Schools
Education Foundation Awards $143,145 For Teacher Grants
The Education Foundation of Sarasota County announced grants totaling $143,145 for 164 classroom projects developed by teachers from 37 public schools in the district.
More than 260 teachers, sponsors, volunteers, and school district leaders celebrated the 23rd anniversary of the Classroom Grant Awards Dec. 6 at Michael’s on East.
Susan Scott and Peter Hayes of the Education Foundation of Sarasota County announced grants totaling $143,145 for 164 classroom projects developed by teachers from 37 public schools in the district.
Argosy University sponsored the evening’s reception and presented the fifth annual Argosy Principal’s Award. The award honors the principal whose school submitted the most proposals by faculty size. Dr. George Spagnola, Chairman of Argosy’s College of Education, presented a check for $500 to Teresa Morey, representing Gulf Gate Elementary principal Robin Magac.
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Schools superintendent Lori White welcomed the enthusiastic audience, saying that she could feel the day’s stress melt away as she arrived.
“What is it about this event that makes me reflect and remember why I am in this profession? It is the community members who are willing to give their dollars,” she said. “Most of all, this event is about teachers who care so much about their students that they strive to go beyond what the district can provide and seek this extra funding for their classrooms.”
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Jim and Jean Henry joined Scott onstage to close the ceremonies with a final drawing. Henry drew the name of Suncoast Polytech’s Ricardo Bellon, who received the Rotary Club of Sarasota's Jim & Jean Henry Teacher's Award, a no-strings cash gift of $500.
Hayes, chairman of the Education Foundation’s board, traced the history of the group’s classroom grant programs. In 1990, founders awarded the first grants totaling $6,000 to thirteen teachers. Since then, the Education Foundation has awarded over $2.67 million for 4,328 projects designed by teachers and teacher teams. Many of the most creative and effective projects are replicated in by other educators over the years, expanding the impact of each grant.
All Sarasota County K-12 public school teachers are eligible to apply for awards of up to $500 through the Edge of Excellence Classroom Grants program. These funds go beyond what school budgets can provide, giving teachers the tools, materials and supplies they need to develop innovative enrichment projects and try new teaching techniques.
The Education Foundation raises the funds, sponsors proposal-writing workshops for teachers, and organizes community grant-reading sessions where 200 volunteers evaluate the teachers’ requests each fall. Grant reading sessions gave citizens a glimpse into area classrooms and a chance to learn more about current trends and challenges in teaching. Northern Trust hosted two days of grant readings at its Venice and Sarasota branches in October.
Teachers were also eligible to apply for larger awards through the Education Foundation’s Exploration Grants program. Area arts, history and science organizations have developed educational experiences tied to state academic standards and curriculum plans.
These “explorations” are posted on a public website, EdExploreSRQ.com, which was launched last summer by Sarasota County Schools and The Patterson Foundation’s Cultural Connections with Students Initiative. Teachers use the website to find exciting experiences – educational field trips, performances, classroom visits with artists and scientists, video-conferencing – that meet state instructional requirements and help students learn the content they are expected to master each year.
Exploration Grants help teachers make these experiences possible for their students. Grants of up to $1,500 and expanded grants of up to $5,000 are awarded to teachers who develop the most compelling proposals for student learning based on EdExploreSRQ.com experiences.
To inspire further generosity, The Patterson Foundation (TPF) continues to match new or increased philanthropic gifts for Exploration Grants from individuals, families, companies, clubs and associations over the next two years, up to a total of $500,000. According to TPF’s initiative manager, Dr. Laurey Stryker, half of the match will fund current grants. The other half will seed an endowment to sustain these grants in the future.
Funding for Edge of Excellence and Exploration Grants is provided by individual donors, civic groups, corporations, and foundation sponsors. More than $205,000 has been raised to date for this year’s grants and future year grants, program production expenses, and program endowment.
Principal sponsors of Edge of Excellence Grants are the Bank of America Client Foundation, Howard C. Etson Memorial Fund and Virginia White Clark Fund. Sponsors of multiple grants include Amscot’s "Just A Dollar" Campaign, Jerry and Nancy Kaplan and the Abe & Catherine Kaplan Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County from the Kennedy Family Donor Advised Fund, The Koski Family Foundation, The Community Foundation of Sarasota County from the Betsy Mitchell Family Fund, David A. and Jean A. Mitchell, The Morin Family, Susan and Phil Morris, William and Carol Muth in memory of Mrs. Eileen Muth and Mrs. Margaret Clark, Betty and Stanley Pelletz, John and Ann Ross / The Tracy Ross Memorial Trust, Sarasota Classified/Teachers Association, Smally Family Land Corporation, Sun Hydraulics Corporation, Jon F. Swift, Inc. and the Swift Family Foundation, Tandem Construction, Inc., The Community Foundation of Sarasota County from the Ella A. Wiselogel Fund for Teachers, and Caroline and Michael Zucker.
