Past Grants Awarded by the Foundation

This grant will support the Emerging Technology Lab at the High School by integrating a laser engraver to create innovation and creativity across disciplines.  With its precise and versatile capabilities, the laser engraver would empower students and faculty alike to explore a variety of projects from intricate prototypes to personalized designs.

This grant will help bring the Challenge Day program to HTHS and RMS.  Challenge Day is a high-energy, powerful program designed to increase self-esteem, build empathy, and improve school community. 

This proposal will provide tools and equipment to support general education students at Edison in the areas of fine motor, gross motor, and sensory processing with the goal of increased student performance and decreased referrals for intervention. 

This grant will bring eight new hot plates to the high school chemistry classes.  The newer technology allows for safer and more effective laboratory procedures.

This project will provide additional equipment at HTHS and RMS for specialized sessions in auditory and visual mindfulness and relaxation techniques that promote mental well-being, reduce anxiety, and enhance concentration. 

This popular program at Van Sciver uses duck egg hatching and accompanying activities to enhance the preschool and elementary curriculum in the areas of expressive and receptive language, science, and inclusion. 

This proposal will bring accessible and space-saving seating to the preschool programs at Edison and Stoy.  Leveled seating benches will support the program’s Creative Curriculum during morning meetings, circle time, and read-alouds.  This type of seating promotes core strength and accounts for students of differing sizes.

This proposal brings specialized cube chairs, mats, and beanbag chairs to Van Sciver’s K-2 special education self-contained classroom.  The adaptive seating will support sensory, gross motor, and behavioral support.

This proposal supports the Student Ambassadors program at HTHS by providing identifying shirts and lanyards for student mentors.  These students assist the incoming freshman in navigating the transition from middle school to high school.

This proposal provides an engaging and accessible work surface to support small group instruction in Van Sciver’s 3-5 special education self-contained classroom. This learning set-up will allow students to easily share, explain, and revise their thinking while collaborating with peers.

The objective of this proposal is to provide multisensory activities during structured and unstructured learning at Jennings.  The entire school population will benefit from game and fitness activities that can be used during indoor recess and community events as well as classroom learning.

This project seeks to help the Odyssey of the Mind Club get started at RMS.  OM is an international program designed to help students grow as individual learning and as team members to develop and use their natural creativity to solve problems.

This proposal brings a set of Wonderbooks, print books with a ready-to-play audiobook inside, to the Kindergarten classroom at Edison.  Individual or small groups of students use their headphones to plug in to a book with real pages, words and illustrations allowing readers to learn and practice the concepts of print while also hearing how a fluent reader sounds.

This project will establish a set of TimeKettle translation earbuds to support the district’s growing ELL population.  When not receiving ELL teacher instruction in a small group setting, these students are participating in the general education setting.  The devices would provide support in the students’ native language which would then allow for increased understanding and interaction. 

This proposal brings hands-on learning to HTHS’s Biology classes.  These three dimensional molecular models will help teach difficult concepts of systems too small to see with microscopes or the naked eye such as the chemical structure of DNA and RNA, the steps of DNA replication, and making proteins.

This project will transform classroom chairs into functional works of art created by HTHS art students.  Participating students will experience an engaging and sensory activity that will address critical thinking, practical application, and collaboration to create a lasting product meant to enhance the art classroom environment in a meaningful and useful way. 

This proposal provides literacy kits to be used with the Kindergarten intervention program.  At risk students can engage in multisensory activities to practice letter names, sounds, and formation at home using a variety of hands-on materials.  In addition, the kits include videos and written instructions to help parents reinforce these beginning literacy skills with their children. 

The objectives of this proposal are centered around strengthening the social-emotional skills set of students at RMS.  The project will outfit an area of the classroom which can be used for smaller group instruction, independent study, and managing sensory needs.  Materials will include flexible seating, a lego wall, and a sensory panel.  Students will be able to practice mindfulness techniques, access occupational therapy equipment, and participate in independent activities to help alleviate stress and refocus energy.

