New Grants Announced:
The Ridgewood Education Foundation presents seven classroom grants for six schools totaling $6,530.40.

For Classroom mini-grant application FAQs, click here.

For an overview of REF's grant application review procedures, click here.

At the March 8, 2010 Ridgewood Board of Education meeting, the Ridgewood Education Foundation (REF) presented a variety of classroom mini-grants totaling $6,530.40. For this grant cycle, REF made awards to seven different applicants covering a variety of disciplines at six different schools. The titles of funded grants are as follows:

For the current Press Release, click here.
For a complete listing of all past grants awarded, click here.

The Alumni Teacher Development Fund sponsors two scholarships for Ridgewood School District Teachers, the Van Huyck Scholarship and the Lois Vedder Gray Spanish Teacher Scholarship. For more information on these programs, including an explanation of the application process, please click here.

Mini Grants

“The Last Full Measure”was written by RHS teacher Michael Yannone for funds to take AHLISA students to Gettysburg to tour the Gettysburg National Battlefield, the Virginia Memorial, the National Cemetery, then Gettysburg College, where the students plan to hear a classroom lecture by a professor and acclaimed historian at Gettysburg College. The grant was awarded in the amount of $850.

“Teaching Chemistry through Properties of Matter” was written by Rui Dionisio, GWMS Assistant Principal and Middle School Science Supervisor. Using funds from a recent grant made by the Bristol-Myers Squibb Grants for Teaching Excellence Funds, BFMS purchased a 5-class unit kit that supports inquiry-based science instruction. Funds from REF will be used to purchase two additional refurbishment sets thus enabling all 6th Grade students at BFMS to experience learning chemistry through hands-on inquiry-based instruction. REF awarded $920 for the purchase of these additional kits for use at BFMS.

“Motion, Forces and Energy Illustrated with K’nex” was written by BFMS teachers Trella Dolgin and Lauren Salvani. This grant will provide funds for the purchase of K’nex pieces to be used by 6th grade students at BFMS in the study of physics concepts. The students will work collaboratively to create a mousetrap car and a rollercoaster, enabling them to discover and identify the motion associated with balanced and unbalanced forces. They will also calculate speed, velocity and acceleration, as well as explore the energy transformations that occur within a moving object. This grant was awarded in the amount of $375.

“Orchard Community Garden,” a project designed to establish an “outdoor classroom” for interdisciplinary education, was written in collaboration by Margaret Loonam, Orchard Principal; Judy Malhotra, Orchard Art Specialist; Kathleen McCullough, Orchard Nurse/Health Teacher; Jennifer Dresner, Orchard parent; and Lori Weil, Orchard parent. The garden will not only serve as a classroom and outdoor art gallery, but also contain a community garden where the students will grow herbs, fruits and vegetables. REF awarded a grant of $1000 in “seed money” to begin work on this garden.

“Growing Readers: Planting the Seeds of a Guided Reading Room at Somerville School”was written by District Staff Developers Beth Fischetti and Penny Fisher, and the First Grade Team at Somerville (Colleen Gieniec, Nancy Kaplan, Mia Sarnella, and Lynne Witham) for funds to purchase books for the guided reading program at Somerville School. The guided reading program is an adaptation of RPS “Reading Recovery” model for the most at-risk readers. REF awarded this grant in the amount of $1410.40.

“Travell Reading Garden” was written by Susan Merrick, a Travell parent, and Margy Leininger, Travell Principal to request fund for developing a currently unused outdoor space at Travell into a place to read as well as to observe nature. REF awarded a grant in the amount of $1000, contingent upon Travell receiving resolution of drainage issues.

“Willard School Math & Science Theme Day 2010” was written by Don Friel, Second Grade Teacher; Elizabeth Holley, First Grade Teacher; Chantel Veenhof, Willard parent; and Ivana Gaillard, Willard parent, for grant funds for presentations from the Liberty Science Center in assemblies at Willard as part of this year’s Math and Science Theme Day. REF awarded Willard $975 for this grant.