| Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Enhancing educational excellence in the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Schools |
MSF GRANTS
2008 – 2009 ($270,000)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Podcasting to the World Hommocks
In order to keep up with technological advances and take advantage of students’ strong
interest in technology, a mobile state-of-the-art mini podcasting recording studio will be
created to serve the 400 eighth-grade Earth Science students. Students will complete
research outside the classroom and then use various software platforms to create,
record and edit podcasts, which will then be uploaded to a classroom website. A
deeper and more meaningful connection to the content of their studies should result in
a higher level of creativity, motivation, and possibly, test scores.
The Digital Classroom Hommocks
This grant will create a model digital classroom complete with a student workstation,
thirteen laptops and a teaching station with multiple monitors to view and share
students’ work. Specific curriculum units have been targeted for a fully digital
experience: the Public Speaking Unit, which will take advantage of a database of over
sixty speeches, and the Short Story Project, which will allow students to access digital
libraries and dictionaries, and write and share their pieces instantaneously for peer
review. While this will initially be piloted in an individual seventh-grade classroom, the
vision is to create a rotational system to expose every seventh-grade English student to
this model classroom and its technological tools and resources.
Data Collection Technology High School
This project will improve the quality of laboratory experiments by introducing new,
cutting-edge equipment for data acquisition and analysis in the chemistry labs, serving
all 300 students at the High School who take Chemistry. The equipment includes
laptop computers, “Stir Stations,” and Labquest chemistry packages and will be used to
record chemical parameters such as pressure, temperature, concentration and pH
values.
SMART Board for 7th Grade Math Hommocks
This grant will provide a SMART board for use in a seventh-grade math classroom at
Hommocks. SMART boards connect a “blackboard” to a classroom computer to allow
work viewed on the board to be saved, manipulated and shared. SMART board lessons
will be incorporated into the current curriculum with the hope that they will eventually be
shared with all seventh-grade mathematics teachers. The grantee also plans to
collaborate with an eighth-grade math teacher on the same team who also has a
SMART board.
SMART Board Chatsworth
This grant funds a SMART board for a fifth-grade classroom at Chatsworth, to be used
across a variety of curriculum areas. The grantee will work with other teachers in third
and fourth grades as part of a collaboration of SMART board users.
LITERACY
Beyond the Textbook: High-Interest Nonfiction Hommocks
This grant provides for the compilation of a class library of “Reading Expeditions” from
the World History Series from National Geographic School Publishing. The books
correspond directly with the New York State 6th grade social studies curriculum, serving
as a nonfiction supplement to the textbook. These books are interesting, visually
appealing, and very readable, making history more relevant to today’s readers. The
books help students learn to navigate different types of nonfiction texts while gaining a
deeper understanding of the material.
Listen While You Read Murray Ave.
This grant will provide a collection of “Playaway” books to the Murray Ave. School library.
Playaways are self-contained audio books that will allow elementary students to
enhance their listening, learning and reading skills. A simple set of buttons allows
them to listen at several speeds, fast-forward, reverse, and bookmark. There are no
CDs to scratch, tapes to rewind, or downloads to manage.
Play It Again Sam Central
This similar grant will provide “Playaway” books to the Central School Library, as well
as print copies of the same titles, so students can follow along as they listen.
Interactive Reading Chatsworth
Under the direction of the reading specialist, an interactive computer program, along
with the coordinating books, will be purchased to serve students in grades K - 2,
students with reading difficulties in other grades, special education students and ESL
students. This system will be used to supplement the current reading program.
READ with LEXIA Central
This grant funds a pilot project for the first grade to provide computer software designed
to build confidence and proficiency in reading and thinking skills. The software
addresses the five critical components of reading instruction identified by the National
Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension. Funds also include professional training in using the software.
