District 95 Educational Foundation

For Immediate Release

Six Teachers Awarded Grants for Innovation from School District 95 Educational Foundation

LAKE ZURICH, Ill (June 20, 2007) As a part of its first funding initiative, the School District 95 Educational Foundation approved six grants for teacher innovation, just prior to the conclusion of the school year. These grants were recently announced by John Sfire, chairman of the School District 95 Educational Foundation board of directors.

Teaching staff in District 95 were encouraged to apply for Teacher Innovation Grants (TIG) in amounts up to $2500 for programs and resources which encouraged innovation in teaching over and above the level of any funding provided by the School District.

“Our teachers are encouraged to uncover programs and resources that are outside of the ordinary to educate our students,” said Sfire. “We were presented with some interesting and unique programs that we believe will not only be interesting and engaging for the students, but enhance their overall classroom experience. Indeed, we hope these are just the start of some truly innovative grants.”

Teacher Innovation Grants Awarded by Foundation/Add One

Those awarded grants included:

• Middle School South Social Studies Teacher Jack VanNoord for a Social Studies Cuneiform project combining history, linguistics, geography, archeology, art and problem-solving. Students will set up the archeological dig sites, uncovered by students the following school year.
• May Whitney Art Teacher Tracy Albert for headphones and microphones to use with Photo Story 3 software enabling students to import their own pictures and music into a story board, while narrating the story with their own voice.
• Middle School North Drama Teacher Karen Jaffe for the purchase of two digital camcorders and cables to enable students to record their dramatic performances and edit them into short films.
• Middle School South 7th Grade Teacher Mary Dooms for a program enabling students to create and operate a small business integrating literature, language arts, math and social studies.
• Middle School North Orchestra Director Riley Broach for music production equipment enabling students to create a fully produced album with composed music. The finished product will then be available to the public at the end of the school year.
• Lake Zurich High School Math Teacher Justine Repplinger for a TI Navigator, a wireless system connecting the student’s TI Graphing calculators to the teacher’s computer, allowing instant communication between the teacher and the individual student.

The School District 95 Educational Foundation is an outgrowth of the school district’s latest Strategic Plan. As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, the Foundation is an independent organization working with District 95 to support activities that enhance, enrich and supplement instructional opportunities for CUSD 95 learners consistent with the school district’s core values and mission.

For more information about the School District 95 Educational Foundation, contact Jim Jennings, foundation liaison, at (847) 540-5494 or LeJane Carson at (847) 884.0000. For more information about the Teacher Innovation Grant program, contact Lori Smith, Chair of the Grant Review Committee, at (847) 540-5494.