Projects Funded by DSEF 2004-2005

Chickering School Grants-$34,925

Naturalist in Residence, Audubon Program 1^st Grade                                 $2,370

 This grant would enable Chickering's First grade classes to participate in a program run by an Audubon Naturalist from Broadmoor (Natick, MA.)  The program includes seven visits to Chickering with an eighth session at Broadmoor to study a wetland site.  The program was funded last year by DSEF and was very successful and well received by both faculty and students.  Chris Brandt indicated that the program could possibly be included in the School Budget the following year.  

Science Kit:  Dinosaurs   2^nd Grade                                                                         $800

Second grade teachers at Chickering are requesting funding for Dinosaur kits that are part of an interdisciplinary program.  The kits are used for a science unit on Dinosaurs as well as Dinosaur readings in the anthology program, Open Court.  At present, only two kits are available to teachers. Given that the kits must be used in Feb./Mar. when the reading anthology program covers Dinosaurs, it is very difficult to share the kits.  This grant would allow each of the five classes to have their own Dinosaur kit.  The kits are a very effective hands-on learning tool and are very much needed at Chickering.

Science Laboratory Materials, K-3                          Dr. Reinemann                 $3,200

When Chickering School was built it was decided that the K-3 laboratory would be used primarily for computers and would later transition to a multi-use of computers and science.  This grant would enable the K-3 laboratory to be used as a science room as well.  The proposal would provide Chickering students (K-3) with age appropriate science materials.  Please see formal proposal for a list of the materials. 

Remo Roto Toms and Stands                                   P. Botts, D. Jones              $375

 The music department is asking for a second set of Roto Toms which are definite-pitched drums.  It would be very helpful to both the band and vocal music room to have a second set as two sets are needed throughout the day. 

Media Productions                                                     Cheryl Chase                     $ 2,500

Purchase specialized computer and video equipment so that students and teachers can prepare video presentations.  This technology can be used for viewing video on television, video clips for multimedia presentations and video clips for websites.  This equipment could be used to videotape plays that students write and perform, reports given in class, poetry fests presented, animating their own stories, etc.

Junior Great Books                                      Chase, Hamblett, Worthy        $ 12,815

Junior Great Books is a formal program that combines literature with interpretive discussion.  The grant would fund a pilot of the program in two classrooms at each grade level: one-five.  Two parents from each of the piloting classrooms would also be trained with the understanding this is a long term commitment.  The Junior Great Books professional development is based on the shared inquiriy method of learning.  In shared inquiry, teachers ask probing questions about the stories students read.  Students answer with their own interpretations, supporting their ideas with evidence from the text.  Approximately $6,400 for materials and $6,000 for training.

Earobics Software                                     Dawson, Hartnett, 1^st Grade       $ 6,221

Purchase of Earobics Software for kindergarten and first grade classes to provide additional individualized instruction on recognizing and manipulating speech sounds (e.g. phonemic awareness).  Students will understand the nature of written English and the relationship of letters and spelling patterns to the sounds of speech helping them to become better readers.  DSEF funded the purchase of a partial grant last year for Kindergarten copies and given the success would like more copies for Kindergarten plus the First Grade modules.

TechTools:  A Teachers Friend                                Trisha Nugent               $ 974

The purchase of three TechTool kits for Inspiration 7, Kidspiration and Microsoft Word XP software applications.  These kits are resources for teachers to better integrate technology into their classrooms.  There are currently two other TechTool kits being successfully used at Chickering.

Soundbeam                                                           Jones, Botts, Call                   $ 3810

This electronic technology is a contact free musical instrument that senses movements by performers standing nearby and converts them into sound.  The device uses information from interruptions of ultrasonic pulses.  The music department will use Soundbeam to encourage creative movement and improvisation.  In addition, Soundbeam has been very successful as a medium for learning impaired individuals to express and communicate using music and sound.  The special education department will utilize Soundbeam as well.

Science Throughout the School                                 Dr. Reinemann             $1860

The grant is for additional science equipment for K-2.  This includes student timers, Flex cams, bird feeders, and hermit crabs.  The total for equipment only is $1860. 

Pine Hill School Grants-$39,997

Guided Reading                                           Language Arts Committee        $26,038

DSEF and CSA helped to launch experimentation with guided reading at Pine Hill School through the purchase of classroom libraries in 2002.   This purchase coincided with the adoption of a new Scholastic reading series.   While implementing the new reading series, the guided libraries enabled teachers to begin to explore the guided reading concept and/or to have enrichment reading materials available to augment a traditional reading program.  Last year,  some of our teachers who were more advanced in this technique, shared their knowledge with other Pine Hill faculty through a six session study group format.  Thanks to this study group and because of the initial seed money from DSEF and CSA, excitement concerning this format for teaching reading has grown throughout Pine Hill School.  At this point, we are ready to move forward as an entire school.   In order to do so, several needs must be met.   These include the expansion of materials, the organization of a storage system to maximize sharing of materials, the development of an assessment tool to accurately place students in leveled books, and  a professional development program to properly train all faculty.   This grant requests the funds to meet those needs.  

