Purpose: This grant will provide pulse oximeters for students to be able to track their pulse as they learn about the heart and lungs in health class.

Amplify to Engage, Aaron Sleeper, Verne Duncan Elem - $1,653.00

Purpose: This grant purchases Lightspeed’s Redcat amplification system for the Health and Wellness classroom. The system includes two portable microphones (one worn by the teacher and one used by students) and a stand alone or wall-mounted speaker to enhance classroom communication. The overall goal is to improve audio clarity, ensuring all students can effectively hear and engage with the class, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and engaging classroom.

Granting Children Literacy in their Native Languages, Jenny Clifford, Oregon Trail Elem- $531.79

Purpose: This grant will provide students who are newcomers and limited in English access to books in their native languages. Having access to books in their native languages will help them feel more comfortable and welcome. Books in native languages stimulate the students’ cognitive, linguistic, and social development, along with building literacy skills

Morning Soft Start Bins, Avery Hendrickson, Happy Valley Elem- $372.19

Purpose: How the school day begins often sets the tone for the rest of the day. This grant will purchase hands-on morning tubs for a 2nd grade classroom so students can continue to work on relationship, turn taking, problem solving and other social skills. As students enter the classroom, morning bins will encourage them to interact positively and cooperatively with their classmates and give students a way to ease into the day with stress free play

Creating a Multi-Language Library, Joanna Sooper, Scouters Mtn Elem - $500.00

Purpose: This grant will allow the ELD teacher to purchase fiction and non-fiction elementary reading level books to add to their school library to better reflect the diverse student population at the school. Many of our students are bi-literate and while learning English they crave interesting books at their reading level/ age group, but only have access to English primers that are at their English reading level. Research shows that any reading at a student's reading level in their native language also improves their ability to learn and read in English.

Percy Jackson: Lightening Thief, James Ringo, Cannady Elem - $700.00

Purpose: This grant will help fund a field trip for 4th graders to watch Oregon Childrens Theatre's production of Percy Jackson: Lightening Thief. Attending the play is a culmination of a novel study of the book.

Yoga Mats for Wellness, Alexis Hudson, View Acres- $400.00

Purpose: This grant will help purchase yoga mats for the Health and Wellness Classroom. Yoga helps students focus their bodies and their minds and helps establish some skills on breathing and how to regulate themselves. Having yoga mats to keep body awareness will make this practice more accessible to all students.

Middle School Projects

AAPI Affinity Club, Harry Appelbaum, Rowe MS- $1,500.00

Purpose: This grant will help start Rowe's new AAPI Affinity Club. Rowe has the largest population of AAPI students in the district. Funds will be used to bring in speakers and performing groups to increase belonging and community for students.

El Ballet Folklorico, Karina Ramirez Velazquez,Alder Creek MS- $2,000.00

Purpose: This grant will help purchase costumes for the growing Ballet Folklorico afterschool club at Alder Creek. In this club, students learn about traditional Mexican/Indigenous/AfroMexican dances and present them to the school community as well as the public.

Funding for Black History Month Assembly, Black Student Union Family Night and Guest Speakers, Zach Tate, Rowe MS- $1,000.00

Purpose: This grant will fund speakers for an engaging and educational schoolwide assembly celebrating Black excellence.

PE/Recess Equipment, Judd Smelser, Rowe MS- $234.54

Purpose: To help students understand the value of physical activity, this grant will purchase basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, and badminton sets for students to use during PE as well as during recess.

High School Projects

Tool to Support All Ceramics Projects Peter Pugger Vacuum Power Wedger, Nickolas Hurlbut, Milwaukie HS - $4,000.00

Purpose: This grant will help purchase a ceramics pugger for the art department which recycles and reclaims clay so it can be used again and not wasted. Clay dries easily and though it can have water added to it to soften, re-making it into the original, smooth, and pliable clay is not possible without a strong, effective machine.

Estuary Investigation & Biological Assessment, Traci Clarke, Rex Putnam HS- $1,000.00

Purpose: This grant will help the new IB Marine Science class travel to Hatfield Marine Science Center to engage in field work in a marine estuary. This hands-on experience is in collaberation with Oregon State University.

