Grants in Action

Bridging STEAM at GCS / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Rain Bodine, Mary Nordberg, Katie Gallagher, Michael Seijo, Brian Sutphin

Bridging STEAM @ GCS will provide equipment and opportunity for 6-8th grade students to experience STEAM at Gunnison Middle School. This proposal will help create continuity and bridge the gap for our students coming from the Gunnison Elementary STEAM program and heighten the experience and excitement in the STEAM journey!  Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Math (STEAM). 

 

Maker Centered Learning / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Sarah Strong

Students will develop their skills and abilities in design by analyzing how systems work and materials are used. This project will help students develop a disposition of making and shaping their own world through the complexity of design.

Click here to see more information and photos (PDF)

 

 

ELL Communication & Learning Supports / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Lisa Edwards

This project will assist in breaking the communication barrier for English Language Learners (ELL), newcomers, families, teachers, and staff through the use of a pocket translator which will be acquired through grant funds.   It will also increase best practices for teaching ELL students through the purchase of resource books and creation of a professional development library  for staff.

 

 

Reinvigorate, Revamp and Empower Readers / Marble Charter School

Teacher(s): Alana Houseman

Students will be empowered through a multi-grade collaboration project to create a school library driven by their interests.  Students will lead the project, with teacher direction, to create a space where books are shared, suggested to peers with similar interests, and rated by peers.

 

Pumpkin Jack Storybook Walk /  Lake Pre-KG School

Teacher(s): Trudy Pfingston-Orr, Tracie Wise, Rachel Ingram, Maggie Chilpala, Eli Eisenbart

Pumpkin Jack Storybook Walk will be located in the Lake School Garden where students can explore the different pages from the book and find the real Pumpkin Jack at his various stages of growth. Students will also explore math concepts by using maps and a scale as they engage in their quest.

 

 

Guinea West Africa / Crested Butte Community School

Teacher(s): Emmy Luna, Sue Wilson, Brynn O’Connell, Elise Meyer, Keely Moran, Amanda Cook

Students will be immersed in a study of the country Guinea, West Africa. This project-based learning unit will provide an opportunity for students to explore another culture, learn and participate in West African drumming and dancing workshops, and begin to build an understanding of economic literacy.

 

 

Going Deskless! / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Janet Welsh Crossley

This project will create a  ‘Deskless classroom’ by providing portable laptop surfaces for student use.  This will increase active student engagement and greater participation in movement and standing activities.  It will also streamline transitions between activities.

 

Swinging Toward Inclusivity / Lake Pre-KG School

Teacher(s): Linda Williams, Susan Barrett, Lindsey Kemmerling, Trudy Pfingston-Orr

An adaptive swing will be added to the playground to enable all kids to engage in more equal and age appropriate play partnerships. Students and staff will learn how to use the swing and interact with individuals with disabilities, cultivating advocacy for more inclusive playground environments at school and in the community.

 

Standing Room Only / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Stacy Harbaugh

Two standing desks with whiteboard tops will be added to the classroom as an option for students to stand as they work.  This project will add to the flexible seating options already available and will help students learn in ways that best meet their needs.

“Titan Climbers” CBCS Climbing Wall / Crested Butte Community School

Teacher(s): Chip Wiegand, David White

The CBCS elementary gym has an amazing climbing wall which goes unused on most days. In order to invigorate and utilize this wasted resource, our school needs ropes, harnesses, shoes, belay devices, and climbing holds. Also, GHS has a thriving rock climbing team who competes across the state. 

 

Djembe Drums of Africa / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Laura Schliesman, Matt Harris,  Elizabeth Wallin, Amanda Allen

The grant funds awarded will allow the current West African unit to expand with additional teacher collaboration in art, music, social studies, and health. The teachers will provide an African Unit that expands Guinea’s dance and drums to the continent of Africa’s culture of music, art, food, and dance.

 

Fostering a Love of Reading / Marble Charter School

Teacher(s):  Alana Houseman

I would like to incorporate project based learning as a means for teaching my ELA and Social Studies Classes. I know that with the right resources, I can implement this methodology and truly engage my students to share, “Forgotten Stories from Around the World” with their community.