Where In The World Am I?                     Carol DeFusco/SS Committee      $ 8,300

Aligning our social studies curriculum with the Massachusetts Frameworks has been like trying to hit a moving target.   More than once in the past few years our Social Studies committee responded to directives from the state, only to find that the state had changed its thinking the following year.   Last year the state issued a final draft of the social studies frameworks.   With the support of DSEF curriculum development  funds,  the social studies committee met last summer and designed intensive units and assessments at each grade level to align with the final draft.   In several cases, the needed materials were not available at the desired level to support these new units of instruction.  This grant is requesting a variety of materials to support social studies at several grade levels.

Health Office 2000                                                     Paula Murphy                     $ 2,014

While much has changed in the world of education in the last ten years, no school role has undergone more metamorphosis  than that of school nurse.  Food allergies, diabetes, asthma, and other critical medical issues have increased at alarming rates.  The number of children requiring medication on a regular basis as well as those needing short term medication has become  staggering.   At the same time, a host of regulations, record keeping, and reporting systems have been imposed by the state and federal government on the school nurse.    All of these requirements make it difficult for the nurse to squeeze in some good old-fashioned TLC.   This proposal requests funding for a computerized system of record keeping.  Pine Hill School is currently the only school in the district without this system.

Expanding Staff Collaboration in Critical Friends Group                            $ 2,200

Following a formal five day training last summer, a small group of Pine Hill teachers formed a Critical Friends group.  (“Critical” is a confusing term which in this sense could more accurately be defined using the word “essential”.)  This group met regularly during the year to review and discuss student work, to collaboratively solve problems, and to discuss aspects of each other’s teaching.    We wish to expand this powerful support mechanism to the entire school.   Doing so will strengthen virtually every aspect of our professional lives including our grade level clusters, our curriculum teams, and our mentor program.   Funding would provide small group and total faculty training.

Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children         Maury Frieman                 $1,445             

School Counselor Maury Frieman is requesting funds to purchase what used to be known as an IQ test.   The current instrument we own, the WISC III, is obsolete.  A variety of students are tested throughout the school year for various reasons.  The information gleaned by a skilled tester such as Mr. Frieman enables the school to best meet individual student needs.  Although this instrument is virtually essential, no funding is available.  

Dover Sherborn Regional Middle School Grants--$37,409

Weather Forecast Equipment/Space Tech     Nordstrum,  Osborne        $5,600

The grant includes two computer program modules, which bring to the students hands-on studies of atmospheric conditions, weather prediction and reporting, and ties in with the existing Navigation and GPS” module already existent.  The second module includes space exploration history, physics principles and model assembly and launching.  A computer is included in the grant request as well as installation and training.

Music Keyboard Midi Lab                                  Dowd, Duprey, Martel            $24,749

The purpose of this grant is to create a MIDI music keyboard lab in the Middle School where students will experience all aspects of music with the help of technology.  It will enhance the current music instruction experience for our students in listening, analyzing, composing and scoring music.  The technical components for the lab will consist of 12 student workstations and one teacher master station.  This will allow for 16 simultaneous users.  Goals and objectives include:

1. Develop basic skills in reading and writing music
2. Enhance their understanding and appreciation for all musical concepts
3. Explore, manipulate, practice, and arrange music
4. Experience audio and visual aspects while composing, arranging, and manipulating musical pieces.

We currently have the lab space and desk furniture to accommodate this equipment.  The middle school Friends of Music has already received donations from the community of over $10,000 to cover the computer component costs to complete the project.

Princeton Review – MCAS Preparation                 K. Grove, C. Bergeron      $3,000

This grant would fund 250 licenses for Homeroom, a web-based tool that assesses student’s strengths and weaknesses in math, designs instructional plan and provides materials and tests to specifically address the individual student’s needs. The assessment and related materials are fully aligned with the State standards. This grant would promote more individualized teacher-student interaction. DSEF funded this grant last year, and it has met with success. The MS committee questioned whether we ought to fund more than 250 licenses, as they appear to be cost effective at $12/license.

Individual Sound Equipment                                            Scott Walker             $4000

Currently the Middle School Theater Arts Program is producing three shows during its school year. To enhance its theatrical productions and to reduce the cost of renting portable microphones for each production (which often runs over half of the entire sound rental) this grant would fund the purchase of eight wireless portable microphones. Recently Lindquist Auditorium has been equipped with a speaker/mixer system that has the capabilities for body microphones. The funding of the 8 portable microphones would give an opportunity for each and every show (Middle School and High School) to utilize professional individual sound equipment and therefore enhance all Dover –Sherborn school theatrical presentations.