CHS Model Unted Nations Club, Taylor Gibson, Clackamas HS- $1,000.00

Purpose: This grant will help the Model UN Club participate in the Oregon Model United Nations Conference in Eugene in April 2024. CHS’s Model UN club’s participation in the OMUN conference provides an unparalleled opportunity for students to engage in real-world diplomacy, problem-solving, and critical thinking.

2023-24 Fall Enrichment Grant Recipients

Elementary School Projects

5th Grade Brain Bins: Happy Valley Elementary, Heather Harris - $500.00

Purpose: This project will supply three 5th grade classrooms with a class set of “brain boxes” containing open ended, high engagement manipulatives and materials to build community, SEL skills engagement and joy during our daily soft start time in line with our responsive classroom model.

Orton Gillingham Institue for Multi-Sensory Education Materials: Oregon Trail Elementary, Theresa Just - $300.00

Purpose: 10 student classroom kits to be used as a supplement to Orton Gillingham curriculum, designed to be used in small reading groups.

Enhancing Inclusive Education with Sensory Tools: Lewelling Elementary, Zooey Hamdan- $427.00

Purpose: This project aims to establish a sensory area in a 2nd grade classroom to support the diverse sensory needs of students and enhance their learning experience. The sensory area will provide a designated space equipped with sensory tools and materials that encourage self-regulation, reduce anxiety, and promote positive behavior.

Social Emotional Learning through Stories & Play: Bilquist Elementary, Kalei Ostreim - $888.89

Purpose: Support SEL using Slumberkins lessons in kindergarten classrooms.

Middle School Projects

Thinking Classrooms in ACMS: Alder Creek Middle School, Hannah Garcia- $900.00

Purpose: When students were given the opportunity to work on a Vertical Non-Permanent workspace (VNP), such as a dry erase board or wipe book, they were more willing to engage in the math task and work in a collaborative environment. The non-permanent aspect of the workspace is also imperative to students. Students find themselves more willing to take risks and try new things when they can easily erase mistakes and start over.

High School Projects

Climate & Air Quality Data: Adrienne Nelson High School, Nancy Mitchell - $2,000.00

Purpose: This project will fund the purchase of 10 durable, portable air quality monitors and one air quality monitor station that will collect data on the air quality outside the school building. The air quality data will allow for students to engage with real time quantitative data that measures important values in the air that they are inhaling in the scope of the currently adopted NCSD NGSS Chemistry curriculum, specifically about evaluating a major global challenge to specify quantitative and qualitative data to meet solutions for society (HS-ETS1-1).

Doorways to Expression and Creativity: Clackamas Web Academy, Debbie Steere- $1,706.00

Purpose: This grant will help purchase materials for a new art program: ‘Doorways to Expression and Creativity’. Currently, our small school does not have an arts program. Post-pandemic, we have observed a need for hands on art to help with emotional regulation for students. In the Doorways program, students will explore forms of self expression including drawing, sculpture, photography, painting, and writing. Each medium is a doorway to self-expression and has the potential to help with emotional regulation.

Equitable Access within the Classroom, Flexible Seating and Whiteboards: Adrienne Nelson High School, Catriona Dahlke- $833.09

Purpose: The procurement of flexible seating will allow for equal access for all students, regardless of neurodivergence, sensory needs, or other factors. The large whiteboards will allow for sustainable group work collaboration for many academic years to come.

Green Our Planet’s Hydroponics STEM Program Grant: Rex Putnam High School, Katie Rasouli- $2,000.00

Purpose: This grant provided the final funding to implement a Hydroponics Growing unit in at Putnam. With this project, students will have access to fresh produce all year. Our newcomer emerging bilinguals will learn English and Science through hands on learning and share their knowledge and produce with the greater community.

Mustangs in the Field Podcast: Milwaukie High School, Roberto Aguilar- $129.99

Purpose: This grant purchases a podcast-quality microphone to use in a podcast about Milwaukie High School graduates. The podcast provides quality college and career material for MHS/MAA, which is applicable and accessible to all students in the NCSD, so that they have some knowledge to become future ready.