In order to integrate ELA and Social Studies through project based learning, I need a variety of texts for my students to read on their levels. I also need funding to help create final projects that my students can present to the community or put on display. I intend to purchase books, on various levels, so all my students have access to the same material that are centered around this particular theme/ project.

 

Full STEAM Ahead for 2021! – GES STEAM LAB 2 / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Rain Bodine, Emily Kowal, Katie Gallagher, Marin Eberly, Rhonda Wenum, Mary Nordberg

This upcoming year we will convert the GES computer lab to be a functional Maker’s Space where students create and explore multiple topics and develop hands-on solutions. Our STEAM team will collaboratively configure and enhance the program that was established this year with the 4th grade pilot STEAM class.

 

LINK Crew 2.0 /  Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Jeanene Nelson, Lisa Danos, Krystal Brown, Cristian Aguilar

We are looking to bring a new face to a foundational program that has been offered at GHS since 2001. The GHS LINK Crew program has successfully transitioned classes of students from 8th grade to high school with small group team-building exercises and large group introductory activities.

 

Zero Water Day Interpretive Signs / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Renee Brekke-Ebbott, Krystal Brown

Students will create 6 interpretive signs about water. This project expands awareness of water-related issues in the Upper Gunnison River basin. It will be enjoyed by all experiencing the Van Tuyl trails. The development of an interpretive sign walk will enhance the outdoor classroom space accessible to all Gunnison Schools.

 

Life in rural Guinea vs. Life in Crested Butte / Crested Butte Elementary School

Teacher(s): Amy Debnam, Sue Wilson, Brynn O’Connell, Molly Frame, Kelly Piccaro, Erica Young

Students will explore how the life of a child in Crested Butte is different from the life of a child in rural Guinea. Students will discover the importance of rhythm and dance for children (all people) in Guinea. Angie Carroll and Fara Tolno will lead the rhythm and dance instruction.

 

Take a seat or not…it’s up to you! / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Susan Barrett, Katy Dye, Leia Henaghan, Erin Moran Shields, Heather Trezise, Lindsey Kemmerling

We serve students with varied needs to access their learning environments. Flexible seating can go a long way to help ALL our students be successful. We need a place to try seats both to use daily and also somewhere to try targeted seats out first and find what works best.

 

The Playful Pod / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Bre Lassiter, Jill Murphy, Alyssa Geist, Tracy Archuleta, Cara Yow

The ‘Cubby Courtyard’ is ready for a makeover to match our students’ evolving needs. Our pod space is all set to transform to the ‘Playful Pod’ where students can learn through meaningful play. The pod will focus on creating a space for social emotional learning and for self regulation.

Sustainability Through Community / Marble Charter School

Teacher(s): Gina Miller

The Marble Charter School will use various age-appropriate methods to research, plan and educate its community about different aspects of stewardship and sustainability. We will work together to help make our beautiful small mountain town one that could potentially become a model of sustainability for other smaller communities across America.

 

Choice as Innovation / Crested Butte Elementary School

Teacher(s): Amelia Poppe

Students in my 4th-grade class would be given money to grow our classroom library. Students would research books as appropriate additions to our library, and then write proposals for each book they chose. They would be responsible for budgeting for the books, organizing the library, and maintaining the library.

 

Revealing the Mystery Behind How Math Operations Work / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Randi Foster

This grant will fund the purchase of Montessori-based math materials for teaching place value and other math skills. These hands-on materials provide a concrete way for students to develop a strong, foundational understanding of how the four basic operations work in our base-ten number system rather than memorizing steps.

 

STEAM Lab / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Rain Bodine

The GES STEAM LAB will optimize and support classroom learning by providing a maker’s space where students can create and explore multiple topics and develop hands-on solutions. Our STEAM TEAM will collaboratively configure exciting, contemporary and relevant CHALLENGES that motivate students and connect and enhance classroom curriculums!