Dover Sherborn Regional High School Grants-$26,785

The Urban Arts Project                                                            Kelly Adams            $2,475

Kelly Adams, a new guidance counselor, has initiated a “hip hop dance club” at the high school.  She would like to expand this club next year and provide a forum for anyone to display an artistic passion.  This could include artists, singers, rappers, musicians or writers.  Her goal is to “unite more of the students no matter their race, culture, or background under one common objective:  to bring the color, sights, and sound of urban life to the suburbs of Dover and Sherborn.”  There are three areas in which she will use the funds from a grant:  1. supplies and advertising materials for Urban Arts projects during the year  2. to bring performance groups, art exhibits and speakers into the school and 3. field trips.  The Urban Arts Project would affirm the high school’s commitment to providing multicultural experiences.

Social Studies Arts Enrichment                                                                                 $1,500

This grant would supply money for the social studies department at the High School to bring in a number of speakers and performance artists during the school year.  These activities bring life to the curricula, provoke discussion and debate, even on occasion, social activism by students.  The faculty works to have these guests heard by the largest number of students it can, and the list of interests for next year includes items that will add to our accreditations for multicultural offerings.  DSEF has consistently funded this grant in recent years; with budget cuts there is no alternative way to obtain the funds for these events.

Mock Trial Team                                                                Lindsay Li                         $800

Mock Trial provides a perfect forum for teaching students to work through a logical progression in argument.  In addition, in cross-examining a witness, or making a closing argument, a student must learn to deal with new information on his/her feet.   The grant provides for materials and expenses, including case packets, two video, registration and bus transportation to the courthouse.  Along with at least one faculty advisor, attorney coaches from the community volunteer their time.

Poets in the Classroom                                                Joanne Preiser                   $1,000

Poetry Workshop (juniors), Advanced Poetry Workshop (seniors) as well as sophomore and senior writing classes will benefit from local poet, Judith Stenburgh, who will visit and work with students in their classroom to enhance their poetry experience.

Dodge Poetry Festival                                                  Joanne Preiser                  $3,660

This grant would enable two teachers and twelve students to attend the Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey next September.  The first day of the festival is student day and invitations have been extended to 4,500 students from over 200 schools.  Poetry is becoming a popular junior and senior course elective.  Upon the participants’ return, the plan is to have a poetry reading at the school as well as an article on the Dodge Festival and poems by the students published in the school newspaper.

Arts/Design/Digital Mini-Lab                                     Sandy Thibeault              $4,825

This grant requested by the Visual Arts Department will fund a very necessary mini-lab to provide students with the appropriate, integrated visual design and digital technology that is standard in the arts and communications world.  The current set-up attempts to mimic industry standards but provides inadequate tools and education for students interested in graphics, film and video production.  The grant includes the hardware, software and support that are more robust, efficient, dynamic and malleable to the creative process.  It will allow students in all of the Visual Arts and Yearbook courses to learn the correct skills necessary to advance in those related fields. 

School Pads for Math Department                                   Jim Baroody              $3,125

Understanding the cost of obtaining SmartBoards for each classroom, the Math department found a more cost-effective solution.  The grant money will be used to purchase five SchoolPads at $625.00, which will be used in 31 math classes taught by 8 teachers.  This proposal connects directly to and enhances the Math curriculum because presentations are more interactive, students are more involved and class notes are then easily made available on-line for use at home.  The measure of success is the continued excellent math scores on standardized and classroom testing. 

Astronomy Equipment for the Observatory                                                         $5,220

This is the exciting request for equipment for the new HS observatory that we deferred from last year to wait until the new high school opened.  Mr. Bridger has become involved with a global-access virtual observatory, where institutions can do observational astronomy remotely.  The renovated high school’s new observatory can be used on a regular basis, but not without this equipment.  The observatory needs to be outfitted to output observational data digitally and remotely and this requires a remote-operated, computer controlled CCD imaging system.  This grant would be used to purchase such a system as well as an electronic focuser for the existing DSHS telescope.   With this new equipment the students will be able to take professional quality images that they can use for research – see several examples with the proposal.  An additional bonus is that, because our DSHS observatory could be accessed remotely by astronomers around the world, our students will also be able to image objects for other schools and universities in exchange for telescope time on other remote observatories.  This equipment will keep DSHS on the cutting edge of what is possible for a high school astronomy program.    

Addressing Global, School, Tolerance & Diversity Issues                               $4,500 

The purpose of this grant is to invite three speakers to meet with students and staff to discuss world issues, such as human rights.  These opportunities enhance the curriculum by providing an informative exchange and discussion.  In 2006, the school will be undergoing it’s re-accreditation process with The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC).  These discussions will demonstrate the curriculum’s inclusion of cultural, tolerance and diversity issues with global and local settings.
 

K-12 Region Wide School Grants--$21,405

Reading Technology - Kurzweil 3000                                     Judy Gooen          $8,505

This grant requests funds to purchase software licenses and related professional services for the Kurzweil 3000. This software reads aloud text that has been scanned in by a teacher. This functionality allows teachers to better reach students who dislike or have difficulty with reading. The scanned text is displayed and a synthetic voice “reads aloud” the text. Any electronic text  can be read aloud. Special Ed or dyslexic students would benefit the most from this software functionality.