Exploring Our World, Expanding Our Horizons Chatsworth
The grant funds the purchase of about 100 up-to-date social studies books for the
school library. (The average age of books in their current collection is over 20 years old;
in that time many countries have dissolved and been renamed, and many discoveries
made.) The books will enliven instruction, research, and student-driven inquiry and
support the district’s nonfiction literacy initiative.
Jump Start to the 21st Century District-Wide
This grant will expand on the new core collections of science and technology books in
each of the district’s six school libraries. Recognizing that keeping current is crucial in
this curriculum area, each librarian will choose books based on the specific needs of
their schools. This award supports a second year of this grant, originally funded by MSF
last year, through donations raised at the 2007 MSF Spring Gala.
MUSIC AND THE ARTS
PACE Computer Music Studio High School
This grant will fund the establishment of a computer music studio for the high school’s
PACE program. It will include seven computer music stations, each of which will have a
computer, workstation synthesizer, iPod and headphones. Within these workstations,
students will be able to work with music in a variety of ways: They may play back and
edit musical samples, create beats and harmonies in diverse musical styles, explore
electronic sounds and simulated instruments, and work with recording, performing and
improvisation. This grant will make it possible for all PACE students, whether or not
they have had prior formal music training, to successfully compose, arrange and direct
their own creative works.
Audio Enrichment Equipment High School
The music department finally has a beautiful new home and this grant will outfit the
eight new practice rooms with equipment for performing (keyboards and stands),
recording (CD recorders) and playback (receivers, CD players and speaker sets). This
grant will serve the 240 students in the music department, including the band, choir and
orchestra, as well as 13 different ensemble groups. At times, all six schools in the
district rehearse in this space for events.
Music Lending Library and Digital Recording All Elementary
This grant will provide for the acquisition of a sheet-music lending library consisting of
instrumental solos and ensembles for all band instruments, to be shared by all four
elementary schools. In addition, this grant will provide digital recording equipment to
allow student analysis of performance.
Digital Video for Musical Performance Central
A digital videocamera will be purchased to document, analyze and assess musical
performances by students at Central. This grant also covers the cost of a DVD-R/VHS
recorder/player to create DVDs of all “filmed” performances and a High-Definition TV for
viewing those performances. The feedback this system gives students will enable them
to analyze themselves as a band, choir, orchestra or ensemble.
Expanding the Three-Dimensional Art Program Hommocks
To enhance the sculpture component of the art curriculum, two display cases will be
purchased and placed in the hallways outside the Hommocks library to showcase
three-dimensional student work.
ENRICHMENT
Lunchtime Activity Programs Hommocks
This program will pilot the development of a winter lunchtime program at Hommocks
for all three grades. A project coordinator funded through this grant will develop a menu
of elective “classes,” recruit volunteers and organizations from the community to teach
the classes, and supervise the implementation of the program through the winter of
2008-09. The grant also covers materials and stipends.
A Well-Rounded Globe High School
This grant is designed to promote and teach good journalism to students working on
the high school student newspaper, The Globe. The grant will cover a pre-season
offsite workshop with local professional journalists for a day; a spring trip to attend the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s one-day workshop; and a laptop for the new
advisor and the Globe’s top editors. It is a goal for the Globe staff to learn through these
workshops how to make the newspaper pay for itself through subscriptions and ads.
Academic Literacy and Literacy Assistance District-Wide
The CAP (Community Action Program) Center in Mamaroneck will provide free home-
work help in the evenings for the at-risk population that the CAP center serves. This
grant will help pay for staff to provide out-of-school support to students whose families
cannot provide adequate academic support at home. Homework help will be provided
by appointment and on a walk-in basis. This grant is funded by the Barbara Bennett-
Rones Endowment.
Kindergarten Fine Motor Centers All Elementary
Following a successful pilot program, fine-motor centers will be set up in all of the
district’s kindergarten classrooms to help children develop the underlying skills
required for tasks such as handwriting and cutting. Kindergarten teachers and
occupational therapists will work collaboratively under the direction of Dr. Laurie Olson
(the district’s supervisor for occupational therapy) to set up this early-intervention
program.
