ACE Teacher Grant Recipients
2007-2008 Projects supported by ACE Teacher Grants
Ellen Marshall and Paula Baker
Ellen Marshall and Paula Baker first grade teachers at Saint Philomena School received a grant to support their Poem & Photo project.
First graders at Saint Philomena School in Portsmouth have always loved memorizing and creating posters to illustrate favorite poems. During the 2007-2008 school year, with the help of a grant from ACE, a traditional school project took on a new twist.
During February the students in both first grade classes focused on poetry and became familiar with many cherished children's poems. Each student chose a favorite poem to memorize. Parents collaborated with their children to plan a photo to depict the poem. The photograph was taken and emailed to the teachers. For Show and Tell, each child recited the favorite memorized poem while the teacher projected the accompanying photograph onto the large screen in each classroom with an LCD projector. The teachers then used the proceeds from the ACE grant to produce four professional quality books containing the children's chosen poems and photographic illustrations. Shutterfly.com provided the service. Copies of the book are kept in classroom libraries and circulated among the students.
Megan Sullivan
Megan Sullivan from Portsmouth High School received a grant to support the Alternative Learning Program's Real World project.
The Real World project is a behavior modification/academic incentive program that is designed to encouraged change and nurtured real-life skills that students will use long after their high school career has ended.
Although no real money is exchanged, Real World employs real-life money making, bill paying, "how do I manage my money?" skills. Each student maintains a "mock" checking account. In Real World, school attendance is the students' job for which they are paid an hourly rate of $7.50. Students are billed weekly for academic and behavioral infractions and they pay ALP $450.00 in monthly rent for their seat.
Students can earn overtime pay and bonuses. Overtime is earned by staying after school to do homework or community service. Bonuses are awarded for good test grades, teacher compliments, making good decisions, being a good school citizen, and of course for report card grades.
At the end of each quarter there is an ALP auction where students can spend their hard earned money. Students bid on items such as headphones, arcade tokens, gift cards. But...they have to be wise with their spending because bills are still coming at the end of the next week, rent is right around the corner, and they have to have $1000 in their savings account in order to attend the end of the year field trip.
So has The Real World ALP been successful? Yes, more than Megan could ever have imagined. Her students, who were on the edge of dropping out, began staying after school to do homework, taking homework home, making a point to study, admitting to their wrongdoings and accepting the consequences of their actions. As a result, grades have notably improved. But Megan believes the most significant impact of the project is the increase of positive interactions her students have with teachers. Instead of conversations of dropping out of school ALP students are talking about their plans for the Senior Project, graduation and college!
Aaron Sherman and Sybil Grayko
Aaron Sherman and Sybil Grayko, Carey School teachers received a grant to support the Artist in Residence for Dance.
Over the course of 4 weeks, Aaron and Sybil's students participated in 4 one hour creative movement classes by the Artist in Residence. Linking to the Social Studies curriculum, the students studied Japanese dance movements and cultural music. In addition to enriching the students' cultural experiences, the program promoted healthy active lifestyles. Through an entertaining year end music and dance performance for parents, other students and school staff, Aaron and Sybil's students taught other about the Japanese culture.
Nancy Folcarelli
Nancy Folcarelli a teacher at Dr. Michael H. Sullivan elementary School received a grant to support the A-Z Garden book project.
Inspired by a March into Reading! school visit from Jerry Pallotta, author of several A-Z children's books, Nancy's students created their own A-Z Garden Book. The second graders researched, planned and planted a community garden on their school grounds. Each student was thrilled to receive a personal copy of the bound book written by their class.
Lisa Olaynack
Lisa Olaynack a 6th grade teacher at Thompson Middle School received a grant for the "Read-A-Palooza" Celebration of Young Adult Books, Authors and Readers.
The project was modeled after ACE's hallmark program March Into Reading! Following the completion of an author study and book summary, Lisa's students wrote to the authors and illustrators and invited them to Read-A-Palooza. Two local authors attended the festivities and each student received a book to have signed by the author.