Elementary Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Newton Schools Foundation

Assistive Technology Professional Development

Assistive Technology Professional Development new

This grant will provide funding for professional development in assistive technology for an educator seeking to learn new tools and strategies. As the sole specialist in my district, I need to expand my knowledge to better support high-needs students in accessing the full curriculum. The proposed project aligns with the funding criteria for professional development by enhancing my knowledge and skills in AT, which will improve my ability to support students with complex needs. Through targeted training, I will gain expertise in the latest tools and strategies, allowing me to implement evidence-based solutions that promote student success.

Applicant: Kayla McAlister

Schools: Williams

Date Approved: Fall 2024

Amount: $849

Spring Mental Health Summit

The Mental Health Summit is in its 2nd year. Offered twice a year to the ~130 mental health professionals district-wide for a day of learning and community building. It’s become a much-anticipated space and time …

Spring Mental Health Summit

The Mental Health Summit is in its 2nd year. Offered twice a year to the ~130 mental health professionals district-wide for a day of learning and community building. It's become a much-anticipated space and time for our folks! Our mental health professionals play an integral role in the culture and climate of our buildings and classrooms. The mental health summit, as reported overwhelmingly in feedback surveys afterwards, feeds their souls professionally, deepens their current practice, and provides space for professional improvement with like-roles. Staff who feel supported and joyful are better prepared to provide the same environment for students and their colleagues!

Applicant: Casey Ngo-Miller

Schools: District-wide

Date Approved: Fall 2024

Amount: $10,000

Professional Learning Communities – Creating the Foundation For Personalized Student Support

Train principals to then train teacher teams in their buildings on the expectations for robust Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) work and outcomes.

Professional Learning Communities – Creating the Foundation For Personalized Student Support new

Train principals to then train teacher teams in their buildings on the expectations for robust Professional Learning Communities (PLC) and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) work and outcomes.

Applicant: Anna Nolin

Schools: District-wide

Date Approved: Spring 2025

Amount: $34,832

Story Starters

Story Starters new

This program seeks to thoughtfully provide resources (books) and strategies to families to engage in conversations about race at home to support our collective work as a school community. Story Starters will offer its 8-week Family Conversations program to families at Ward and Mason-Rice. Families will receive books on topics of racial identity and parent discussion guides. The program includes on-site family events and online parent workshops. We will have participating families join together for this program. Each school will host one in-person family event for all participating families, and adults from both school communities will have online learning opportunities.

Applicant: Jake Bultema & Becca Brodadir

Schools: Mason Rice & Ward Elementary Schools

Date Approved: Spring 2025

Amount: $2,925.60

National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention

The NCTE Convention is an annual event for ELA and literacy educators held all over the country. This November it will be in Boston, providing an excellent opportunity for NPS literacy educators to attend a …

National Council of Teachers of English Annual Convention

Literacy experts, researchers, & practitioners lead sessions in these strands:
Early Literacy - situated in social, historical, & cultural contexts.
Professional Development
LGBTQIA - critical pedagogy, and democratic teaching practices. Sessions encourage a broad definition of diversity and creation of safer, more inclusive schools
National Writing Project writing strand
Strand on issues, strategies regarding teaching and affirming BIPOC & ELL students
Research Strand - original research studies

Applicant: Deana Lew

Schools: Elementary

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $8,250

Deepening Teachers’ Math Content Knowledge

Teachers will work on math activities and examine case studies. Teachers will develop skills to identify the next step for each student and be able to formulate effective questions to push students of all levels to a deeper understanding. This will provide a meaningful professional development opportunity for teachers. Engaging in math with other adults and deepening one’s understanding of math concepts helps teachers to be prepared to challenge the range of learners in their class.

Applicant: Kelly Gartside

Schools: Memorial-Spaulding

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $4,536.28

Using a Trauma Informed and Culturally Responsive Approach for Behavioral Interventions

This project will extend training provided through a 2023 NSF grant to increase the knowledge and skills of staff in selecting and implementing behavior interventions that are Trauma Informed, Culturally Responsive, and Neurodivergent positive. Many practices used to address students’ behavioral challenges are no longer appropriate because they do not consider the cultural variables, cognitive variations, or potential trauma histories of students. This project will allow NPS to target professional training and support to specific staff (with a focus on Unit C staff) to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge to select and implement interventions that are Trauma Informed, Culturally Responsive, and Neurodivergent positive.

Applicant: James Ellis

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $8,350

Instructional Coaching Impact Cycle Professional Development

The goal of the workshop is for our team to learn how to leverage Jim Knight’s “Impact Cycle” model to grow student achievement. It aligns with the NPS goal of Academic Excellence by impacting Tier 1 instruction, improving student learning for all students, aligning with Educational Equity. The coaching model is dialogical, emphasizing CRI moves, trauma-Informed practices, and SEI tools. This workshop will increase our ability to collaborate and create a culture of learning in a meaningful way.

Applicant: Jen Terrazzino

Schools: Lincoln Eliot

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $1,884

Family Conversations: A Home and School Partnership

Countryside and Burr Elementary Schools and Newton South Preschool will host site-based racial literacy programming for students ages 3-8 years old and their caregivers in Fall 2024 in partnership with Story Starters Research shows that educational equity in younger ages is most likely to be successful when parents are involved and community norms are strong. This project would target the critical developmental window -- ages 3-8 -- when parents have a significant impact on their children's beliefs about race. All children benefit from belonging to anti-racist communities, since they acquire racial knowledge from community standards and conventions. (Hirschfeld, 2012). , a Newton nonprofit.

Applicant: Mindy Johal & Beth Herlihy

Schools: Burr & Countryside & Preschool

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $4,350.80

Elementary Adaptive Art Planning and Professional Development

Elementary schools with a citywide program will offer adaptive art in the 2024-25 school year. Visual Art teachers and Occupational Therapists require summer professional development and consultation to prepare for the launch of this initiative. The summer curriculum writing and professional development will include the Bowen art teacher sharing the work documented during the pilot and the adaptations created by the Cabot visual art teacher where no adaptive art experience occurred. Liz Loya is a consultant from CAST with expertise in Universal Design for Learning and adaptive art She will assist the art teachers and OTs design approaches for implementing an adaptive art program that will meet the needs of diverse learners.

Applicant: Richard King

Schools: Elementary

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $5,650

Psychology Department Book Study

Psychologists will continue our goal of reducing bias in assessment & counseling by reading over the summer and meeting in the fall to discuss and apply learnings in order to design more inclusive comprehensive evaluation and counseling processes. Earlier this year we read Systemic Racism and Educational Measurement: Confronting Injustice in Testing, Assessment, and Beyond, and met with the author for discussion. This led to additional thoughtful departmental discussions about bias in psychological assessments, and allowed us to review our practices and to collaborate on best practices for inclusive, comprehensive assessment and counseling practices which creates more educational equity for all students. We want to continue this work.

Applicant: Jordanna L'Esperance & Toni-Marie Kelly

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: 1,000

Digital Citizenship Tech Cards and Literature

We request culturally diverse picture books to address digital citizenship/wellness & online safety. We will select 2 books/grade level & visit classes. We will create grade level digital citizenship conversation cards for teachers to use weekly. This project closely aligns with NSF's strategic goals of innovative classroom approaches and equitable education. By introducing digital citizenship concepts consistently across grade levels through discussion cards and engaging picture books, we are trying a new approach to empower teachers to confidently discuss these vital topics, contributing to the professional growth of Newton educators and the social emotional growth and digital wellness of all elementary students.

Applicant: Donna Busa

Schools: Elementary

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $4,000