Water and Sand Tables for Kindergarten Classrooms Chatsworth
The five kindergarten classes at Chatsworth will be equipped with new water/sand
tables and accessories including pulleys, funnels, multilevel flow pans, and extensive
tubing networks. As part of the science curriculum, this equipment will allow children to
explore cause-and-effect relationships and make connections to real-world
experiences, i.e., the natural flow of water in a sink or bathtub, the waves in the ocean
and the basic properties of sand and water.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Creative and Contemporary Dance All Elementary and Hommocks
This district-wide grant will expose all K – 8 students to the performing arts through
instruction by professional dance teachers from Dance Cavise, a reputable local studio.
The program enriches the physical education curriculum by utilizing music and dance
as a creative and enjoyable alternative to sports for physical activity.
Music for Movement Chatsworth, Mamaroneck Ave. and Murray Ave.
An iPod and docking station, along with music in the form of gift cards or internet credit,
will be purchased for use by the traveling phys. ed. teacher. As music is an integral part
of the elementary school physical education program, this will allow for the purchase,
cataloging, programming and play of music for movement in the Chatsworth,
Mamaroneck Ave. and Murray schools.
Softball Complex Enhancement District-Wide
This grant will provide enhancements to the softball field at Central School. Since its
opening, this field has been used by both varsity and JV girls’ modified softball, as well
as Little League softball and baseball teams throughout the spring, summer and fall.
The grant will be used to create easy-access walkways along the first and third base
sides of the field, clear and level the spectator areas, and remove unwanted weeds and
vegetation. MSF was a major source of funding for the creation of this field, and this
grant helps put the finishing touches on this well-used school and community resource.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Music Therapy Mamaroneck Ave.
A six-week program will be funded to evaluate the use of music therapy with some of
the school’s most disabled students. The Music Therapy Institute at the Music
Conservatory of Westchester will offer group and individual sessions with students,
teacher training, and parent workshops. Musical instruments and recording equipment
are included in the funding.
Manhattanville College Partnership for School Aides and Teaching Assistants
District-wide
This grant funds full-day training workshops for Special Education aides and teaching
assistants, to be held on the four Superintendent Conference Days during the 2008-09
school year. The workshop sessions will be run by professors from the Special
Education Department at Manhattanville College.
MISCELLANEOUS
“Stay Connected With Your Teen” Parenting Group Hommocks & High School
As a complement to current parent workshops conducted in English, this grant will
provide a parent support group/workshop for Spanish-speaking parents led by a
Spanish- speaking counselor. There will be separate groups for Hommocks and High
School parents. The objective of this program is for parents to improve communication
with their children, increase their understanding of adolescent issues and become
more effective at managing behavior issues at home.
Class Amplification Through Microphones Murray Ave.
This grant funds six wireless microphone systems at the Murray Avenue School to be
piloted in two classrooms each for grades 1, 3, and 5. These amplification systems are
used throughout the country to help enhance the audio quality in the classroom and
improve the learning environment. Students benefit from the use of sound-field
amplification as the level of the teacher's voice over the ambient noise is increased.
Long-range benefits include improved student attention, higher test scores, and a
reduction in special education referrals.
Fiscal Accountability: Expenditure Projections District-Wide
This grant will pay for training for the members of the Citizens Financial Advisory
Committee (CFAC) to be able to make reliable, ongoing five-year projections of
expenditures for the school district. This will help fulfill the community’s request that the
district make more reliable budget projections and share them with the community.
Indoor Seating High School
Six benches will be placed in pairs in the Post Road building, on the third-floor landing,
outside the computer room, and near the counselors’ offices. The benches will
promote conversation between students in a more congenial environment and improve
the overall aesthetic appearance of the campus.
Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Post Office Box 123 Larchmont, New York 10538
copyright 2008 Mamaroneck Schools Foundation
Privacy Statement
2008 – 2009 ($270,000)
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Podcasting to the World Hommocks
In order to keep up with technological advances and take advantage of students’ strong
interest in technology, a mobile state-of-the-art mini podcasting recording studio will be
created to serve the 400 eighth-grade Earth Science students. Students will complete
research outside the classroom and then use various software platforms to create,
record and edit podcasts, which will then be uploaded to a classroom website. A
deeper and more meaningful connection to the content of their studies should result in
a higher level of creativity, motivation, and possibly, test scores.
The Digital Classroom Hommocks
This grant will create a model digital classroom complete with a student workstation,
thirteen laptops and a teaching station with multiple monitors to view and share
students’ work. Specific curriculum units have been targeted for a fully digital
experience: the Public Speaking Unit, which will take advantage of a database of over
sixty speeches, and the Short Story Project, which will allow students to access digital
libraries and dictionaries, and write and share their pieces instantaneously for peer
review. While this will initially be piloted in an individual seventh-grade classroom, the
vision is to create a rotational system to expose every seventh-grade English student to
this model classroom and its technological tools and resources.
Data Collection Technology High School
This project will improve the quality of laboratory experiments by introducing new,
cutting-edge equipment for data acquisition and analysis in the chemistry labs, serving
all 300 students at the High School who take Chemistry. The equipment includes
laptop computers, “Stir Stations,” and Labquest chemistry packages and will be used to
record chemical parameters such as pressure, temperature, concentration and pH
values.
SMART Board for 7th Grade Math Hommocks
This grant will provide a SMART board for use in a seventh-grade math classroom at
Hommocks. SMART boards connect a “blackboard” to a classroom computer to allow
work viewed on the board to be saved, manipulated and shared. SMART board lessons
will be incorporated into the current curriculum with the hope that they will eventually be
shared with all seventh-grade mathematics teachers. The grantee also plans to
collaborate with an eighth-grade math teacher on the same team who also has a
SMART board.
SMART Board Chatsworth
This grant funds a SMART board for a fifth-grade classroom at Chatsworth, to be used
across a variety of curriculum areas. The grantee will work with other teachers in third
and fourth grades as part of a collaboration of SMART board users.
LITERACY
Beyond the Textbook: High-Interest Nonfiction Hommocks
This grant provides for the compilation of a class library of “Reading Expeditions” from
the World History Series from National Geographic School Publishing. The books
correspond directly with the New York State 6th grade social studies curriculum, serving
as a nonfiction supplement to the textbook. These books are interesting, visually
appealing, and very readable, making history more relevant to today’s readers. The
books help students learn to navigate different types of nonfiction texts while gaining a
deeper understanding of the material.
Listen While You Read Murray Ave.
This grant will provide a collection of “Playaway” books to the Murray Ave. School library.
Playaways are self-contained audio books that will allow elementary students to
enhance their listening, learning and reading skills. A simple set of buttons allows
them to listen at several speeds, fast-forward, reverse, and bookmark. There are no
CDs to scratch, tapes to rewind, or downloads to manage.
Play It Again Sam Central
This similar grant will provide “Playaway” books to the Central School Library, as well
as print copies of the same titles, so students can follow along as they listen.
Interactive Reading Chatsworth
Under the direction of the reading specialist, an interactive computer program, along
with the coordinating books, will be purchased to serve students in grades K - 2,
students with reading difficulties in other grades, special education students and ESL
students. This system will be used to supplement the current reading program.
READ with LEXIA Central
This grant funds a pilot project for the first grade to provide computer software designed
to build confidence and proficiency in reading and thinking skills. The software
addresses the five critical components of reading instruction identified by the National
Reading Panel: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and
comprehension. Funds also include professional training in using the software.
Exploring Our World, Expanding Our Horizons Chatsworth
The grant funds the purchase of about 100 up-to-date social studies books for the
school library. (The average age of books in their current collection is over 20 years old;
in that time many countries have dissolved and been renamed, and many discoveries
made.) The books will enliven instruction, research, and student-driven inquiry and
support the district’s nonfiction literacy initiative.
