The Allentown School District Foundation (ASDF) is pleased to announce the newest cohort of Teacher Innovation Grant (TIG) recipients. These grant applications are developed by ASD educators to bring Allentown students added, enriched learning experiences. This year, the major grant support from The Donley Foundation and The Sugra Memorial Foundation were augmented by additional supporters as the Foundation is committed to growing the program. Sponsors are identified on each grant below:
2019-2020 Cohort of TIG Fellows
Recipient/School
|
Grant Sponsor
|
TIG Program Title
|
Grant
|
# Student Participants
|
Grade
|
Michelle Bruno
William Allen HS
|
Allentown Education Association Award
|
Digital Preservation of Allen History
|
$1,188
|
35
|
9-12
|
Sara Rice
William Allen HS
|
WAHS Class of 1967 Award
|
Art Therapy
|
$1,200
|
20
|
9-12
|
Crystal Sterner
William Allen HS
|
First Student Field Trip Award
|
Putting the Field in Field Trip
|
$1,192
|
20
|
9-12
|
Jeffrey Dutt
Louis E. Dieruff HS
|
Blankowitsch Civics Award
|
WW II Experience at Hyde Park
|
$1,200
|
44
|
11
|
Matthew Roth
Louis E. Dieruff HS
|
Schweighardt Science Award
|
Drone Technology in Modern Applications
|
$1,178
|
186
|
9-12
|
Meghan Smith
Building 21
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Recipes as History
|
$833
|
60
|
10
|
Beth Roba
William Penn Alternative School
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Trauma Informed Yoga & Mindfulness
|
$1,200
|
50
|
6-12
|
Joan Preston
Harrison-Morton MS
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Class Dojo Student Accounts
|
$1,196
|
80
|
6
|
Melissa Betar
South Mountain MS
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Journalism Through Multi-Media Creation
|
$964
|
130
|
6-7
|
Jane Dotter
Cleveland ES
|
Judge Cahn Award
|
Student Historians
|
$1,000
|
75
|
5
|
Melanie Beck
Dodd ES
|
Sugra Foundation Award
|
Cross Your Tea’s, Dodd Your I’s Cafe
|
$700
|
12
|
2-3
|
Donna Reitenauer
McKinley ES
|
Sugra Foundation Award
|
Telling A Story Through Puppetry
|
$300
|
50
|
1
|
Kim Burke
Mosser ES
|
BBraun Technology Award
|
3D Printing & You
|
$1,200
|
25
|
4
|
Janice Green
Newcomer Academy K-6
|
Stevens Good Health Award
|
Garden to Table
|
$1,200
|
175
|
K-6
|
Braidyn Womer
Newcomer Academy K-6
|
Schweighardt Science Award
|
Introducing Computer Science & Coding
|
$1,097
|
100
|
3-6
|
Connor Hughes
Ritter ES
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Rocky’s Den: Ritter School Store
|
$1,151
|
572
|
K-5
|
Kelly Gehret
Roosevelt ES
|
Angello Literacy Award
|
Building Home Libraries
|
$1,200
|
12
|
3-5
|
Jacqueline Howard
Roosevelt ES
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Trauma Focused Classroom
|
$1,125
|
740
|
K-5
|
Nisha Marshall
Roosevelt ES
|
Gallagher Insurance Award
|
Ozobots for Math & Literacy
|
$831
|
12
|
K-2
|
Michelle Chelton
Sheridan ES
|
Donald & June Hinkle Music Award
|
Orff Instrument Addition
|
$1,162
|
600
|
1-5
|
Susan Wigfield
Sheridan ES
|
Sugra Foundation Award
|
Cultural Fair
|
$1,050
|
140
|
1-5
|
Stacy Cunningham
Sheridan ES
|
Donley Foundation Award
|
Ergo for LS Classroom
|
$1,140
|
16
|
2
|
Katie Seagreaves
Union Terrace ES
|
Schweighardt Science Award
|
3D Printing to Solve Real World Problems
|
$518
|
15
|
4-5
|
Jillian Emert
Washington ES
|
Sugra Foundation Grant
|
Help Give Me a Voice
|
$1,193
|
60
|
3-5
|
TOTAL # Student Participants: 3,229 (estimate)
Selected by the ASDF TIG Committee on November 26, 2019, the Teacher Innovation Grants were approved and announced to ASD educators through surprise visits to their classrooms December 9-12. Highlights from this year:
The ASD Foundation is awarding 24 Teacher Innovation Grants totaling $25,018. The grants fund projects in 16 ASD schools and will include: seven STEAM, eight English/Language Arts/Social Studies, nine Special Education/Social Emotional Learning. Thirty proposals with a maximum request of $1,200 were submitted by ASD educators and reviewed by the eight members of our volunteer TIG Committee. All grants were also reviewed and approved by ASD curriculum directors to meet standards.
The Teacher Innovation Program was founded in 2010 with a small grant. Since that time, more than $143,000 has been granted to 147 teachers. TIG is pegged to be a high-growth program for the Foundation, with a goal to fund 10 percent of the teacher corps, or to reach about 140 – 150 ASD educators with grant support every year. To do this, the TIG Committee has begun fundraising with a broader focus.
Says Dr. Dennis Blankowitsch, Co-Chair of the ASDF TIG Committee, “The quality of proposals is rich with commitment to make a difference in the lives of ASD students and they are immensely creative.”
“We extend our gratitude not only to the TIG Committee for its dedication and diligence, but to our sponsors and all ASD educators who submitted TIG proposals,” added Jane Marks, Co-Chair. “These innovative plans will create a spark that ignites a life-long love of learning and impact not just minds, but hearts as well.”
The grant ceiling continued this year at a cap of $1,200 per proposal. Project funding to recipients will be released right after the winter break in January 2019. Part of the innovation grant process includes an evaluation component, which happens at school year-end.
These 24 TIG projects were selected by the TIG Committee consisting of Altagracia Mercado (Urban Affairs Liaison for Senator Pat Browne); TIG Co-Chair Dr. Dennis Blankowitsch (retired ASD Administrator); TIG Co-chair Jane Marks Co-Chair Jane Marks (retired ASD Teacher and Student Teaching Supervisor at Muhlenberg College); ASD test administrator Lizabeth Hutchison; retired ASD teacher Anita Stevens; Diane Wittman Koch (Newspapers in Education Manager, retired, The Morning Call); Ralph Todd (retired ASD Administrator), and Linda Bortz (retired ASD Teacher and member of the Lehigh Chapter of PA School Retirees). The Committee scored each application using a quantitative rubric by placing a total score of up to 25 points for each submission.
There are more stories and photos of the 24 TIG Fellows on ASD Foundation Facebook.
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