This project seeks to combine physical activity and academic skills in an outdoor setting at Jennings.  The plan is to paint a number line, number grid, and alphabet dragon on the blacktop area in order to promote number and letter literacy. As a bonus, once installed at Jennings, the stencils can be shared with the other elementary schools.

This proposal contracts with the CareSolace agency to provide the coordination of mental health treatment for families within the Haddon Township School District.  Haddon Township families and faculty will have access to a mental health treatment coordinator who can facilitate timely and organized mental health services when needed.

This project will establish two sensory locations, one indoor and one outdoor, at Stoy.  The main purpose is to provide students with tactile, visual, and auditory opportunities for exploration and engagement in calming mindfulness activities.  This initiative will be available to the entire student population of Stoy and will support students’ self-actualization and self-regulation which in turn will increase focus. It will also provide additional resources for OT, PT, and counseling services.

This proposal will bring comprehensive rocks and minerals kits to HTHS students. These kits are meant to expand upon the current unit and will provide exemplars, testing kits, and hands-on assessments.  The materials are reusable and will benefit both current and future students. 

This proposal brings a virtual presentation to students in grades 3-5 at all five elementary schools that focuses on developing positive digital citizenship skills.  Following the presentation, teachers can continue to revisit the learning goals as technology is used in the classroom as well as incorporating principles within character education lessons. As an added benefit, teachers and students K-2 will also have access to the digital learning library.

The goal of this proposal is to create a sensory path at Van Sciver that can be utilized by all students for movement breaks and sensory needs.  Aside from the release of excess energy, sensory play helps develop children’s motor skills, balance, hand-eye coordination, spatial awareness, and imagination. Research supports that movement-based activities improve youths’ physical and mental health, learning, executive functioning, memory, on-task behavior, and overall academic performance. 

The BreakoutEDU materials and subscription will allow teachers the opportunity to present content to students while enhancing opportunities to foster student collaboration, problem solving, and communication. The objective is to use the BreakoutEDU resources to develop and present students with games and challenges fostering an immersive educational experience which couples curricular content with 21st century skills within developed activities. This program will benefit RMS staff and students in each grade level. 

The objective of this program is to teach children how to calm their bodies and process their emotions so they can learn and grow. The classroom calming corner would integrate the "Time- In'' program by Generation Mindful which includes posters, mindfulness cards, feeling cards, strategy cards, Generation Mindful read aloud book and a snuggle buddy. This program will benefit Edison kindergarten students. 

This proposal will purchase three electronic balances that can offer quick and accurate measurements of mass. Three electronic balances are needed in order to maintain proper social distancing and sanitation and will also function well in future settings where students conduct laboratory investigations in small groups. These balances will be critical in investigations conducted in both Chemistry and Conceptual Physical Science, benefiting staff and students at HTHS. 

This proposal will provide activity sets for eight classic stories with the goal of increasing student engagement and language skills through story retelling with puppets, story props, and sequencing activities. Kits can be shared in the self-contained, resource room, and therapy settings to benefit the young learners at Van Sciver. 

This project will establish a social-emotional corner in the RMS/HTHS media center with the goal of strengthening the social emotional skill set of students. A re-imagined area of the media center will be dedicated to relieving stress and anxiety with resources for mindfulness, journaling, zentangle coloring, model-magic clay, and more. 

Nonfiction, current, popular texts are incorporated into the AP Biology class at HTHS. The use of nonfiction text allows the introduction of a variety of science concepts and also fosters literacy skills. Each chapter will serve as a case study detailing how human activity impacts a species. 

Drones are coming to the RMS 8W team in a cross-curricular initiative. This program will use a combination of interactive lessons, concept explanation, videos, puzzles, and DIY projects to teach coding. In addition, this program will build and reinforce STEM skills in geometry, art, math, and science. 

This project will bring together the physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science classes at HTHS with the goal of students understanding how light interacts with and changes the world around them. The classes for each discipline will be involved in one or more aspects of the scientific study and will take advantage of the greenhouse and courtyard. 

The anatomy and physiology classes offered at HTHS will purchase a human sexless model that has 16 dissectable parts and clearly shows the three-dimensional relationship of organs and supporting structures. The opportunity to work with such a model allows high school students to experience a course structure more aligned to a college-level A&P class. It will also help prepare students for the capstone mink dissection at the end of the course. 