Sponsors of individual grants include Dr. Megan Mrstik Bogart, Laura Breeze and Van Huff, Mike and Evelyn Bryant, Fay K. Donaldson in memory of Warren Donaldson, Amy Donner and David Mann, Tricia L. Fulton, Cheryl and Scott Gordon, The Jelks Family Foundation, Jeff and Cindy Kaiser, the Kingsley Family, Eloise Malinsky, Helen C. Martin, Marcia McLaughlin - Re/Max Alliance Group, Alice W. Rau Charitable Trust of the Gulf Coast Community Foundation, Susan and John Scott, Dr. Carolyn Trohoski and Norbert Trohoski.
Top Exploration Grant program contributors include Achieva Credit Union, which donated $15,000 from last December’s First Annual Reindeer Trot Run/Walk. At opening ceremonies for its Second Annual Reindeer Trot event on Saturday, December 1, local credit union managers presented the first round of Achieva Exploration Grants to ten teachers. Gary Regoli, Achieva’s CEO, also announced that proceeds from this year’s event will generate $25,000 for the program.
Other top Exploration Grant donors are Bank of America Client Foundation, Howard C. Etson Memorial Fund and Virginia White Clark Fund, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Foundation, Judy Hoffman, and Taubman Centers, Inc.
Additional contributions for Exploration Grants were received from Bank of America Charitable Foundation, Laura Breeze and Van Huff, Debra Jacobs Buttaggi. Mike and Evelyn Bryant, Richard and Carlota Cooley, Cheryl and Scott Gordon, Peter and Katie Hayes, Mrs. B.J. Hunkele, Jeff and Cindy Kaiser, Jerry and Nancy Kaplan and the Abe & Catherine Kaplan Philanthropic Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Kansas City, Wendel Kent, Max Kiessling in honor of The Morin Family, The Koski Family Foundation, Dr. Tanice Knopp & Ken Marsh, Living on the Suncoast, Michael and Nancy Longworth, Meg Mahoney, Eloise Malinsky, Matthews Eastmoore, The Morin Family, Susan and Phil Morris, Nancy Roucher, Susan and John Scott, Laurey and Charlie Stryker, Jon F. Swift, Inc. and the Swift Family Foundation, and Cliff and Pam Truitt. Support for Exploration Grants was also received through the 2012 event series, Arts Alive: Mondays at Mercedes-Benz of Sarasota.
The Education Foundation’s Grants Committee is chaired by John LaCivita and includes Dr. Carlotta Cooley, Dr. Jerry Kaplan, George McGonagill, Helen C. Martin, and Susan Morris. Program Director is Michelle D’Aiuto, assisted by Debra Reese, Libby Early, and Sharon Detweiler. School district personnel who helped produce the program include Amy Donner, Angela Hartvigsen, Joe Binswanger, Cameron Parker, and Dr. Suzanne Naiman.
Edge of Excellence Classroom Grant Awards 2012-13 Up to $500 each
Teacher Name
School Name
Project Title
Amy Mazner
Alta Vista Elementary
Jump Revolution
Sai Nguyen
Alta Vista Elementary
Slime Time
Kim Morris
Alta Vista Elementary
Flipping for Fluency
Jo-Anne Sheldon
Ashton Elementary
Building the Language Foundation for Common Core Standards
Donna McGarry
Ashton Elementary
Extra! Extra! Write All About it!
Stacy Sanders
Ashton Elementary
"Reading Our Way to the World Series"
Paul Redington
Ashton Elementary
Roll of the Dice
Val Solum
Ashton Elementary
American Girl Book Club
Marie Rosander
Atwater Elementary
Elect Me!
Sarah Musgrove
Atwater Elementary
Learning Through Listening
Marnie Eckerd
Atwater Elementary
"Superflex to the Rescue" - A Super Hero Approach to Teaching Social Skills
Catherine Walton
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
LEtsGO Construct a Story
Kimberly Miles
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
De Colores
Rolf Hanson
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
Fractions, Frets, and Tunes: The Science and Math of Music
Jaime Vieira
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
Vamos al Restaurante!
Catherine Walton
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
Literature Circling Around the World
Julie Felts
Booker High
Venetian Theatre Masks
Ashley Harris
Booker High
Play on Words: Using Games to Expand Vocabulary
Hellen Harvey
Booker High
YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT: Creating E-Portfolios
Debra Piner
Booker Middle
Extra! Extra! Read All About Us!