Jump Start to the 21st Century District-Wide
This grant will expand on the new core collections of science and technology books in
each of the district’s six school libraries. Recognizing that keeping current is crucial in
this curriculum area, each librarian will choose books based on the specific needs of
their schools. This award supports a second year of this grant, originally funded by MSF
last year, through donations raised at the 2007 MSF Spring Gala.
MUSIC AND THE ARTS
PACE Computer Music Studio High School
This grant will fund the establishment of a computer music studio for the high school’s
PACE program. It will include seven computer music stations, each of which will have a
computer, workstation synthesizer, iPod and headphones. Within these workstations,
students will be able to work with music in a variety of ways: They may play back and
edit musical samples, create beats and harmonies in diverse musical styles, explore
electronic sounds and simulated instruments, and work with recording, performing and
improvisation. This grant will make it possible for all PACE students, whether or not
they have had prior formal music training, to successfully compose, arrange and direct
their own creative works.
Audio Enrichment Equipment High School
The music department finally has a beautiful new home and this grant will outfit the
eight new practice rooms with equipment for performing (keyboards and stands),
recording (CD recorders) and playback (receivers, CD players and speaker sets). This
grant will serve the 240 students in the music department, including the band, choir and
orchestra, as well as 13 different ensemble groups. At times, all six schools in the
district rehearse in this space for events.
Music Lending Library and Digital Recording All Elementary
This grant will provide for the acquisition of a sheet-music lending library consisting of
instrumental solos and ensembles for all band instruments, to be shared by all four
elementary schools. In addition, this grant will provide digital recording equipment to
allow student analysis of performance.
Digital Video for Musical Performance Central
A digital videocamera will be purchased to document, analyze and assess musical
performances by students at Central. This grant also covers the cost of a DVD-R/VHS
recorder/player to create DVDs of all “filmed” performances and a High-Definition TV for
viewing those performances. The feedback this system gives students will enable them
to analyze themselves as a band, choir, orchestra or ensemble.
Expanding the Three-Dimensional Art Program Hommocks
To enhance the sculpture component of the art curriculum, two display cases will be
purchased and placed in the hallways outside the Hommocks library to showcase
three-dimensional student work.
ENRICHMENT
Lunchtime Activity Programs Hommocks
This program will pilot the development of a winter lunchtime program at Hommocks
for all three grades. A project coordinator funded through this grant will develop a menu
of elective “classes,” recruit volunteers and organizations from the community to teach
the classes, and supervise the implementation of the program through the winter of
2008-09. The grant also covers materials and stipends.
A Well-Rounded Globe High School
This grant is designed to promote and teach good journalism to students working on
the high school student newspaper, The Globe. The grant will cover a pre-season
offsite workshop with local professional journalists for a day; a spring trip to attend the
Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s one-day workshop; and a laptop for the new
advisor and the Globe’s top editors. It is a goal for the Globe staff to learn through these
workshops how to make the newspaper pay for itself through subscriptions and ads.
Academic Literacy and Literacy Assistance District-Wide
The CAP (Community Action Program) Center in Mamaroneck will provide free home-
work help in the evenings for the at-risk population that the CAP center serves. This
grant will help pay for staff to provide out-of-school support to students whose families
cannot provide adequate academic support at home. Homework help will be provided
by appointment and on a walk-in basis. This grant is funded by the Barbara Bennett-
Rones Endowment.
Kindergarten Fine Motor Centers All Elementary
Following a successful pilot program, fine-motor centers will be set up in all of the
district’s kindergarten classrooms to help children develop the underlying skills
required for tasks such as handwriting and cutting. Kindergarten teachers and
occupational therapists will work collaboratively under the direction of Dr. Laurie Olson
(the district’s supervisor for occupational therapy) to set up this early-intervention
program.