 

West African Dance Part II / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Laura Schliesman

3rd and 4th grade students will learn the basic steps of a West African Dance. 5th grade students will learn the essential rhythm of a West African drum piece. Grades 3/4/5 will perform and Fara Tolan will be the guest speaker at an all-school assembly during Black History Month in February.

 

Newberry Book Club / Crested Butte Elementary School

Teacher(s): Kylie Collins

The Newbery Book Club is a reimagined way of teacher literacy in the classroom. Teachers will research possible Newbery contenders. Students will read book reviews from teachers, parents, and community members. Students will participate in book clubs and then vote on their Newbery picks before the awards in January.

 

Gunnison Valley Connection! / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Cynthia Bruton

This grant will enhance the GMS Outdoor Education with a camping component to connect students with the Gunnison Valley, keeping our youth connected so they stay, or come back, to contribute economically and culturally after graduating from high school! Students will engage in activities teaching environmental ethics, Leave No Trace, and camping 101

 

Gunnison Valley Connection! / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Cynthia Bruton

This grant will enhance the GMS Outdoor Education with a camping component to connect students with the Gunnison Valley, keeping our youth connected so they stay, or come back, to contribute economically and culturally after graduating from high school! Students will engage in activities teaching environmental ethics, Leave No Trace, and camping 101.

 

Spanish Reading Library / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Janet Welsh Crossley

In free voluntary reading, students self-select books of interest to read at an appropriate level. Reading increases vocabulary. Grammar is acquired through repeated exposure in written and aural forms. This grant renewal request is to augment and diversify two incipient leveled classroom libraries of books from which students choose.

 

Sensory Celebration / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Stacy Harbaugh

GMS has multiple students with varying sensory needs which impact their ability to self-regulate and then manage their behaviors during the school day. This grant will provide specialized equipment which offer an outlet for students sensory needs.

 

4 Peas in a Pod / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Megan Wells

The 4 Ps in a Pod project will be a renovation of the current second grade cubby space to turn it into additional usable classroom space where students can explore a multitude of activities. The space will be focused around social emotional wellness, independent practice, exploration, and collaboration.

KIDS Channel 5 / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Rhonda Wenum

This Grant Project will help build our existing podcast production by supplying the equipment necessary to improve the program and to ensure its sustainability each year. The equipment, including tripods, a desk, and a new logo will provide a more professional looking product.

Bending, Blending, Breaking Design / CB Elementary School

Teacher(s): Ann Weise

Bending, Blending and Breaking Design is a project designed to introduce students to the principles of design thinking and provide them with the opportunity to learn about design from designers, create their own design and present their design in a Design Expo.

Mustang Pond Outdoor Learning Lab / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Renee Brekke-Ebbott

The Mustang Pond Outdoor Learning Lab has untapped potential. We have a pond, a beautiful deck and a productive vegetable garden. The surrounding space is underutilized. My vision is to add a native plant garden and outdoor classroom to further advance the vision.

Celebrating Heroes – Celebrate The Beat / CB Elementary School

Teacher(s): Sandy Robinson, Elise Meier, Scotty Early Moss, Keely Moran, Molly Frame, Nicole Dickerson

Each grade level will bring their own twist to the idea of celebrating heroes and visionaries; including local heroes, personal heroes, innovators, artistic heroes, and humanitarian heroes. This project will culminate in a tribute: music and dance performance, interactive exhibits, a parade of heroes, and a hero’s luncheon.

Strong Chemistry / CB Secondary School

Teacher(s): Lisa Hart

Our challenge is continuing to provide all students with meaningful hands-on science opportunities as enrollment in chemistry classes increases. More students will have multiple opportunities to use Vernier computer interface sensors to conduct experiments, to gather data, to visualize data trends in real-time, to record data, and to analyze data.