Joanna Fox
Booker Middle
Do You See What I See?
Deborah Herbert
Booker Middle
"Capturing Ca' an Integrated Arts Exploration of the Ringling Residence!"
Angelique Hellriegel
Brentwood Elementary
WRITE! RIGHT!
Susan Roberts
Brookside Middle
Robot Lab - The Tin Can Rides Again
Candy Duff
Cranberry Elementary
Getting to the "Core" of 1st grade
Maryann LeRoy
Cranberry Elementary
Baa-Baa black sheep, can I hug you please!
Stacey Embury
Cranberry Elementary
Seeds of Knowledge
Karen Cramer
Cranberry Elementary
Reading Rocks Club
Kelley Bolin
Cranberry Elementary
I Can Read With Speed
Deb Pappas
Cranberry Elementary
Countless Books for Cranberry Part II
Andrius Vitkus
Emma E. Booker Elementary
Down and Dirty with Owl pellets and the stories that go with them
Andrius Vitkus
Emma E. Booker Elementary
Board Games for a Supreme Math Library - NOT BORED GAMES!
Francesca Veglia
Emma E. Booker Elementary
Sarasota Orchestra's Young Person's Concert
Makaya Moran
Emma E. Booker Elementary
Increasing Literacy through Interactive Games
Bonacci
Fruitville Elementary
Independent Functioning
Ann Gillies
Fruitville Elementary
Getting To Know Our Diverse Friends
Stacy Bellanca
Garden Elementary
Leap into Reading
Carmen Serrano
Garden Elementary
Riding The Social Express
Theresa Corlett
Garden Elementary
Mobile Mote
Joanna Davis-Lanum
Garden Elementary
Suminagashi - Making Waves with Ink
Joanna Davis-Lanum
Garden Elementary
Cool-y Chihulys
Carmen Serrano
Garden Elementary
All Aboard! at Articulation Station
Linda Huber
Glenallen Elementary
Civics Through Literature
Gayle Heskett
Glenallen Elementary
Time Travel Through Movement
Elizabeth Kinsinger
Gulf Gate Elementary
On the Cutting Edge
Elizabeth Kinsinger
Gulf Gate Elementary
The BEST is in the Box!
Karen Korzecki
Gulf Gate Elementary
Caterpillars, Ladybugs and Ants, Oh My! - A Study of Insects
Glenda Padgett
Gulf Gate Elementary
Steady Ready Now Let's Learn
Deborah Beck
Gulf Gate Elementary
Calling All Patriots!
Erin Eissler
Gulf Gate Elementary
Take A Math-A-Magical Tour!
Glenda Padgett
Gulf Gate Elementary
Moving Our Bodies To Maximize Learning
Joan Hazen
Gulf Gate Elementary
Let's Be Marine Biologists
Teresa Morey
Gulf Gate Elementary
Strike A Common Chord-Shape America's Future
Janet Hammond
Gulf Gate Elementary
Let's Make Our Greenhouse Grow!
Maria Mayl
Gulf Gate Elementary
Let's Get With the Times and READ!
Liz Kinsinger
Gulf Gate Elementary
Rockhounds Bring Literature to Life!
Mary Compton
Gulf Gate Elementary
Inventing the Future: Solar Powered Machines and Cars
Deborah Radek
Gulf Gate Elementary
If you Give a Kid a Canvas...
Patricia Harrell
Gulf Gate Elementary
Put Your Napkin in Your Lap and Please Take Off Your Cap!
Holly Davis
Gulf Gate Elementary
Math for All Seasons
Paul Evers
Gulf Gate Elementary
You're Gonna Wanna MOVE!
Debra Dunn
Heron Creek Middle
Hands Up for Hands-On!
Debra Dunn
Heron Creek Middle
Scientific Inquiry through Owl Pellets
Patty Longo
Lamarque Elementary
Cricut Through Our Curriculum
Laurel Colgate
Lamarque Elementary
Theme Teaching for the Student with Disabilities
Laurel Colgate
Lamarque Elementary
Symbols and Language Working Together
Gina Jirout
Lamarque Elementary
Using Historical Fiction to Integrate Curriculum and Motivate Students
Tammara Purdin
Lamarque Elementary
iPaducation Is An Edudemic
Jennifer Carrico
Lamarque Elementary
In The Classroom and Beyond
Gina Jirout
Lamarque Elementary
Actively Expressing a Need for ActivExpressions
Nina Schwartz
Lamarque Elementary
Alpha Buddies
Barbara Stella
Laurel Nokomis
Beyond the Birds and the Bees: A Study of Reproduction in Plants and Animals
Christine Klopfer
Laurel Nokomis
Tech to the Future
Leiland Theriot
McIntosh Middle
Teaching Artist Residency: Mastering Musical Blues
Linda Frease
Oak Park
Give Me Independence
Deborah Azeff
Oak Park
Books, Books and More Books!