Supplemental METCO Transportation                                                                   $8,000

This regional grant provides supplemental transportation for the METCO students (grades 6 – 12) so they can participate in after school activities and attend extra help sessions.  It is often necessary to schedule cab rides at different times due to practice times for sports, rehearsals for plays and musicals and study sessions.  The DSEF has a long history of supporting this community’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive school system.

“Close-Up” Civic Education Program                                Thomas Bourque      $2000

This grant benefits DSHS students who take Government and Law or AP History by helping to support student tuition and expenses, teacher tuition and expenses and uncovered meals and transportation cost while they participate in a civic education program called “Close-Up Washington D.C.” Students stay in Washington, DC with other students nation-wide and study “government in action”. Benefits are both educational and cultural. Grades 6-8 would benefit because the HS students would “teach” them about their experiences. Participating faculty benefit from interaction with colleagues from across the country and in a “lesson plan exchange” with other teachers.

Stackable Folding Chairs                                                         Paul Berkel              $2,900

This proposal is for purchasing 150, lightweight stackable chairs and three dollies to allow people to move them easily. They would have multiple uses at the Middle School including seating for the band, evening and daytime programs in Lindquist Commons. Currently chairs are carried from classrooms for these purposes. To quote Mr. Berkel who submitted this request, “It is an unglamorous, but very useful grant request.”
 

                                      Grand Total K-12 District-$160,521

Projects Funded by DSEF 2003-2004

 Pine Hill School Grants-$45,581

District Wide Technology Initiative                          Gallagher, Daniel        $ 35,381

This grant would allow Pine Hill School to make the transition from the Macintosh environment to the Windows environment and bring it in line with the rest of the D/S schools standards and specifications. This is an essential element to make sure the reliability of the technology meets the defined regional technology goals so the teachers have the confidence they need to implement the technology into their curriculum frameworks as is being required by the state. This grant is the initial phase of a multi year effort to build a solid network infrastructure along with the replacement of the various Mac computers that exist in the classrooms at Pine Hill. This years grant is looking to bring in the required server hardware and software to get the backbone of the network set up and the required technical integration to allow a mixed windows and mac environment to be established. An additional set of new window PC client computers are being proposed as well to be used as part of the initial set up and testing of this new client/server network. This will allow the Pine Hill students to learn computer skills on the same base technology environment that they will be using when they enter the middle school and high school. This also makes it much easier to support and much more cost effective in the future since all the network support people are trained on the same equipment and software environments. Dan Gallagher is leading this effort and really believes that this is the right time to make this switch for the benefits of kids and the teachers as technology use becomes essential for the classroom.

Critical Friends Program Expansion                                     Smith                    $ 6,000

This proposal is to provide funding for five teachers and one administrator from Pine Hill to attend the Critical Friends Group Coaches Institute at the D/S Middle School from July 14^th to July 18^th. This is a great example of a program that DSEF funded last year for the first time and now the success is spreading to the other schools. The development of staff as educational facilitators is of utmost importance in the professional development plan at Pine Hill. The students will benefit greatly from the “learning community” of adults that will be created with this program.

Maintaining Curriculum Development                                 Lundquist           $ 4,200

Pine Hill teachers spend literally hundreds of days in the summer examining the curriculum frameworks and developing of new units, lesson plans, and assessment instruments. This has led to a lot of success in aligning the Pine Hill curriculum to the Massachusetts curriculum frameworks that are required and the base of our MCAS testing program. This year due to budget constraints, the curriculum development summer time is being substantially reduced which will greatly affect the aggressive efforts that have been undertaken on this development. In particular, the social studies curriculum is the focus for this summer. This grant is requesting 30 days

(5 days per grade level) of summer curriculum work time to maintain the focus on the curriculum that has made our schools one of the best.

Chickering School Grants-$22,123

Additional Materials for Terc Investigations           1^st Grade                       $2709

Purchase  5 (each) teacher resource and student material packages to enhance the Terc units currently taught in the first grade.  Manipulatives and math games needed for the lessons will make the units more user friendly for the teachers.

Continental Express: The Geography of North America    4^th Grade        $4581

New curriculum materials and workshop pay to develop and implement geography unit necessary to meet requirements of social studies curriculum frameworks.

Non-Fiction Reading Materials for Guided Reading Instruction                           $3000

A pilot program for some classrooms in grades 3-5 providing a shared resource library of leveled expository reading materials.  Students in these grades are often challenged when analyzing and synthesizing non-fiction text. This program would help them develop effective and independent reading strategies to process and understand non-fiction material.

Earobics Software Purchase  $6221.00                     Kindergarten Team      $3111

Purchase of Earobics Software for kindergarten classes to provide additional individualized instruction on recognizing and manipulating speech sounds (e.g. phonemic awareness).  Students will understand the nature of written English and the relationship of letters and spelling patterns to the sounds of speech helping them to become better readers.