Water and Sand Tables for Kindergarten Classrooms Chatsworth
The five kindergarten classes at Chatsworth will be equipped with new water/sand
tables and accessories including pulleys, funnels, multilevel flow pans, and extensive
tubing networks. As part of the science curriculum, this equipment will allow children to
explore cause-and-effect relationships and make connections to real-world
experiences, i.e., the natural flow of water in a sink or bathtub, the waves in the ocean
and the basic properties of sand and water.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Creative and Contemporary Dance All Elementary and Hommocks
This district-wide grant will expose all K – 8 students to the performing arts through
instruction by professional dance teachers from Dance Cavise, a reputable local studio.
The program enriches the physical education curriculum by utilizing music and dance
as a creative and enjoyable alternative to sports for physical activity.
Music for Movement Chatsworth, Mamaroneck Ave. and Murray Ave.
An iPod and docking station, along with music in the form of gift cards or internet credit,
will be purchased for use by the traveling phys. ed. teacher. As music is an integral part
of the elementary school physical education program, this will allow for the purchase,
cataloging, programming and play of music for movement in the Chatsworth,
Mamaroneck Ave. and Murray schools.
Softball Complex Enhancement District-Wide
This grant will provide enhancements to the softball field at Central School. Since its
opening, this field has been used by both varsity and JV girls’ modified softball, as well
as Little League softball and baseball teams throughout the spring, summer and fall.
The grant will be used to create easy-access walkways along the first and third base
sides of the field, clear and level the spectator areas, and remove unwanted weeds and
vegetation. MSF was a major source of funding for the creation of this field, and this
grant helps put the finishing touches on this well-used school and community resource.
SPECIAL EDUCATION
Music Therapy Mamaroneck Ave.
A six-week program will be funded to evaluate the use of music therapy with some of
the school’s most disabled students. The Music Therapy Institute at the Music
Conservatory of Westchester will offer group and individual sessions with students,
teacher training, and parent workshops. Musical instruments and recording equipment
are included in the funding.
Manhattanville College Partnership for School Aides and Teaching Assistants
District-wide
This grant funds full-day training workshops for Special Education aides and teaching
assistants, to be held on the four Superintendent Conference Days during the 2008-09
school year. The workshop sessions will be run by professors from the Special
Education Department at Manhattanville College.
MISCELLANEOUS
“Stay Connected With Your Teen” Parenting Group Hommocks & High School
As a complement to current parent workshops conducted in English, this grant will
provide a parent support group/workshop for Spanish-speaking parents led by a
Spanish- speaking counselor. There will be separate groups for Hommocks and High
School parents. The objective of this program is for parents to improve communication
with their children, increase their understanding of adolescent issues and become
more effective at managing behavior issues at home.
Class Amplification Through Microphones Murray Ave.
This grant funds six wireless microphone systems at the Murray Avenue School to be
piloted in two classrooms each for grades 1, 3, and 5. These amplification systems are
used throughout the country to help enhance the audio quality in the classroom and
improve the learning environment. Students benefit from the use of sound-field
amplification as the level of the teacher's voice over the ambient noise is increased.
Long-range benefits include improved student attention, higher test scores, and a
reduction in special education referrals.
Fiscal Accountability: Expenditure Projections District-Wide
This grant will pay for training for the members of the Citizens Financial Advisory
Committee (CFAC) to be able to make reliable, ongoing five-year projections of
expenditures for the school district. This will help fulfill the community’s request that the
district make more reliable budget projections and share them with the community.
Indoor Seating High School
Six benches will be placed in pairs in the Post Road building, on the third-floor landing,
outside the computer room, and near the counselors’ offices. The benches will
promote conversation between students in a more congenial environment and improve
the overall aesthetic appearance of the campus.
Mamaroneck Schools Foundation Post Office Box 123 Larchmont, New York 10538
copyright 2008 Mamaroneck Schools Foundation
Privacy Statement
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