Innovation Archives - Newton Schools Foundation

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

SEL Preschool Pals

For this project, I am asking for access to Al’s Pals SEL curriculum for use with my afternoon inclusion preschool students who are specifically working on social skills and emotion regulation. I plan to use Al’s Pals with my afternoon preschool students, who particularly struggle with emotion regulation and social conflicts. As a school, NECP has begun examining SEL curriculum with an anti-ableist lens. Al’s Pals is an innovative curriculum that directly addresses Adverse Childhood Experiences, student diversity, and aligns with neurodiversity affirming practices. These are the areas my students are struggling with the most and where many other curriculum fails to address.

Applicant: Darcy Howell

Schools: NECP

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $1,225.70

Co-Teacher Development Pilot Program

We are piloting a program for co-teachers to improve practices. We aim to shift the culture to one that increases parity in co-teaching relationships and provides opportunities for collaboration, collective resources and professional development. While co-teaching is not a new model, approaching co-teaching holistically and collaboratively will give educators opportunities to approach their pedagogy differently. By piloting different models of co-teaching, teachers and Unit C staff will use their strengths in tandem, further developing professional skills. Refining the co-teaching dynamic will add to the educational experience for students. Effective collaboration will increase equity and accessibility for students.

Applicant: Emily Shire and Lillian Robinson

Schools: NSHS

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $9,247.08

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

Professional Development- Keys to Literacy

I would like to bring Keys to Literacy, a PD program, to the science department at NNHS. I have taken PD through them in my previous district and believe they would be helpful to teachers.…

Professional Development- Keys to Literacy

I would like to bring Keys to Literacy, a PD program, to the science department at NNHS. I have taken PD through them in my previous district and believe they would be helpful to teachers. The Keys to Literacy program is Professional Development that provide a framework for teaching comprehension strategies and vocabulary routines. I think these strategies would be particularly helpful for our multilevel teachers in the North science department. We have a wide range of skills in the ML classrooms, including ELs and students with disabilities. Many of the techniques shown in the PD show scaffolding that would help a teacher in the multilevel setting. achers in multilevel classes.

Applicant: Melanie Pennison

Schools: NNHS

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $1,950

Igniting a Writing Revolution

We will conduct a book-study on “The Writing Revolution 2.0,” with the aim of developing consistent writing scaffolds that can be explicitly taught in the special ed. classroom and generalized to the general ed. setting.

Igniting a Writing Revolution

Applicant: Caitlin Irwin

Schools: Oak Hill & District Special Ed. Programs

Date Approved: Spring 2024

Amount: $245

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

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

Cultivating Library Researchers: Fueling Research Skills with PearDeck for K-5 Library Teachers

This application requests funding for PearDeck access for four K-5 library teachers with the aim of enhancing students’ research skills and facilitating data comparison across their four schools while implementing a new research curriculum. Integrating …

Cultivating Library Researchers: Fueling Research Skills with PearDeck for K-5 Library Teachers

This application requests funding for PearDeck access for four K-5 library teachers with the aim of enhancing students' research skills and facilitating data comparison across their four schools while implementing a new research curriculum. Integrating a digital tool like PearDeck offers added support, aiding library teachers in tracking student progress and making personalized adjustments. Implementing common assessments at specific points in research units will enable modifications. Furthermore, in our PLC meetings, we will analyze the data and develop RTI activities to ensure all students meet their objectives. Finally, we will share with our Department best practices and newly updated lessons for teaching research.

Applicant: Eileen Keane

Schools: Elementary

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $600

Strengthening Inclusion and SEL: In-class Break Spaces 2 (expansion)

The project aims to obtain additional materials to already successful “Calm Corner” spaces. The current project has been hugely successful and the team recognizes the need for additional materials. "Calm Corners" allow students to remain in their learning environment while they are regulating their bodies and emotions. Seeing other students using the same space and tools allows students to recognize feelings are universal--we all need a calm corner sometimes. This program is innovative in its approach and in the fact that these corners are available in every classroom as well as every special. No matter who you are or where you are, the tools are available to everyone.

Applicant: Emily Josephsohn

Schools: Burr

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $ 1501.54

Futuring: Developing the Next Strategic Plan for the Newton Public Schools

After a 4-part session to develop a Profile of a Newton Graduate, the district and stakeholder groups will work to develop a 3-5 year strategic plan for the district. The entire school community would be affected and enhanced by a new strategic plan, but we aspire to 50 community members participating in the stakenolder engagement part of strategic planning.

Applicant: Anna Nolin

Schools: District Wide

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $16,800

Fine Arts for All

In 2021 we applied for and were approve for a grant that allowed us to expand our inventory of adapted musical equipment to be used at NECP. We want to expand on that project by …

Fine Arts for All

In 2021 we applied for and were approve for a grant that allowed us to expand our inventory of adapted musical equipment to be used at NECP. We want to expand on that project by acquiring accessible art materials to ensure access for all learners. In preschool, the bulk of curriculum is delivered through art and music. For students with limited motor movement, they often lack the ability to participate independently in curriculum activities because of the lack of adaptive equipment. By acquiring adapted art and music equipment, students with significant disabilities will have the opportunity to be able to participate independently with their peers, ensuring social-emotional wellbeing, educational equity, and academic excellence.

Applicant: Ashley Raven, Emily Nunes, and Kayla McAlister

Schools: NECP

Date Approved: Fall 2023

Amount: $2,487.40