Naturalist in Residence, Audubon Program            Reineman                       $1820

Hire a naturalist for the 1^st grade science program to provide classroom and field support for the science program Patterns In Nature.  The program will include 7 visits by the naturalist, 2 each season, with the first day in the classroom and the second day outdoors.

Read Aloud Workshops   Chase, DeFusco, Hartnett                                       $2595

Workshops and handbooks by Jim Trelease. Read Aloud expert and author.  The parent workshop could be provided by PTO and hopefully CSA and POSITIVE. The amount would then be reduced to $2595.  The librarian at Chickering School has attended one of these workshops and found her reading style transformed. She highly recommends the program.

Creating a Reading Environment for Guided Reading                                   $2518

The “Guided Reading” program requires the purchase of bookcases and plastic bins for individual classrooms so students can select books based on interest and ability.  The Guided Reading program is being piloted in the 3^rd – 5^th grade classrooms with the support of a special educator, the librarian teacher, and the literacy specialist.

A Pot Pourri of Musical Wishes                    Jones                                               $1789

This grant is looking for another unit of FlipForms for $607 (the FlipForms in current use where also purchased by DSEF), a new keyboard for $216, and a new Wooden Bass Xylophone for $966.
 

Middle School Grants-$10,225 

World Cultures Week                                    Egan, Hoover                                  $2,800

This grant provides funding for a World Cultures Week, a school-wide celebration to highlight multicultural awareness across grades 6-8 through interdisciplinary activities, integrating social studies, music and art. World Cultures week includes classroom activities, an all school professional musical, theatrical or dance presentation and a community outreach program where parents and students will share aspects of their own cultures in an evening event. This grant fosters the middle school’s core values of Diversity and Appreciation and Respect for Individual and Cultural differences.

Overhead Projectors                          McPhee, Berkel                                          $3,000

This grant is for the purchase of eight overhead projectors and carts. Overhead projectors are very efficient tools for presentation of visual information, and consequently are widely utilized at DSMS. Presentation materials can be prepared in advance and reproduced at very low cost allowing easy dissemination to students. Overheads are easy to use and rarely need technical support resulting in very low cost of ownership. The current equipment is heavily utilized and there is unmet demand from teachers.

The Princeton Review -Math MCAS           Grove, Bergeron                           $2,500

This grant would allow the purchase of 250 accounts on Homeroom.com. Homeroom is a diagnostic and assessment tool designed to improve student achievement as measured by state standards. Homeroom also includes provides instructional materials aligned with the Mass Curriculum Framework. These instructional materials are individually tailored to the student based on their assessment results thereby promoting improvement in areas in which the student is deemed deficient.

Smartboard-Classrooms, Computer Lab     Grove, Bergeron, Osborne    $1,925

*  After the MS Access Committee met and voted, this grant has been amended.

This grant requests the funding of a portable Smartboard ( A 72”Computer Interactive Touchscreen Whiteboard) that connects directly and enhances Geometry and Computer Literacy instruction at the middle school. Geometer’s sketchpad software is currently used in 6^th - 8^th grades and the use of a Smartboard would enhance this Geometry instruction immensely. The Smartboard allows the instructor to remain in front of the class while teaching. Computer teachers and media specialists use it for its powerful interactive ability to facilitate instruction in computer applications and research skills instruction. The portable Smartboard, with its powerful note taking abilities would also be available for professional development meetings and administrative and community group presentations.
 

High School Grants-$32,075

Equipment for Digital Photography          Tucker, Bridger                           $3,900

The request is for 6 zoom digital cameras and a color laser printer for use at the high school in the popular photography classes.  Student users will learn not only picture taking but also graphics manipulation and layout, and digital presentation of results online.  This grant will allow photography students to have a means to showcase their work both online and in print.  These 6 cameras would augment the 6 that already exist at the high school, and the printer will provide a low cost way to reproduce the work.  If the full grant cannot be funded, Mr. Tucker and Mr. Bridger would appreciate 4 cameras but are especially in need of the laser printer.

Digital Video Mini Lab                                  Bourque, Sweeney                         $2,600

This proposal requests digital video editing equipment in the form of a 2-computer mini lab and a digital video camera.  The equipment would be used by the students to produce a video newsmagazine that could be viewed on the school website.  Students would also use the equipment to produce classroom projects such as documentary films, and coaches can produce sports video highlights for the school teams on the Internet as well.  If the full grant cannot be funded, Mr. Bourque and Mr. Sweeney would ask us for one computer and one camera.

Social Studies Arts Enrichment                     Social Studies Dept.                   $1,000

This grant would supply money for the social studies department at the High School to bring in a number of speakers and performance artists during the school year.  The list of possibilities for next year is intriguing and diverse, and we have funded this grant in the past.

