Spring 2017
 
Art and Geometry in American Quilts -- Sheffield Grade 2. The grant will be used for a presenter from the Deerfield Teachers' Center to lead an interactive activity with the students, exploring and designing paper quilt blocks associated with American Quilts.  They will practice how to manipulate geometric shapes to form patterns.
 
ELL Family Lending Library -- Hillcrest  All ELL students (16) The grant will provide access to high quality literature in the students native tongue.  Teacher plans on using these books in her classes.  These books will also help parents and students at home where their native tongue is spoken rather than English.  Parents and children can share the literature together.
 
Field Trip to UMASS Fine Arts Center for a performance of: A Year with Frog and Toad -- Hillcrest Grade 1 (56) This grant will provide a theatrical experience for first graders about one of their favorite books!  It will give them an opportunity to compare the performance with the actual book.
 
Field Trip to UMASS Fine Arts Center for a performance of: A Year with Frog and Toad -- Hillcrest Kindergarten (58) See above synopsis.
 
Get Ready for Kindergarten Goody Bags -- Hillcrest incoming Kdg. (75)  This grant will provide funds to purchase books and activities for incoming Kindergarteners and families.  The "goody bags' will provide a bridge between home and school by helping families feel included in the transition process from home to school.
 
Grade 4 Field Trip Boston Science Museum -- Sheffield Grade 4 (50)  The grant will provide entrance to the OMNI Theater for all students .
 
GFMS Grade 6 Readers' Club -- GFMS Grade 6 (20) The grant will be used to purchase multiple copies of the 2 books -- Gathering Blue and Messenger.  The book club will be held after-school with 2 meetings per book to allow for high quality discussions between students and teacher.
 
Local Author's Visit -- Sheffield Gr 2-5 (212)  Natasha Lowe, a local author, will give a  presentation for the school.  The grant will allow the library to purchase 2 sets of the local author's books.
 
Transportation to the Annual Mass. Assoc. of Student Councils Spring Conference -- TFHS  (16) This Grant will help in funding the students trip to the Student Council Conference.  The conference provides ways for students to build leadership skills and bring new ideas back to full council  which leads in how to maintain and  improve school community.
 
College Awareness & Exploration Trip -- TFHS  Juniors -  This grant will allow for bus transportation to the College Awareness Day in West Springfield April 3, 2017.  Students will get the opportunity  to visit/speak with college representatives that are at the fair.  This is very helpful to students who might not be able to visit colleges outside our immediate geographical area.
 
 
 
 
Fall 2016
 
5th Grade Field Trip to New England Aquarium in Boston- Gill - This Grant will allow for partial funding for their field trip.  It will be taken in May, at the conclusion of their Life Science units of study.
 
Gay Straight Alliance - TFHS 9th through 12th grade - This grant will allow this group to participate in various activities from parades to conferences, and school wide activities such as Day of Silence. They hope to enhance awareness within the TFHS community regarding the legal, social, and political issues surrounding the LGBTQQ rights.  And, hopefully, to increase the groups leadership and understanding and knowledge of social justice and oppression theory.
 
Looking Toward Our Futures - Sheffield Grade 5 - This grant will  allow the fifth grade to participate with the fifth and sixth grades in Gill and GFMS in their visit to the college campus of UMASS Amherst.  This trip is to begin making students aware of college possibilities and that college is in reach of all students.
 
Let's Bookmark a great poet!- - Sheffield Grade 4 -  This Grant will allow the fourth grade teacher to purchase biographies of poets and laminating materials in order to preserve bookmarks designed by the students.  The bookmark seems to be the culminating activity of the biography unit on poets.
 
No Strings Marionette Company -  Gill School K-6 - This grant will GES to contract with this company to perform at their school.  The emphasis is for the students to get a better understanding  to art and theater and how it connects to their everyday life and to their school curriculum.
                                                                       
Old Deerfield Field Trip for 3rd and 4th grade students- Gill - This Grant will provide transportation and a portion of their fees to the museum.  They will also be charging parents a fee.  This experience will enhance both grade levels curriculum on early American studies.
 
Painting for Relaxation - Hillcrest  Therapeutic Classroom - This Grant will allow the teacher to purchase paint supplies in which the children can explore their self-awareness and self-expression through the 'art' medium.  Participating in the arts actually changes the child's bodies in which they become less stressed and anxious.
 
Reader's Theater - Sheffield ELL students in grades 2-5 - This grant will allow for the purchase of a reader's theater kit.  This will supplement materials for the ELL students in which they can practice their fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary.
 
Self Regulation and Sensory Tools for Learning - GFMS life skills class. - This grant will allow the classroom teacher to purchase various materials which would provide students with sensory stimulation.    The materials would be introduced gradually and the students would be taught how to use them and how the materials may help the student to self-regulate.
 
6th Grade Trip to UMass Amherst - GFMS  6th grade (75) - This grant will provide funds for the 6 grade at GFMS to visit a college   campus to get a brief exposure to college life and that college is something they can attain after high school.
 
We Like to Move It Move It - Sheffield Grade 3 one classroom - This grant would allow the teacher to purchase an under the desk elliptical machine.  Research has found that some students need more movement than others, and that this movement has shown improved literacy scores.  It will allow for extra body breaks without interrupting or disrupting other students who can focus more readily without extra breaks.