Bellingham Public School Foundation Gives Grants to Every School

The Bellingham Public School Foundation (BPSF) has emerged from a period of dormancy with a new Board of Trustees, a new Executive Director, and new energy focused on raising both community awareness and funds for programs and materials that help the district provide a quality education to every student.

BPSF re-established a grant program this school year with the goal of providing immediate funds to each building and to enhance student learning. The result was that $14,500 was distributed across the district, impacting  23 schools and over 5000 students this year.

The Foundation Board of Trustees  wished to give each building the flexibility to determine their own unique needs for the funds and the resulting list shows the wide range of needs expressed and choices made.

The following is a summary of how each school chose to use their grant dollars:

Alderwood Early Childhood Center ($500): Purchase of Pre-K Wordless Book Library materials for use with “at-risk” students to enhance and support literacy instruction.

Alderwood Elementary ($500): Funding costs related to a proven Character Education program including monthly themes supported by Neighborhood Playhouse performances and student incentives for positive behavior.

Carl Cozier Elementary ($500): Habits of Mind Art Project. A class-based project incorporating elements of a character education program with illustrative artwork.

Columbia Elementary ($500): ALEKS On-line Math Program subscription to support students needing math remediation.

Cordata Elementary ($500): Enable two additional classroom teachers to attend two-day workshop on Thinking Maps Training , enabling a true school-wide implementation of Thinking Maps which supports academic growth for all students.

Geneva Elementary ($500): Purchase of high-interest, low-level reading books for fourth graders to provide appealing reading material in support of literacy learning.

Happy Valley Elementary ($500): “We are Authors” program including school-wide assemblies and two sessions per classroom featuring Nick James, a local teacher and writer.

Larrabee Elementary ($500): Purchase of art supplies and consumables to support art learning opportunities in every classroom.

Lowell Elementary ($500): Funds toward implementation of a school-wide character/leadership program, “The Leader in Me,” based on the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Northern Heights Elementary ($500): Purchase of Kelso’s Choice Complete Conflict Management Kit to further implement and strengthen the existing Kelso program in place.

Parkview Elementary ($500): Purchase of two digital cameras to creatively document and map student progress and two wireless microphones to enhance student presentations through the use of technology.

Roosevelt Elementary ($500): Purchase of Spanish literacy materials required Club de Lectura, a heritage language learner program which reinforces native literacy as a stepping stone to English literacy.

Silver Beach Elementary ($500): Online subscription to Raz-Kids.com, a portal to leveled texts, poems and rhymes for Kindergarten and 1^st grade students in support of literacy both at school and home.

Sunnyland Elementary ($500): Funding for Family Math Night in support of math mastery, including interpreters, equipment, and supplies.

Wade King Elementary ($500): Purchase of one IPAD2 to support student-initiated inquiry through the use of technology.

Fairhaven Middle ($750): Purchase of curriculum material for use in extended learning periods for HCL and RTI students.

Kulshan Middle ($750): In support of the “Kulshan to College” program facilitating  field trips to local college campuses to motivate students to consider and prepare for college.

Shuksan Middle ($750): In support of student motivation/recognition programs including Shuksan Scholars, Cougar Pride Program, and Paw Prints.

Whatcom Middle ($750): Funding to outfit the Wildcat Den, a lunchtime alternative space offering an inviting and safe space for those seeking a smaller space that is monitored by counselors and parent volunteers.

Bellingham High ($1000): Purchase of book sets for sophomore English to support detracking while providing material to address the varied needs of students. Also, funds for teacher stipend to staff an after-school math tutorial center for eighteen weeks.

Options ($1000): Funds for fees, supplies & materials for the elective intersession program that enables students to gain credit in elective subjects, art, occupational education, and PE.

Sehome High ($1000): Purchase of classroom sets of interactive math “clickers” to provide immediate feedback to students and teachers.

Squalicum High ($1000): Purchase of Netbooks for ELL students to enable students, especially those without access to home computers, to utilize the benefits provided by technology, both at home and at school.