LCD Projector Bio/Physics                           Bridger, Tucker                               $4,500

Mr. Bridger and Mr. Tucker are requesting LCD projector systems similar to the one DSEF funded recently for more extensive high quality presentation options at the new High School.  These projectors are particularly useful for magnifying microscopic elements in science lab projects where high-resolution is important.  In adition, the projectors permit the use of PASCO-compatible pointers and so provide an important enhancement of the PASCO lab equipment.  The request is for two LCD projectors and two ceiling-mount units for use in biology and in physics classes, respectively.

Poets in the Classroom                                  Preiser                                                $600

Mrs. Preiser from the English Department would like to fund a few poets for classroom consultation this year in the Poetry Workshop class.  She would use the funds to pay stipends for poets who would agree to read their work with our students, and to work with them on poetry projects.

Automatic External Defibrillator                      Gennatossio                           $2,225

This request is to purchase a defibrillator to be housed in the high school building in either the nurse or trainer’s office.  In case of sudden cardiac arrest amongst any of the students, faculty or parents, this onsite defibrillator could be used while waiting for the Rescue Squad.  A task force will be formed to insure proper training, CPR certification, and maintenance of the defibrillator.  The Boosters Club has indicated that they will purchase an AED for the gym.  A parent group in Sherborn may purchase a second AED.  If this comes to pass, the defibrillators will be purchased for the region and the grant will not need to be funded by DSEF.  

English Enrichment                                               Cannon                                       $1,000

The grant supports outside speakers, theatre groups and programs to enhance the English curriculum in grades 9-12. The goal is to leave the in-coming department head with funds sufficient to continue the program of English enrichment.  Specific programs have not been chosen at this time.

 PASCO Equipment for Modern Science Labs         Science Dept.                $15,000

This proposal is to obtain 24 interface boxes and probes for Physics, Biology, and Chemistry.  All science is now practiced with the aid of computers for data acquisition and analysis.  Pasco enables students to develop the skills they will need in college and in a technologically advanced workplace.  With this new equipment students will be able to design their own long-term research projects, participate in science fairs and complete independent research. The same equipment can be used in mathematics classes, health classes and other classes with compatible lab components.  The science department feels that $15,000 will provide for a substantial lab and research program.  This grant is “linked” to the LCD projector grant as specified above.

AAU/CAPAY Programs                                             Vizulis                                     $1,000

This grant supports funding activities and programs focusing on issues of diversity, intolerance, Asian-American issues and culture. DSEF funds would support conference fees, speakers and activities related to Asian Pacific Heritage Month.
Through these programs students will explore other cultures and will be given the opportunity to foster community building.

Mock Trial Team                                                                                                            $250

The high school plans to ask for an attorney from the community to volunteer to work with the Mock Trial Team next year.  The grant money would cover the program sign up fee and help pay the transportation costs associated with getting students to the various competitions.  If the full amount is not funded Denise Lonergan and the DSEF high school access committee would like to see at least the program sign-up fee covered so students can participate in the Mock Trial Team during the 2003-2004 school year.  The sign up fee should be around $300.00.

Middle School/High School Grants-$34,988

METCO Supplemental Transportation           Copeland                                  $6,480

This is a regional grant to provide supplemental transportation for the 27 METCO students (grades 6-12) so they can participate in after school activities and attend extra help sessions.  It is often necessary to schedule more than one cab a day due to practice times for sports or rehearsals for musicals and plays.  Supplemental transportation is also necessary during mid-term exams to accommodate the early dismissal times.  Our commitment as a community to this program remains strong, and DSEF has always funded this in the past.

Health Office Software                                  Merck, Genatossio                            $2,858

*Since the MS Access Committee met, this grant has been amended with the approval of Dan Gallagher.

This grant is requesting the purchase of Health Office software and training for the Regional School Nurses.  This is the same software used by the health office at Chickering.  The original grant requested different software, which Dan Gallagher did not support for many reasons including its non-compliance with our current system (Winschool). As a result of follow-up conversations, the applicants have re-submitted this grant.

The purpose of the software is to maintain accurate health records for the regional students with a decrease in the time required for documentation of such activities as visits to the health office and medications given.  Besides the benefit of ease and accuracy of documentation, more time is now available to spend on the care of the students by the nurses.

The MS Access Committee was in overwhelming support of this grant before the submission of its amended form only with approval of Dan Gallagher.  Therefore their support would now be unconditional.

Climbing Tower                                              Lucil                                                   $10,000

The Middle School and High School Physical Education departments and Athletic Director have submitted this grant which would impact every child in the regional system.  A climbing tower would augment the critical team building and outdoor adventure units already in place.  It is an apparatus/program that provides individual challenge and group trust for both the athletic and non-athletic student.  Safety issues have been addressed with school administrators, and the request was reduced substantially following further conversation w/Mr. Lucil who obtained new figures on costs from his supplier.

Bass Clarinet and Baritone Sax                    Duprey, Martell                          $6,100

This grant is requesting replacement of 2 instruments which exhibit the following problems; constant need of repair, leak or poor intonation.  The MS/HS Music Department has always provided these instruments for students who are inclined to try different version of their chosen instrument.  Bass Clarinet: $1,600.  Baritone Sax: $4,500.