GHS Ski Making / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Greg Smith

GHS is beginning a research and design class where students will be making skis/snowboards. We would like to advance the class by adding necessary equipment that would help create a more refined product (ski/snowboard). We are exploring different types of presses used to make skis & snowboards

Personalized, Collaborative, Creating Learning / CB Elementary School

Teacher(s): Katie Gallagher, Camille Polster, Jen Gauley

This project will empower students with personalized, collaborative and creative learning experiences. Our goals include: To effectively integrate Chromebooks into our daily instructional model, to provide opportunities for communication and collaboration within the walls of our classroom and beyond, and to allow for the delivery of instant feedback to students.

GHS Spanish – Free Voluntary Reading / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Janet Welsh Crossley, Rebecca Cerio

Reading increases vocabulary. Grammar is acquired through repeated exposure in written and aural forms. In FVR (free voluntary reading), students self-select books of interest to read at an appropriate level. This grant request is to add to the beginning of a two-classroom leveled library of books from which students choose.

West African Dance / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Laura Schliesman, Matt Harris

Students will learn the basic essential steps of a West African Dance. The students will attend three 30-minute lessons with an instructor of West African Dance who is accompanied by a West African Drummer. Performance during a school assembly will take place as a culmination event.

Coding with Bots / Gunnison Elementary School

Teacher(s): Brian Rooks

Coding with bots is a great way to incorporate technology into Mathematics and Science. Coding involves measurement of length and angles. It creates an opportunity to use multiplication, division, subtraction, and addition in meaningful and fun way. These 21st century technology skills are the future of our workforce!

CBCS Titans Studios / CB Elementary

Teacher(s): Bethany Ramey, Keely Moran

We hope to build a Titan’s film studio complete with green screen, lighting, microphones, iPad, and editing applications. The studio will be housed in the library office and accessible to all students and teachers (K-12).

FVR for Language Acquisition / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Janet Welsh Crossley, Rebecca

Reading increases vocabulary. Grammar is acquired through repeated exposure in written and aural forms. In FVR (free voluntary reading), students self-select books of interest to read at an appropriate level. The goal of this grant request is to build a leveled library of books in Spanish from which students choose.

Science Discovery Cupboards / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Audrey Flease

Science laboratory cupboards stocked that are stocked, maintained, and inventoried by student lab groups. The cupboards create a sense of ownership and pride, and helps students develop organizational skills in a lab setting.

Construction Kits to Create, Collaborate and Critically Think / CB Elementary

Teacher(s): Amelia Poppe, Katie Gallagher, Bobby Pogoloff

“Intooba” is a Math/STEM construction manipulative kit. Students are given a building task to solve. Tasks directly correlate to grade-level standards. Teachers may have the students using the rods to creatively add and subtract, explore fractions, engineering properties, or geometrical shapes. Students use manipulatives to solve problems while working collaboratively.

Iron Neck Concussion Management/Prevention / Gunnison High School

Teacher(s): Jarrod Hinton, Tom Percival

To minimize neurological impacts and missed classroom instructional time due to concussion from sport, we will utilize the “Iron Neck” during Physical Education classes to help students strengthen neck muscles, thus creating an effective defense against concussive forces.

Putting it Together / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Karen Alton, Gina Pollard, Susan Powers, Andy Dunda

A binder machine to assemble our own booklets for our unique curriculums.  A binder would allow us to create exploratory projects for our students’ interests and passions.

The Magnificent Microscope / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher(s): Renee Brekke-Ebbott

Special maintenance for a collection of 15 compound microscopes.

Purposeful Playground / Lake School

Teacher(s): Jessica McNary, Trudy Pfingston-Orr, Tee Pleak, Jessica Vollendorf, Tracie Wise, Katy Dye

Additions to the Lake School playground that will add more purposeful play and outdoor learning opportunities for preschool and Kindergarten students.

Engaging Students with Energy / CB Secondary School

Teacher(s): Betsy Kolodziej

This project will add a current transformer (CT) to the solar panel at CBCS in order to monitor our solar energy generation through our existing eGauge system. This will allow students to monitor both energy consumption and generation at CBCS.