Kimberly Hewitt
Oak Park
What's Your Mood?
Mary Lisa Millbourn
Oak Park
Communicating Across Many Environments
Cynthia Pelosi
Oak Park
I Can Read Naturally!
Linda Frease
Oak Park
Sensational Eyes and Ears
Robyn Sadlo
Oak Park
Measure It!
Freda Williams
Phillippi Shores Elementary
It's All Fun and Games in Reading
Lona Sims
Phillippi Shores Elementary
Our World is a Wonderful Place to Live!
Ginger Rosenberger
Phillippi Shores Elementary
Investigation Stations
William Sarazen
Phillippi Shores Elementary
Civics: The New Social Studies
Laura Banes Bradly
Pine View
Math “no-BORE-atory”
Kathy VandeRee
Pine View
Investigating Florida Heritage through Archeology
Laura Banes Bradly
Pine View
Kreative Klassroom Kagan Style
Retsy Lauer
Pine View
Artistic Quilts & Vessels That Tell a story
Jackie Henson-Dacey
Riverview High
Private Perceptions, Public Reflections: Aesthetic Encounters
Judy Lyon
Riverview High
Expressive Personality Masks
Robert Gray
Sarasota County Technical Institute
All The World's A Stage
Stacey Brebaugh
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
I WANT TO TAKE NOTES "Live Scribe"
Sonia Botero
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
"SSA+S eLibrary"
Della Lowe
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
Disc-O-Sits (Disco Seats)
Kylie Gannon
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
Literacy for a Lifetime
Stephen Waite
Student Leadership Academy
Climbing the Mountain to Success
Claire Fuller
Suncoast Polytechnical High
Keep them in School
Claire Fuller
Suncoast Polytechnical High
Shrinking Cells
Ricardo Bellon
Suncoast Polytechnical High
Mentoring Math Success Exponentially!
Brenda Anderson
Toledo Blade Elementary
PICS! Photos Inspire Creative Stories!
David Ursel
Toledo Blade Elementary
"The Rhythm is Gonna Get You"...to READ
Jennafer Slanger
Toledo Blade Elementary
Hoo Eats Who?
Joanne Mainberger
Tuttle Elementary
Targeted Lifelong Character Lessons
Stephanie Clem
Venice Elementary
Interactive Learning
Michelle Miller
Venice Middle/Oak Park South
A Long Walk to Water - Learn and Serve
Alison Thomas
Wilkinson Elementary
Thumbs Up for Rock and Roll!
Mark Harrison
Wilkinson Elementary
Write A Play Program
Donna Hambrick
Wilkinson Elementary
Answer On!
Linda Leete
Wilkinson Elementary
Kagan Strategies
Christine Wong
Woodland Middle
Equal Education for All
Exploration Grant Awards 2012-13 Up to $1,500 each
Teacher Name
School Name
Project Title
Participating Organization/s or Teaching Artist/s from EdExploreSRQ.com
Kim Morris
Alta Vista Elementary
Out of this World
Jason Mocherman
Cynthia Bryant
Alta Vista Elementary
Planet H20
Mote Marine
Sandra Boyajian
Ashton Elementary
Blasting Off to Science!!
Riverview
Rolf Hanson
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
Fractions, Frets, and Tunes: The Science and Math of Music
Bob Fieberts Teaching Artist
Sarah Hu
Bay Haven Of Basics Plus
Estuaries, the Watershed, and Me!
Around the Bend Nature Tours
Julie Felts
Booker High
Bromeliads Buds & other Botanicals
Selby Gardens
Ashley Harris
Booker High
A Youth Perspective of Life: Using Arts to Tell a Story
Mary Kelly, Ringling Museum
Hellen Harvey
Booker High
WRITE FOR LIFE: Student Writing and Publishing Center
FST
Debra Piner
Booker Middle
East Meets West: An Illustrated Journey to Ancient Asia
Pamela Sumner
Angelique Hellriegel
Brentwood Elementary
"Include Me Please"
FST
Rita Zywica
Brookside Middle
Living and Learning the Life of Sarasota
Mote Marine, Selby Gardens
Karen Cramer
Cranberry Elementary
Reading and Experiencing Ramona Quimby
North Port HS Ven Wezel
Kathy Butigian
Cranberry Elementary
My World Above Me and Below Me- a multi-age exploration
Mote, Riverview Planetarium
Lois Collins
Englewood Elementary
Rescue, Rehab and Release-Mote Marine
Mote Marine
Marsha Mayers
Fruitville Elementary
Lights, Camera, Fractions!