Portable Recorder for Music Program         Duprey, Martell                            $650

This grant requests a small, portable recording device and recordable mini-discs for use by all the choruses and bands.  These recordings would be used in the curriculum for assessment of performances and personal critiques, similar to videotapes of athletic games.

The recording system DSEF provided last year is larger and less portable as well as unavailable for daily use by the music dept.

Cymbals for Drum Set                                   Duprey, Martell                                 $900

This grant requests replacement cymbals for a donated drum set.  Fortunately, the Music Dept. was given this drum set as theirs was falling apart after many years of repair.  The budget is covering replacement drum heads.  This drum set will be housed in the MS jazz/chorus room for use by the MS and HS jazz bands.  The existing drum set will remain in the DSHS band room.

Teacher Mentoring                            Davis                                                              $8,000

The DS administration is requesting this grant to maintain the Teacher Mentoring program for all first and second year teachers. In anticipation of 6 new teachers next year, the funding would provide stipends for more experienced teachers in the system to act as mentors to new staff as well as a consultant to provide additional training.

Grand Total-$144,992
 

Projects Funded by DSEF 2002-2003

Projects Funded by DSEF 2001-2002

The Dover Sherborn Education Fund has had a very successful fundraising year. We were able to reach our stated goal of raising $200,000. This is in comparison to raising $150,000 last year. DESF received 46 grants totally over $300,000 from the teachers and administrators at the Pine Hill School in Sherborn, the Chickering and Caryl Schools in Dover and the Dover Sherborn Middle and High Schools. Because of the great generosity of our donors, DSEF will be able to fund $204,979.00 in grants for 2001-2002. DSEF funded $189,000 in grants in 2000-2001.  DSEF is one of the most successful education funds in the state of Massachusetts.

Pine Hill School ............................................................................................................$35,223.00

Science Tools:                                                                                   $4,229

This grant, written by the fifth grade teachers, is requesting 12 microscopes with a projection system and five balance scales.  These tools would be employed in the fifth grade’s Pond Life unit.  They would be divided among the classrooms.

The Inclusive Classroom:                                                             $30,994

This grant proposes a wireless lab, a “Mimeo” whiteboard system for each grade, and assistive technology software.  The laptops would be used in small groups for Internet research as well as word processing.

Dover Elementary Schools ...................................................................................... $32,126.00

Biography Collection                                                                       $ 5,000                       

This grant would begin to rebuild the biography collection.  Currently grades 3-5 do reporting requiring biographical information and the current library collection is inadequate. Approximately 250 books would be ordered.

A Closer Look                                                                                     $3,145

This grant would entail the purchase of ten mid-range quality stereomicroscopes manufactured specifically for elementary age students.  Currently there is a single stereomicroscope (purchased by DSEF) being used in the fourth grade.  The principal advantage of the stereomicroscope over a standard microscope is that the two optical pieces and a greater distance between the stage and the magnifier allow students to examine much larger objects. 
Consultation with local scientist and parent Barbara Brennessel pointed us in the direction of these particular scopes as they will stand up to repeated use for years to come.

Listen Up                                                                                              $ 2,802                         

Each Kindergarten class would be equipped with a state of the art listening center.  These will be used to reinforce phonics skills and develop listening and beginning reading skills independently. 

Audio\Listening Recording Centers                                           $ 3,900                       

Listening centers would be available in 13 areas, equipped with CD/Audio Tape Recorders.  Reading skills and comprehension in all subject areas will be reinforced.  Students will have access to the same resources in the school regardless of reading ability.

Weathering The Day                                                                          $2,150

The AirWatch Weather Station is an external rooftop sensor suite capable of measuring wind speed, wind direction, temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, and precipitation.  The data from the sensor suite is processed in a master control, displayed on a large digital display, and can be analyzed and graphed using AWS software.  We want to empower the 5^th grade students to move beyond simply learning about meteorology and to become meteorologists. 

Step Outside                                                                                         $6,000

The purpose of this proposal is to engage all students in activities that will promote awareness and understanding of nature, while at the same time instilling a sense of respect and pleasure that is offered by our natural environment.  We look forward to the implementation of our new program Step Outside that consists of three components.  Clare Walker Leslie would be established as “naturalist in residence”.  Native trees and shrubs will be planted in a designated section of the new school grounds.  A butterfly garden will be installed and maintained.

Sound System for School Programs                                              $900

Music is used in conjunction with the physical education curriculum as well as numerous physical education programs for parents, faculty, staff, administration and community.  This equipment will allow the arranging of music so that programs and classes can run smoothly with minimal interruption to change music.  Current equipment is out of date, has poor sound quality, and does not allow for the easy creation of a mixed CD or tape.  Classroom teachers would be encouraged to use this equipment if they needed to put together a CD or tape for classroom purposes with a lesson or assembly.

National Parks Curriculum                                                           $2,860

Ken Wadness will develop this social studies curriculum pilot program to educate students about the national parks. This curriculum is strong in geography and will require students to research, write, and report about a national park.  The fourth grade at the Pine Hill School will share this curriculum.

