoe and Kim James
Dept: Librarian/K-5
During months where inclement weather and cold temperatures make outside recess impossible, the Wii will provide students with a variety of physically interactive games, dance and exercises to keep them physically fit. Research shows students who are provided with physical activity also improve their academic ratings.
McMillan Elementary
Listen Here Friends – Nancy Oliver and Gina Gilman
Grade: 2nd and Curriculum Facilitator
Guided Reading is a time that teachers are able to work with a small group of readers while other readers are actively engaged in literacy based activities. The stations will support communication arts grade level expectations and essential skills for students to become successful readers.
Show Me a Great Lesson! – Linda Kraft
Grade: 3rd
The SMART Document Camera will be used with a SMART board to display materials as well as give examples of student work. The use of the camera will quickly allow projects to be taken from a book and projected for all students to see without each individual page of material being scanned. Students will have clear visuals of all materials being presented.
Mexico Middle School
Graphic Novels to Boost Readers – Jennifer Strunk
Dept: Library
Many students may require reading intervention because they are not reading at their grade level. The selection of the graphic novels will be a great addition for all students. The mission is to provide materials for readers that will be appealing and accessible while being high-interest titles. The collection will help by boosting self-esteem and also serve the needs of some of the ESL students by providing easy text with illustrations giving them an opportunity to expand their English skills.
Ancient Civilizations-Bringing History to Life – Matthew Nachreiner
Dept: Social Studies
The purpose is to aid student relatability to historical and geographical concepts. Ancient Civilizations cover from the beginning of time, and includes geography, economics, farming, trade and warfare. The use of SMART technology will allow students to gain a “mind’s eye” perspective of the historical period. Students will be able to participate at a hands-on level where they can manipulate things like geography, battlefield arrangements, architecture, and even trade routes. This will make visualizing difficult concepts easier.
Communication Arts in the 21st Century** – Micha Becker
Dept: Communication Arts
With the use of a document camera and clickers, students of the 6th-8th grade communication arts will become fully engaged in learning and this will allow teachers to analyze data and student needs immediately. Students will be challenged to use Higher Order Thinking Skills to complete assignments that can be assessed through a quick survey through clicker activities. Teachers will be able to identify students who may need a focused activity. The document camera will allow guided practice and immediate display of both teacher and student work. It will provide a tool to demonstrate learning strategies in real time.
Reading in the 21st Century – Stacey Ellison
Grade: 8th
With our ever changing technology, students must be prepared for the future and the use of Nook (eReaders) will give the students hands-on experience they will need. There is cost of purchasing novels in paper form vs. the cost of the same novel in electronic form. Electronic form is cheaper. Students benefit from the oral reading as a source of modeling fluency and expression. Students would immediately define unknown words and have the ability to highlight parts of the text that need more attention, and have the ability to have multiple books on each device.
Technology for Standards based Grading – Becky Schafer
Dept: Mathematics
During the last school year the seventh grade saw 61 percent of their students receive either an advanced or proficient on the Math MAP test. One of the reasons for the gain is the strategy of Standards Based Grading. The bookkeeping process of recording the scores would be greatly improved with the use of a tablet equipped with the software to record the scoring while in the classroom with the students.
Mexico High School
Document Camera for Science Students – Sarah Pence
Dept: Science
The use of the cameras would allow students to model many skills essential to learning and to science. The cameras can be connected to LCD projects and SMART boards to provide an interactive educational experience for all students. Students would be able to immediately share, save images for later use. Parents would also be able to “see” what their children are learning throughout the day.
LCD Projectors for Science Students – Michelle Yount
Dept: Science
The use of technology in the class room will help the students stay current with changing trends in science. It will allow students to create hands on interactive projects that can be used with current SMART board and Internet resources. It will serve many students in the years to come.
Flipping for Languages – Julie Exendine
Dept: Spanish
The demand for technological literacy is quickly rising and students need to have access to the technology if they are to compete in the global market. One of the applications for the cameras will be for the students to not only hear themselves but see how to form new words as well as their mannerisms when communicating in another language. Students also plan to participate and are working on writing scripts for a film festival in 2012.
There’s “No Bored” in the SMART board learning! – Donna Troesser Dept: Special Education
The use of a SMART board would enable students to view the writing and editing process more clearly, and to increase the students’ participation in the educational process by providing visual context. The students would be able to working in groups to answer parts of practice sets and fill in the questions presented on the screen.
Kindles in the Classroom** – Lindsey Yancey
Dept: Librarian
The focus is to raise reading ability as a foundation to success by using emerging technologies. With the use of eReaders the students will be provided with their curriculum novels, and will be provided with additional resources to help raise their ACT, Gates, and EOC test scores. In many cases the electronic copy is either free or much cheaper. The Kindles also have the ability to highlight unfamiliar vocabulary and provide definitions, thus increasing students’ understanding of a subject.
Monitor, Motivate, Make that Heart Beat – Rachel Leu
Dept: Physical Education
Childhood obesity is truly an epidemic. New research has shown that this generation, if they continue on their current path, will be the first generation to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. Heart Rate Monitors are an easy way to teach students how to be aware of what physical activities best benefit them. They will teach students how to self-regulate their physical activity. During the course of the class, students will be challenged to increase physical fitness through knowledge, self-motivation, and team sports.
St. Brendan
Literary Discussion Book Sets – Theresa Farnell
Grade: 4-5
Numerous Newberry Medal Award books will be purchased as a great source of literature that will draw students into the love of reading and increase their usable vocabulary. Students will read the books as a class and participate in learning activities.
Writing in the Primary Grades – Vanessa Kerr
Grade: 1st
Using age appropriate lessons and writing aides, teachers will address writing, reading and grammar skills as well as sight words by the use of reinforcements and practice. The resources will be used to supplement K-2nd grade class rooms. The step by step procedures will build students’ confidence and help them becom more independent readers.
Stamp a Story – Read the Book! – Tina Peery
Grade: K
Through the use of rubber stamps with frequently used words and objects, the students will begin to see themselves as writers and readers. These items will be combined with prepared blank books and they will share their works with others.
Teacher Resources to Increase Student Performance – Vanessa Kerr
Grade: 1st
The objectives of providing student vocabulary, reading and writing materials is to help increase student interest in the written word, help them develop writing skills, build their confidence, and to give them the means to express their thoughts through their own words and stories.
Literacy Centers K-2 – Vanessa Kerr
Grade:1st
Students will develop their early writing and reading skills through the use of the materials, thus giving them the opportunity to develop their senses. Students in grades K-2 will be able to use the materials. Studies have shown the children need opportunities to interact with words and manipulate letters as they explore patterns, word families, blends and diagraphs. This grant will provide many ways for them to interact in whole group, small group, and independent settings.
Sticker Bodies – Debra Thurman
Grade: 4th
Studying about the body can sometimes be dull. Students sometime need extra help to make their knowledge solid while enjoying the learning experience. The project is mostly hands on kits to help learn human body parts. There is a model for teeth, double side and labeled skeletons, posters, and brain hats. The kit includes quiz information about the major bones of the body. Information can be used for many years.
Contributions are appreciated to support the local grant program, and can be sent to A+ for Mexico Education, P.O. Box 403, Mexico, Mo. 65265
