Make It Stick-Using Magnetic Letters At Home: Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant
Liliana Gomez, bilingual reading specialist at Lower Laurel Elementary School, was awarded a Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant during the 2022-2023 school year. Her project, Make It Stick-Using Magnetic Letters At Home, aims to provide families with students who need additional reading intervention and support with tools they can use at home to make learning phonics meaningful and fun. The Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant provided the funding for Ms. Gomez to purchase magnetic letters, a magnetic whiteboard, expo markers, erasers, and flashcards, which she made into kits for families to take home. Here’s what Ms.Gomez had to say about this project: “The best part was to be able to connect personally with families and share some practical and engaging ideas they can take home and apply immediately. It was very powerful for parents to see how to use the tools in the moment during the demo lesson with students in both English and Spanish. In addition to this, participants were able to take the tools home. They didn't have to order or go to a store to buy them.”
The Squirrel Zen Den: Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant
Leigh Wilson, counselor at Laurel Upper Elementary School was awarded a Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant during the 2022-2023 school year. Her project, The Squirrel Zen Den: Laurel’s Indoor/Outdoor Wellness Center, aims to be a place for the healthy reset so many of our students need during the school day, helping them with stress management and self regulation. Ms. Wilson noticed that when multiple students needed her support at the same time, it was not feasible to have them all in her small office space at once. With the funds provided by the Jeanie Ritchie Grant program, Ms. Wilson has “extended” her office by utilizing an unused breezeway along with the adjacent patio, and created an indoor/outdoor Wellness Center available to students nearly all day, and specifically during recess.
Here’s what Ms.Wilson had to say about this project: “I feel so fortunate that this grant can provide a safe and supportive space for our students at Laurel. Sometimes our students just need a break or a change of scenery to regulate their emotions, then quickly get back to learning. They are welcomed into this calm space to do just that. They set the magnetic timer on the wall for five minutes, roll out a yoga mat and stretch, have a cup of tea while they read a favorite book, work on the puzzle of the week, water the plants, color a mindfulness activity, or stretch their mind with a brain teaser. We have such a variety of choices that there really is something for everyone.”
Your Empowered Self: Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant
Jacky Schlegel, 6th grade Humanities teacher for the Olympus Academy at Hillview Middle School, was awarded a Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant during the 2022-2023 school year. Her project, Your Empowered Self, aims for students to better understand how thoughts, feelings, and behavior impact each other. With this increased awareness, the goal is for students to take ownership in using new tools to increase their resilience and compassion. Since the fall, students have experienced a monthly workshop with a guest speaker focused on one or more of the Hillview 5 core skills: Curiosity, Critical thinking, Compassion, Ownership, and Resilience.
Here’s what Ms. Schlegel had to say about this project: “It has been really exciting to see the progress students are making this year, through the monthly lessons which are then reinforced in the Humanities Core classroom (Ms. Ellis and myself) using activities like community circles and Mood Meter check-ins. It can be uncomfortable and nerve wracking for anyone to discuss topics like our feelings, but it is really rewarding to build trust with our students and create a community of sharing, where students are comfortable enough to engage in these lessons and share openly.”
Biolumunescence, Glowing Animals - Glorious & Grewsome: Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant
Steffany Cressey, 2nd grade teacher at Oak Knoll Elementary School, in collaboration with teachers Allison Howard, Joyce Chan & Sara Barlett were awarded a Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant during the 2022-2023 school year. This project, Bioluminescene, Glowing Animals - Glorious & Grewsome, aimed to have students explore and more deeply understand animals that glow in the dark. Students studied luminescence, light and reflection as well as drew scientific diagrams, used maps to mark habitats and created paintings and models. Small groups of students researched and wrote about their findings and presented to the other second grade classes. Final projects were viewed by students’ important adults and friends during the culminating event ”Glowing: Gruesome and Glorious Projects and Art Gallery. ”
Celebrating Diversity Through Art: Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant
Rachel Naishtut, 3rd grade teacher at Encinal Elementary School, was awarded a Jeanie Ritchie Grant during the 2022-2023 school year. Her project, Celebrating Diversity Through Art, aimed to broaden students' appreciation and understanding of various cultures within the United States through an introduction of artists and their artwork. And then as part of the project, the goal was for students to create connections and grow appreciation for the cultures by creating their own works of art inspired by the artists. The teachers leading the project - which included Larra Olson, Esme Collier, Martha Barragan, and Georgia Walton - introduced one artist for each of 6 months during this school year that aligned with a designated cultural celebration. For example, for the month of May which aligns with Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month, the students were introduced to artist Bernice Akamine. Here’s what Ms. Naishtut had to say about her project: “Our students have learned about artists with very different backgrounds that work in a variety of artistic mediums. It has been a pleasure then watching them engage with the art and develop their own creative styles.”
Beyond the Comic Book: Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant
Jacky Schlegel, humanities teacher at Hillview Middle School, in collaboration with teacher Libby Ellis, Mrs. Schlegel introduced students to “Beyond the Comic Book,” an innovative approach to the traditional book club. Through “Beyond the Comic Book,” students had the opportunity to participate in a “book tasting” to sample many different books before being assigned to a book club. This was a Jeanie Ritchie Innovation Grant that was awarded during the 2021-2022 school year.
For the book tasting, the library was transformed into a reading cafe! At tables outfitted with checkered tablecloths and a healthy snack, students sampled the first 1-2 chapters of each book and then completed their "menus." The menu was each student’s top three picks for which book they want to be assigned for their upcoming book club. Each student was then placed in a group where everyone read the same book together. The book clubs delve into the essential question of who is or is not a hero and help the students with the project’s goal of learning more about our world through varied points of view, while enhancing their English Language Arts skills. Here’s what Mrs. Schlegel had to say about her grant project: “Book tastings have been a great way to gain interest from students and sample books in a short period of time. This project has encouraged, motivated and inspired students. In the book clubs, students work collaboratively and build meaning and make connections through discussion. And since our book club took place on the first day of the Lunar New Year, I brought in Mandarin oranges as our cafe treat!”