The Carlisle CEF is proud to support the Carlisle Public Schools’ faculty and staff in their efforts to encourage creative exploration, innovation and discovery to help our students achieve personal excellence and success. In 2019-2020, the Carlisle CEF approved approximately $40,000 in funding for the following grants; positively impacting every student in the Carlisle Public Schools.
Innovations in the classroom:
School Wide Dry-Erase, Collaborative Workstation Tables, submitted by the 2nd Grade Team, offered to the rest of the school by the CEF. The CEF has funded 39 Dry-Erase, Collaborative Workstation Tables to be used through the entire school. These tables are a great addition to the classroom because they encourage impromptu student collaboration and promote innovative teaching. The tables provide a generous work surface for the kids to collaborate on concept maps, project development and problem solving. The dry erase element allows for continual positive feedback as students revise their work with a swipe of their hands, modify the problems and discover what happens when changes occur. We thank 8th Grade Math teacher Anne Spiegel, Literacy Specialist Kathi Macklis and the 2nd Grade Team for introducing these and demonstrating their utility to the Carlisle Community.
iPads for Elementary School Art and Logitech Crayons for Elementary Art and the Chinese Program, submitted by Rachel Levy and Chiao Bin Huang Rachel Levy will expand her art curriculum to include digital creations through the use of 4 new iPads and 5 Logitech Crayons. Chiao Bin Huang will use her 20 new Logitech Crayons to help students in the Chinese program work on their character writing skills. In both applications, kids can experiment with their art and calligraphy and can feel free to revise, edit and redo as they go along. Additionally, the digital medium allows them to manipulate and use their images in other ways, such as Chiao Bin’s Character Drawings.
Updating the Robotics Club’s Equipment submitted by Nick Greenwood The Robotics Club has updated their equipment with the purchase of 12 Lego EV3 kits, the currently used 2006 Lego Mindstorms kits will be kept as expansion accessories.
Map Making through Minecraft submitted by Nick Greenwood and David Zuckerman The CEF has funded 70 Minecraft accounts to provide a digital space for 6th Grade students to work on a year-long, collaborative map making project. This unique project, designed by Mr. Zuckerman and Mr. Greenwood, will take students through a deep dive into map-making, exploring both traditional paper and pencil and digital methods. Students will create 2D paper maps that they will then convert into 3D digital worlds, making apparent to the students the scale of landforms and practical application of contour lines as they build these virtual reality worlds. Additionally, these accounts will be good for the foreseeable future and can be used by current and future middle school students in other academic and STEAM projects.
Rocket Notebooks for 8th Graders submitted by Anne Spiegel 75 rocket notebooks and accessories to help the 8th graders go mostly paperless this year. Rocket books are an interesting use of technology in that kids do their work on paper, but utilize the reusable and QR coded notebook pages that help them get their work to the teacher and to their own files in an orderly and efficient manner. Use of rocket books is a great move in the paperless direction and conservation of resources. Furthermore, they help kids with executive functioning and organizational support.
Expanded learning opportunities for all students
Sensory Pathways submitted by Sue Ross and April Colson Sue Ross and April Colson worked over the summer to create sensory pathway stickers through the use of a new a Cricut machine. The grant covered purchase of the machine, training sessions for the teachers on how to use it; consultation with a graphic artist on creating their specific pathways and design, creation and installation of the pathways in the school. This is following on the success of the sensory pathways project already in place, which promotes innovation by changing the nature of the transitions kids go through every day.
Commissioned Band Piece for 4th Grade Band submitted by Kevin Maier Guest Composer Scott Watson is collaborating with the 4th grade band and Band Director Kevin Maier to create a piece designed specifically for the 4th grade CPS students. Students will learn about the process of composition and develop collaboration skills through their Skyped interactions with Mr. Watson. This piece will be incorporated into the standard 4th grade curriculum and so will serve students for many years to come.
A Cappella and Electronic Music Workshops submitted by Valerie Thomforde Students will learn about workshop that will comprise 2 assemblies for the elementary and middle schools each, plus a master class for the advanced choir that will also be open to other middle school singers interested in learning more about a cappella, all led by a cappella group 5 O’Clock Shadow.
Promoting Positivity in School: Motivational Signage and Artist-in-Residence Program submitted by Matt Mehler and Dennett Sidell To reinforce our culture of continuous learning, positivity and inclusion while deepening student social and emotional learning, the Principals enhanced the school in two ways. Positive signage can now be found in the corridors. The school also welcomed artist Bren Bataclan for a week last Spring to work with the kids to create a mural for the Corey stairwell that reflects the ideas and character of our school and community. Bren led the Elementary and Middle Schools through the creative process in two assemblies and worked with smaller groups to adapt the kids’ ideas into the school mural.
Professional Development/Excellence in Teaching:
Building Capacity for Safe and Successful Schools, submitted by Jeff Hechenbleikner Mr. H attended the Public Policy institute’s conference to learn about moves and trends in policy and practices in regards to ensuring safe and successful schools. From this conference, he learned not only what policies the school is obligated to have in place, but also which practices the school should have in place in order to ensure opportunity and accessibility for all students. His participation has allowed him to be more effective in his advocacy for the students; his ability to anticipate the coming needs, challenges and opportunities awaiting CPS in the near future; and in his ability to support the teachers and administrators.
Perfecting Middle School Science Teaching, submitted by Brad Cranston on behalf of the MS Science Department This is actually 2 grants that together will help the science team optimize the new iQuest curriculum for the CPS community with a particular focus on improving lesson implementation, expanding lab offerings and encouraging student discourse. This will start with a 2 day, in school workshop facilitated by former Brown University Director of Science Education, Daniel Bisaccio, who will observe the teachers in their classrooms and lead the group to critically evaluate their current practices; day 2 will focus on helping the teachers identify ways to optimize science instruction, expand existing labs and help to create new project based learning opportunities that address local, national or global issues. Then in the Spring, the Middle School Science and Engineering teachers will attend the National Science Teachers’ conference in Boston. The CEF has funded the 2 teachers who did not have PD available to pay for conference attendance.
We look forward to learning about the new initiatives the CPS faculty and administration propose in the coming year.
Please help us continue to fund these endeavours and support our schools.
Please thank our 2019 sponsors
Colonial Spirits
The Senkler Team
Long’s Jewelers
Michaud Insurance
Fern’s Country Store
Carlisle Artisans
Ovation Guitars
Latin Percussion
Swing Design