Deb Lombard
Cindy Millar
Fruitville Elementary
Pioneers in our own back yard...priceless!
Crowley Museum
Bonnie Mitchell
Fruitville Elementary
You're Right! Let's Write!
FST
Jill Bonacci
Fruitville Elementary
Community Survival
Van Wezel
Kay Deming
Fruitville Elementary
Sound, Music, Amigo (One-Stringed Guitar)
Bob Fieberts Teaching Artist
Theresa Corlett
Garden Elementary
The Little Engine That Could Earns Her Whistle
Van Wezel
Melanie Buckalter
Garden Elementary
Mighty Manatees
Mote Marine
Lori Robinson
Glenallen Elementary
Once in a Blue Moon
Riverview
Gayle Heskett
Glenallen Elementary
Orchestrating America
Sarasota Orchestra
Lori Robinson
Glenallen Elementary
Netting and Practicing the Scientific Method
Around the Bend Nature Tours
Kelly Griffith
Gocio Elementary
Ocean in the Classroom - Mighty Manatees with Mote Research Center
Mote Marine
Kelly Griffith
Gocio Elementary
Our Dolphins Neighbors
Mote Marine
Marilyn Schwartz
Gulf Gate Elementary
All Around the Ecosystem!
Around the Bend Nature Tours
Khizran Usman
Lakeview Elementary
Planetary Shuffle
Sumner Studios
Mindy Long
Lamarque Elementary
Fraction Action: There’s Nothing Improper About It
DoorKnob Productions
Amy Bontrager
Lamarque Elementary
Ramona Quimby Comes Alive
Van Wezel @ Nport High
Patty Longo
Lamarque Elementary
See It, Do It, Own It
GWIZ
Barbara Rann
Laurel Nokomis
Ramona Quimby Across the Ages
Van Wezel
Lucinda Schlotterback
Laurel Nokomis
Launch Me Into Medieval Technology
GWIZ
Shala Rossheim
Laurel Nokomis
To Infinity and Beyond!!
Pamela Sumner
Joseph Craycraft
Oak Park
Touch Screens Touching Lives
Selby Video Library
Maria Sweeney
Oak Park
Going For Gold
Roxane Frangi Teaching Artist
Mary Lisa Millbourn
Oak Park
Move It with Math
Deb Lombard
Sandy Waite
Phillippi Shores Elementary
Dancing Our Way Through History!
Deb Lombard
Freda Williams
Phillippi Shores Elementary
Discover Spanish Point
Historic Spanish Point
Jackie Henson-Dacey
Riverview High
Botanical Inspirations
Historic Spanish Point
Sara Kuhar
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
Extracting DNA from Human Cheek Cells
South Florida Museum
Courtney Price
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
SSA+S Macbeth-The Hunger Games-Twelfth Night
Asolo Theater
Mickey Stone
Sarasota School of Arts and Sciences
Branches of Theatre: A Classroom Workshop Exploration
FST
Nina Henderson
Suncoast Polytechnical High
Sarasota Bay Ecosystems
Mote Marine
Andrea Trahan
Taylor Ranch Elementary
Inspiring Writers
FST
Jennafer Slanger
Toledo Blade Elementary
Twinkle Twinkle Little Star
Riverview Planetarium
Tiffany Lloyd
Wilkinson Elementary
Fractions, Decimals, & Percents OH MY!
Deb Lombard
Expanded Exploration Grant Awards 2012-13 Up to $5,000 each
Teacher Name
School Name
Project Title
Participating Organization/s
On EdExploreSRQ.com
Rosemary Schmidt
Booker High
WeRSRQ
West Coast Black Theatre
Brenda Sabados
Emma E. Booker Elementary
Expanding Horizons from the Sea to the Sky
Mote, GWIZ, Riverview High Planetarium
Rachel Ellis
Emma E. Booker Elementary
Exploring Science Throughout Sarasota
Selby Gardens
Cathy Sprague
Gulf Gate Elementary
Our Backyard...Our Gulf II
Mote Marine
Barbara Stella
Laurel Nokomis
Tackling Taxonomy In The Wild
Mote Marine
Kathleen McCoy
Toledo Blade Elementary
Reading Comes Alive!
FST
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