Innovative Ideas Classroom Grants - Spring 2009

Total Amount Requested: $15,949.40
Committee recommendation: $15,949.40

Project Title: Briesemeister Art Space, Ornamental Garden and Outdoor Classroom
Teachers: Mark Keddal, Barbara Halter, Lisa Stevenson, Linda Weeks, Sharon Villalpando, Kelly Hallmark, Sam Ramos, Artie Rittiman, Rene Byrom, Daniel Pierce, Veronica Ramirez, Roxanne Wunderlich

This project will transform an unutilized and empty lot into a multi-use educational space that will directly benefit all students and staff at Briesemeister, as well as interested parents and community members. The design, construction, and maintenance of the outdoor classroom will be the responsibility of students in math, science, technology, horticulture and outdoor education classes. All classes at Briesemeister will potentially use this space.

Project Title: PAIR IT (This grant is being implemented at both Patlan and Jefferson)
Teachers: Melissa Skinner, Laurie Berry, Diana Ball, Olga Cantu, Beatriz Wezeman

This program will motivate students with the use of engaging, paired text (non-fiction and fiction) to create a well-rounded 21st century ACTIVE and critical thinker. The literacy team will deepen student understanding through reflective thinking in order to make connections between both non-fiction and fiction texts. The Participants Achieve Interactive Reading with Interwoven Text proposal is innovative and needed in order to teach a flexible range of strategies to be successful on paired passages required through state and district mandated assessments.

Project Title: Mini-Mozart Music Makers - Juan Seguin
Teachers: Rhonda Robbins, Linda Anderson, Colleen Ott, Mary Ann Guadarrama, Bianca Athas, Maria Guerra

The Mini-Mozart Music Makers project will innovatively teach children at Juan Seguin the essential objectives outlined in the New Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guidelines. The project will utilize a variety of musical instruments and modern technology to make learning numbers and letters fun. Implementing this project will take many "Mozarts" at Juan Seguin on an educational and musical journey.

Project Title: G.I.R.L.S. INC – Patlan Elementary
Teachers: Tracey Guetzke, Kate Mejia, Tana Grothues

G.I.R.L.S. INC is a mentoring program that will foster positive self-esteem, inner beauty, and a desire to set and achieve lifetime goals among adolescent females. The need for this type of program has been identified, and its implementation will positively affect the students academically, socially, and emotionally.

Project Title: Library Reading Group - Seguin High School
Teachers: Jamie Aven, Melissa Ronning

This program will provide an opportunity for students to participate in an extra-curricular reading group in which they are allowed to choose the books to be read and in which the books are provided for them to keep. At the high school there are many avid readers who would enjoy and benefit from peer literacy groups. The Library Reading Group will encourage more independent reading as well as increase comprehension skills.