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.

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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.”   

Find out what's happening in Sarasotawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here