CEF AWARDS GRANTS to CHATHAM SCHOOLS

The Chatham Education Foundation, a leading provider of private funding to the School District of the Chathams, has distributed over $30,000 in grants to fund seven innovative and creative educational programs and special projects throughout the School District of the Chathams during the first grant application cycle of the 2023-2024 academic school year.

DISTRICT CHORAL FESTIVAL 2024

(CHS, CMS, LAF)

This grant will enable the choral instructors to bring a professional NYC-based capella vocal ensemble to participate in the Annual District Choral Festival. In addition to providing hands-on learning experiences for students at each of the three schools, the guest vocal ensemble will create a custom arrangement specifically for the choral students in grades 4-12. Students will be able to learn how to beatbox, differentiate with pop vocal techniques, and explore vocal improvisation.

“This project will help form connections between students just starting their choral career and students who have been participating for a decade. In previous years, our Choral Festivals exhibited first-hand how this event improved student communication, collaboration, and musicianship. CHS students paved the way for CMS students who became role models for Lafayette students,” says grant applicant Dana Goldstein.

Submitted by: Dana Goodstein, Ken Bryson, Christie Spriggs

NJ SYMPHONY RESIDENCY

(CHS & LAF)

This grant allows for 30 hours of coaching for the CHS and LAF Orchestra and Band classes from NJ Symphony musicians and accompanying instruction for the educators. The musicians will work with the students in multi-week small group sessions to allow for a more in-depth understanding of what it is to be a musician.  

Liam Keller, the grant applicant, shared, “As working members of the community [these musicians] will also bring students insight into the culture of lifelong musicianship and how professional performance fits into the economic and social landscape of adult society in New Jersey."

Submitted by: Liam Keller, Lauren Spooner, Emily Gaul and Brian Conti

COLLABORATIVE & ENGAGING WORLD LANGUAGE CLASSROOM

(CMS)

This grant intends to enhance student's understanding of Chinese character structures and writing and foster greater collaboration and interaction to accelerate language acquisition. This will be accomplished by procuring dry-erase desks and new classroom furniture specifically designed to create various seating arrangements and adapt the classroom layout to different learning tasks. 

According to grant applicant Hongbin Ng, “This grant will provide a culturally authentic environment for students to learn the target language and facilitate all the language learning needs such as writing characters with proper stroke dissection.”

Submitted by: Hongbin Ng, Tine Engell

SUPPORTING THE TRANSITION TO A 5-8 MIDDLE SCHOOL

(CMS)

The grant's main focus is the opportunity for CMS and LAF educators to attend the AMLE national conference and sessions on the strands of "This We Believe"--middle school best practices and share key learnings back with larger cohorts of middle school staff.

“This grant will enable the teachers and administrators of Chatham Middle School to enhance CMS’s current strengths and assets, as well as identify areas for growth to assist with the successful transformation to a 5-8 middle school”, says grant applicant Anthony Orsini

Submitted by: Anthony Orsini and Danielle Dagounis

REFLEX MATH: IMPROVING MATH FACTS & FLEXIBLE THINKING

(LAF)

Reflex Math is an online math program that offers adaptive and engaging games. The overall goal of Reflex Math is to increase students’ math fact accuracy and efficiency, increasing their math confidence. This online program will be used by the Basic Skills Instruction (BSI) Program, which supports students struggling to meet grade-level expectations in math. 

According to the grant applicants, “Knowing math facts and the ability to recall them is a fundamental component of mathematical competence that significantly benefits struggling 4th and 5th-grade learners. It provides a solid foundation for more advanced mathematical concepts and increases efficiency in problem-solving and accuracy. It also fosters flexible math thinking, boosts confidence, and can lead to improved scores on standardized tests.”

Submitted by: Kelly Antunes and Jennifer Magno

HANDS-ON SCIENCE

(WAS)

The third-grade science units have many opportunities for students to experiment with different materials related to weather, forces, speed, measurement, and ecosystems. This grant will fund the procurement of kits designed for hands-on science investigations for students in the classroom.

“These materials will allow students to engage in more of the science and engineering practices as they work on understanding the disciplinary core ideas for each unit,” shares grant applicant Jennifer Minsky.

Submitted by: Jennifer Minsky, Jaclyn Flanagan, Denise Gangaware, Sarah Hughes

BUILDING TEAMWORK, COLLABORATION AND CREATIVITY WITH INDOOR/OUTDOOR BLOCK PLAY

(WAS)



This grant will allow teachers of K and 1st grade at Washington Avenue School to purchase a set of blocks (and storage system) for indoor and outdoor recess. The blocks would allow for the development of gross motor skills and will provide alternatives to tag, jungle gyms, and swing play. The blocks also coordinate with the Pushes and Pulls Science Unit and the D&T curriculum in 1st grade.   

Lisa Kressler shared, "As primary teachers, we are continuously looking for ways to increase student collaboration and team building skills...we are finding that primary students need more strategies to work together, problem solve, and share materials." 

Submitted by: Lisa Kressler, Kelli Finn, Francesca Verducci, Rebecca Sheasley, Megan Tompkins, Nancy Volker, Joyce Luongo & Megan Stevens