Integrated China Studies                                                                $1,720

Sue Beavers and Lois Libenson will be creating a China Studies Program for Dover elementary students.  The purpose of this program is to help students challenge their stereotypes and widen their global perspective.  Trade books, handicrafts, calligraphy and other materials will be included in kits to be used in the classroom.  These kits will be constructed during a summer workshop at Primary Source in Watertown.  The third grade will pilot the program for the 2001-2002 school year. Materials will be available to other grades with a long-range goal to 
develop a complete 1-5 program.

Engineering Connections                                                               $ 3,649    
                       
The K’NEX Classroom Super Set will build basic concepts in math, science, technology, engineering and language arts.  This is a hands on activity to stimulate creativity and problem solving.  The second grade teachers believe our current curriculum does not meet the new science frameworks in this area.

 
Dover Sherborn Middle School .......................................................$59,000.00

Middle School Library Computers                                              $9,000

These funds will purchase 8 student workstations and 1 administrative workstation. The Library is the core on the school. Both the administration and the Technology advisor recommend this grant as the highest priority. POSITIVE will continue to support this grant also when funds become available.

Wireless Portable Computer Lab                                                $40,000

The English Department is requesting an additional wireless/portable writing lab of 23 computers to enable students to have more time to use the equipment.  The success of last year’s pilot program surpassed all expectations and the desire of all teachers and students to use this equipment more often has led to this year’s request.  The English Department is eager to assist other departments in the use of this equipment.  All students in the school will be affected by this grant.  This grant was determined to be a priority in funding by the Middle School Access committee since it would greatly expand an existing program that is gaining a tremendous benefit from the technology.  In addition, the technology would be shared with other departments that could benefit from such wireless labs in the future.

Exploring Computer Art                                                                    $4,000

The primary goal of this proposal is to provide students with knowledge and hands on experience of how technology can be used to create and enhance artwork. An art room website will be created.

Tools for Integrating Technology                                                   $6,000

This grant proposal seeks to fully equip the two existing PC labs.

 
Dover Sherborn High School .............................................................. $68,650.00

Wireless Portable Writing Lab                                                       $40,000

A Request for a portable writing lab to serve up to 20 students. Lab will foster the development of writing skills as described by the English Department and enable the lab to be used for research in the Science department. The portable lab can be easily moved to another building and requires minimum electrical resources.

Social Studies Enrichment                                                                $2,000

Outside speakers and programs will bring a real life dimension to our curriculum. The goal will be to maximize the greatest amount of student participation as educationally possible.

English Enrichment                                                                              $2,000

The English Department uses this grant to fund speakers, actors’ workshops, poetry readings, dramatic presentations, etc. for specific classes and /or the entire school. This grant benefits all students and enriches the classroom experience.

AAU&CAPAY Enrichment Funds                                                      $1,500

Diversity enrichment for the entire student body. Funding for activities for the Alliance for Acceptance and Understanding and the Coalition for the Asian Pacific American Youth. Programs will include issues of diversity, intolerance, Asian-American issues and culture.

Teaching Modern Science                                                                  $15,000

This grant would provide a set-up consisting of 6 computers and 6 PASCO interfaces with probes that would enhance the level of every science discipline. The computers and PASCO interfaces would be housed in a central area that is accessible to all the science teachers. Every student would make use of this technology during his or her studies at the High School.

Advanced Technology Lab Completion                                         $7,200

This request is to purchase the remaining Dell workstations (remaining from the Advanced Technology Lab Grant funded in 2000). The English, Math, Music, Art Departments, Year Book staff and the growing Virtual High School Program use the lab.

Digital Camera for Astrophotography and General Use           $950

This grant requests the purchase of a new digital camera that would be used for night photography, astronomy classes, physics classes and the development of student web pages.

 
K-12 Region-wide Grants ...................................................................... $9,980.00

Supplemental Transportation METCO                                          $6480

The METCO program has spent the entire amount funded by DSEF last year for supplemental transportation as of March 8, 2000. The additional amount being requested this year reflects the projected amount to cover the whole school year in 2001-2002.  The METCO administrators are looking into hiring vans to carry more kids and purchasing MBTA passes for next year.

Teacher Leader-Mentor Training                                                   $3,000

Grant applies to K-12 teachers, as consultant would work with representatives from all grades.  Plans to continue implementation of established mentor program using consultant Kathy Dunne to assist in curricular and instructional alignment within standards-based reforms, cognitive coaching, and 
collaborative mentoring.  Administration supports request.

Sheet Music for a String Ensemble Music Program                    $500

Seed money to fund the purchase of sheet music to start up a string program for interested students.

Grand Total for K-12 system ................................... $204,979.00

Projects Funded by DSEF 2000-2001

Projects Funded by DSEF 1999-2000

Projects Funded by DSEF 1996-1997

DSEF, PO Box 421, Dover, MA 02030 || Contact Us