Walking Around Colorado…Literally! / CB Elementary

Teacher(s): Erica Young, Sarah Block, Brynn O’Connell

The Giant Map of Colorado, an oversized vinyl floor map is designed to encourage geographic learning through physical movement and games, teaching place names, physical geography, and cultural geography as well as map reading skills. US/World/Colorado maps set will provide valuable, hands-on, interactive education for daily use.

Rocket Kids / Gunnison Middle School

Teacher: Neil Coen

A class will be developed that requires students to read the books, “October Sky” about the rocket building childhood of NASA engineer, Homer Hickam and “Lost Moon”, about Apollo 13. Using these books as inspiration, students will then build and launch a series of progressively more difficult model rocket kits.

Cycles: Celebrate the Beat! / Crested Butte Elementary

Teacher: Sandy Robinson

A cross-curricular, multi-grade exploration of Nature’s Cycles through the study of dance, music, art, and science.  This physically and mentally demanding program engages all students in grades 3-5, culminating in a public performance.

Solar Sprint / Crested Butte Community School

Teachers: Kristi Acuff, Todd Wasinger

Build the fastest, most efficient car powered only by the sun’s energy and your understanding of gear ratios, torque, friction and efficiency!! Watch solar energy transform into mechanical, thermal, kinetic and gravitational potential energy as your car races to the top of a steep hill!

Keeping it Real / Crested Butte High School

Teachers: Lisa Hart, Amy Artigues

Using Vernier probes to interface with computers, students will be able to gather, to analyze, and to display precise data from actual experiments in several science classes throughout the year.

“Reading” for All / Gunnison Middle School

Teachers: Stacy Harbaugh, Meegan Haley, Molly Childerston

The Kurzweil Firefly program is a text-to-speech reading program that allows any document to be downloaded or scanned so it can be read to students. With the use of Bookshare.org any novel being read in the middle school can be downloaded and enabled, through the use of the Kurzwel program, to be an audiobook.

Launching Blended Learning / Gunnison Elementary

Teacher: Amanda Harris, Tracy Archuleta, Kim Chodoroski, Jill Murphy

Research-based “Brain Pop Jr” is a tool for teachers to help classrooms transition to blended learning environments.  Brain Pop Jr is engaging, deliberate and focused, as well as deliberate and focused. 

Wenum Technology Development / Gunnison 

Teacher: Rhonda Wenum

For lesson extensions, research, academic games, technology skills that ensure students can access school-based technology.. 

Preschoolers Exploring Science / Lake School

Teacher: Trudy Ferraro

Preschool science discovery should be derived from natural and informal learning that sparks their curiosity and wonder in the world around them. Through hands on activities child are exposed to physical, earth and life science by exploring and creating experiences through learning.

Ticklin’ The Ivories III – TechnoStyle / Lake School

Teacher: Nancy Santarela

For the purchase of kid-friendly music theory software, music composition software, piano music, headphone adapters for GES students to use during the three piano units during the year.

Readers-R-Us / Gunnison Elementary

Teachers: Amanda Harris

A project that allows students to access reading materials at home through technology.  

Language Arts Versa Tiles / Gunnison Elementary

Teachers: Sandra Merrifield, Brian Rooks, Elena Oster, Megan Wells, Ellie Ferguson

A multi-sensory tactile application to engage the struggling reader.  

Digital Arts in the Classroom / CB Elementary

Teacher: Elise Meier

Two iPads which will foster the use of technology and provide practical art applications and digital arts to students.

Which Way to Broadway / Gunnison High School

Teachers: Susan Barrett, Robin Wilkinson, Stacy Harbaugh

A collaborative project to produce a musical – the only Drama offered at GHS in 2014-15.

Water in the Valley / Gunnison Elementary

Teachers: Rain Bodine, Carin Schmidt

A collaborative creation of a 300 x 4 foot painted silk scroll that tells the story and vision of the water in the Gunnison Valley in all its forms and interpretations.

The Daily 5 Implementation / Gunnison Elementary

Teachers: Tracy Archuleta, Kryssia Johnson, Liz Hicks, Amanda Harris, and more.

A Reading Street Curriculum literacy block to be infused into every 1st Grade Classroom.