Here's what you've helped to fund in 2019 - 2020

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Each academic year the PTO provides a total of $5,000 to Chickering School in the form of Teacher Grants. The PTO Teacher Grants are designed to fund classroom enhancements that are connected to the Common Core and School Improvement Plan. We encourage teachers to be thoughtful and creative in considering their needs, and every year they come up with innovative ideas to help enhance their classrooms and curriculum. Teachers submit grant applications to the PTO Board in October. Together with Mrs. Dayal and Dr. Reinemann, the Dover PTO Board reviews and approves applications in November. Below is a list of grants we awarded this year.

 

Grant Requestor: Deb Reinemann

Recipient: Whole School

Grant Funded: Chickering Radio

Last spring the Music Department created Chickering Radio with the purpose to:

• Welcome and set a tone for the day

• Build familiarity with specific composers and genres

• Reinforce music curriculum

• Introduce new music and label it, expanding student concept of range of musical genres

• Contribute to school community through shared experience

• Contribute to management/structure of morning arrival, lunch, and transitions

• Build experience with responding appropriately to new and unfamiliar music.

The music runs on the Lobby monitor at arrival (8:20-8:35) and on the cafeteria at lunch time. It was previously run via Spotify, paid by a personal account.

 

Grant Requestor: Dan Davis and Julie Law-Linck

Recipient: Grades 4-5 directly, PK-3 indirectly

Grant Funded: It’s All About the Bass (Bass Instrument)

Through this grant, the Music Department purchased a bass clarinet to be played by two fifth grade students each year as part of the Concert Band experience. Elementary band students are trained to “listen down” or to hear the lowest sounds in the band and to “fit” their own sound into a full and round bass foundation. This helps greatly with intonation and group blend. The missing low instrument in our band is the bass clarinet. It is not practical for a student to rent a bass clarinet, so these are generally provided by schools for their players.

 

Grant Requestor: Sue Pelletier

Recipient: Whole School

Grant Funded: Inspirational Positivity Posters; Celebrating YOU!

This grant allows the purchase of several gender neutral posters made from vinyl that have a WOW factor! These inspirational quotes will be placed around the school, including the elevator, by student bathrooms, and near water fountains. Visually the posters are so dynamic and powerful, the students will love the messages being delivered.

 

Grant Requestor: Nisha Hochman, Amy Dorfman, Jenn Sellman, Laura O’Garr, Cynthia Shapiro, Pre-K, K, and 1st grade teachers

Recipient: Pre-K, K, 1st grades

Grant Funded: Motor Pathway

Various students in different grade levels require movement breaks throughout their day to help them stay regulated and available for learning. There is research to support that movement is necessary to help foster development and academic achievement. Some students require a larger space than a classroom can provide to get their motor needs met. This grant builds an engaging motor pathway to be placed in the K/1 wing, allowing all students, particularly in the pre-K, K, and 1st grades to participate in a structured movement break.

 

Grant Requestor: Amy Cohn and Laurie Moran

Recipient: Mrs. Cohn and Mrs. Moran’s 1st grade classrooms

Grant Funded: Flexible Seating Rocking Stools

First grade students are curious, energetic and ready to learn! They learn as they move throughout their day – movement being the key word. Over the years we have noticed the benefits of using alternate modalities for seating. This year, both classrooms purchased one rocking stool. This stool is small, compact, and easy to use. Students choose the stool when they are getting fidgety or need to move, and as the day progresses, more students fidget in their chairs or stationary stools. This grant allows for both classrooms to provide five more rocking stools to their classroom.

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