Teachers receive grants to implement innovative ideas in the classroom
The Jordan Education Foundation recently awarded mini-grants to local teachers to enhance learning in their classrooms. Each year, teachers in the Jordan School District have the opportunity to apply for mini-grants up to $500, and each year the Jordan Education Foundation has the opportunity to help teachers achieve their educational goals.
This year, teachers in South Jordan schools were awarded a total of $14,371.46. These schools were Bingham High School, Daybreak Elementary, Elk Meadows Elementary, Eastlake Elementary, Elk Ridge Middle School, Monte Vista Elementary, Rivers Edge Elementary, South Jordan Middle School and Welby Elementary.
In Bluffdale, Bluffdale Elementary was awarded $1,493.80, and four schools in Herriman (Butterfield Canyon Elementary, Ft. Herriman Middle, Herriman High and Silver Crest Elementary) received a total of $8,782.29.
Seven schools in Riverton received $17,450.20 in mini-grants. These schools were Kauri Sue Hamilton, Midas Creek Elementary, Oquirrh Hills Middle, Riverton Elementary, Riverton High School, Rosamond Elementary and South Hills Middle.
Mini-grants were awarded for needs such as graphing calculators for advanced math classes, math libraries, guided reading books, IPads, projectors, cameras, math manipulatives, listening centers, sensory items, educational software and other classroom tools.
At Herriman High School, the AP and concurrent math teachers worked together to submit a proposal for a classroom set of graphing calculators. They were awarded $1446.90 which was matched using grant funds from Rio Tinto.
“As a new school, we didn’t have any graphing calculators. This grant has allowed us to start acquiring a supply to be used in all of our advanced math classes,” Kalisi Uluave, one of the teachers, said. The math teachers plan to start a calculator rental program to allow students to rent a graphing calculator from the school at a fraction of the cost of purchasing one. With these graphing calculators, they will be able to increase the rigor of their math classes.
Todd Monson, a science teacher at Oquirrh Hills Middle School, received a grant to purchase iPads for his classroom.
In his project proposal, he wrote, “The students of today are in constant touch with technology. Anytime that the teacher can bring in cutting-edge hardware with supporting software, the students are engaged. With the iPad II and all of the applications that are available, the students will give the teacher their full attention.”
Monson plans on using the iPads for various applications to enhance the students’ learning in his classroom, including creating presentations.
“Each student will be able to touch the future with the iPad II,” Monson said.
The Jordan Education Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established in 1988 by the Jordan School District Board of Education. The purpose of the JEF is to provide funds and resources needed in the classrooms through a partnership with community businesses and individuals. The JEF is holding a fundraising breakfast, ‘Every Child, Every Day’, on Feb. 16 at 7:45 a.m. It will be held at Noah’s,322 West 11000 South, South Jordan, and is an opportunity for people to enjoy a free breakfast and learn more about the foundation and how they can join with JEF in making a difference in education. Anyone interested can R.S.V.P. by Feb. 6 to Cheryl, Anne or Steven at 801-567-8125.
The mini-grant program is one of the ways that JEF is helping teachers and students in our local classrooms. The purpose of the mini-grants is to fund a teacher’s innovative and creative ideas to enhance the learning in the classroom.