This double proposal will bring a sensory path at the Edison and Strawbridge elementary schools. Sensory paths provide a series of movements that are designed to release blocked neurological pathways and allow the body and brain to refocus. This project will directly benefit identified students with sensory disorders currently receiving services in the general education setting, but will also be accessible to general education students. 

This proposal will bring unique, efficient, and safe learning opportunities in the Grade 6 Science classroom at RMS. By upgrading the design of the physical classroom space, STEM focused lockable wheeled tables provide more flexible seating options for a range of movement, positions, and functions. 

The Stoy Library Club has been created as part of a parent-teacher committee. After planning and procuring funds from the Stoy PTA to increase the book selection, the Library Club adult members and the 5th grade students researched seating scenarios to bring flexible learning spaces to the library. The students then wrote persuasive essays explaining the proposal. This grant will allow the purchase of their requested core seating area furniture. 

This proposal is requesting materials to help art students design and create a mural at the bottom of the main stairwell. 

Fifth grade team to build classroom library and implement book clubs for a cross-curricular approach to studying history through nonfiction texts and historical fiction. Will benefit 60 current 5th graders and then future classes. 

Classroom center dedicated to exploring hands-on science using specimens, making observations, and conducting investigations. Will benefit students in the special education classroom and Pre-K inclusion classes from year to year. 

Combining literacy with science and math through selected fiction and nonfiction text. Will benefit current 42 current 1st graders and then future classes. 

Request for iPad compatible microphones, portable recording stations, and a green screen to enhance classroom curriculum and technology. Equipment will integrate technology into projects and activities across all subject areas. Will benefit current 5th graders and then future classes. Opportunity to be shared with other grade levels as well. 

Teaching biotech skills using real world scenarios through lab kits. Will allow for hands-on learning with realistic equipment versus paper modeling. The forensic crime lab kit will enhance requirements for AP Biology and the Business and Personal Law classes. 

Project to serve at-risk students with material to practice math skills over the summer. Math games and materials would be available to “check-out” in library fashion providing engaging, hands-on activities in lieu of worksheets. Will benefit K-5 students across the district from year to year. 

Program to enhance high school English students’ understandings of Shakespeare through a presentation brought to the school by the Philadelphia Shakespeare Society. Students have the opportunity to view a play and then interact with the actors and director. 

Requesting 6 standing easels to support HS Art classes. Standing easels enhance the student artists’ perspective and accuracy. Will benefit 64 current HS students and then future classes. 

This project enhances the curriculum and supports the standards by providing multi-sensory learning opportunities related to letter and word fluency. Hands-on materials for kinesthetic activities such as mats, trace & write, and snap cards to promote learning. Will benefit current K-2 students district wide from year to year 

Funded expenses for 5K Run, participated in by Stoy and Jennings Fitness Club members and family. The Run is the culmination of a 10 week after-school program with a workout followed by talks focused on positive aspects of teamwork. 

Purchased materials, including plants, seeds, dirt, shovels and gloves, for Jennings after-school Garden Buddies Club, which involves students in landscaping activities during the Spring, Summer & Fall seasons at the school. 

The purpose of this “Hatching Duck Eggs” project is to support younger special needs students in the self-contained special needs classrooms and reach further into the school community to participate in a 2 week long project focused on science concepts and the “Character Counts Pillars” of responsibility and caring. 

Funding for entire Stoy student body to participate in a day-long GET MOTIVATED EVENT (Mindfulness, Optimism, Tolerance, Intention, Values, Action, Truth, Elevating Others, Determination) dedicated to Brenda Schuck in remembrance of her son Naoki Kurimoto. Students will read Wishtree by Katherine Applegate and rotate through 6 activity stations relating to the central theme. 

Funded program allowing 7th grade students to learn Java Script programming through the Sphero mini robot and accompanying Ipad app. Program nurtures students’ imagination by incorporating robotics and technology with collaborative STEAM activities. 

Project will allow students to participate in the design and execution of the mural symbolizing the ideals of play, wonder, joy and acceptance