Slushies for Schellenberg: Sabin Schellenberg, Grace Saad- $1,515.05

Purpose: This grant provides partial funding of 100% fruit, Smart Snack compliant, Frosty Fruit slushie machine for the SSC student store space. The slushie machine will provide hands-on learning in product development, marketing, and small business management. The slushie machine was proposed by student interns in 2022-2023 as a capstone project. They built and delivered a proposal to bring the slushie machine to our school, including a justification, marketing plan, and projected profits and budgeting. This project has already included multiple meetings with administration and district electricians, and student-led surveys and focus groups to further flush out the proposal.

Sources of Strength: Adrienne Nelson High School, Caley Melton and Carrie Dinsmore- $800.00

Purpose: This grant will provide funding for the Sources of Strength year 2 implementation for Tier 1 suicide prevention programming at Adrienne C. Nelson High School. Sources of Strength is an evidenced-based national model that works to promote positive mental health and resiliency through peer-led activities that promote hope, help, and strength.

Breakaway Banner: Milwaukie High School Athletics, Sabrina Larson- $1,085.00

Purpose: Funding for a run-through banner for the cheerleading team to hold up at the beginning of each home football game. This banner will increase engagement of the crowd and boost team spirit. Will be first breakthrough banner in NCSD. Reduces waste from paper banners.

Kingsmen Thunder Drumline: Rex Putnam High School, Renee Ormae-Jarmer- $2,000.00

Purpose: Funding for the award-winning drum line, including purchase of a new vibraphone. Drum Line provides an artistic focus on developing youth that is well-rounded, community, disciplined, and teaches inclusiveness and empathy. Members learn teamwork, high skill sets, and responsibility as representatives of Rex Putnam and the North Clackamas School District.

2022-23 Spring Enrichment Grant Recipients

Elementary School Projects

Glass Class: Oak Grove Elementary, Rachel Wong - $1,849.99

Purpose: This grant will purchase a glass kiln to allow all students in the school to make fused glass art projects.

Gyotaku Fish Printing: Mt. Scott Elementary, Karen Morgan & Angie Richen - $467.52

Purpose: This grant will purchase materials for students to create Gyotaku (YO-talk-ooh), the Japanese art of fish printing, which will be used to study the anatomy of Chinook salmon while sharing the experience of art in science. Students will deepen their understanding of salmon anatomy as well as the societal, cultural, and historical context of the importance of salmon to the Northwest Coastal tribes of Oregon.

Sensory Tiles for First Grade: Mt. Scott Elementary, Elizabeth Maxwell- $289.97

Purpose: This grant will purchase 22 sensory tiles that can be used on the floor or mounted to the wall. The tiles are filled with colorful liquid that students can manipulate. The tiles can provide sensory regulation as well as learning opportunities for students.

Sunnyside Net Games: Jeff Schroeder - $820.00

Purpose: This grant will purchase badminton and pickleball equipment for elementary PE classes to learn these lifetime sports.

Bowling in School: View Acres Elementary, Kevin Greenleaf - $2,138.34

Purpose: This grant will purchase in-school bowling sets (pins, rubber bowling balls, carpet bowling lanes) for school-wide PE classes. PE Teacher Kevin Greenleaf will teach the sport of bowling which will provide movement, motor skill, and social interaction practice for students.

Soft Start SEL Games: Cannaday Elementary, Barbara Stephens - $185.34

Purpose: This grant will purchase learning games that can be used during the soft start morning to encourage social interaction among fourth graders.

Middle School Projects

Pickle Ball Mania: Happy Valley Middle School, Bill Welch - $908.73

Purpose: My goal is to bring pickleball to Happy Valley Middle School, teach it as a two-week unit (once each semester for a total of four weeks) for ALL 1149 students, use this unit to kickstart our pickleball club, and possibly share this with other schools in our district so that they too can incorporate pickleball into their curricular offerings.

Kellogg Creek Restoration: Rowe Middle School, Dylan Richmond - $684.55

Purpose: These two companion grants will purchase tools for students to use to remove invasive species by Kellogg Creek and to help maintain native plantings. Students will work collaboratively to maintain access for the rest of the school to Kellogg Creek by maintaining trails and common areas. Students will better understand the impact of invasive species on native flora and fauna.

Invasive Species Removal, Kellogg Creek: Rowe Middle School, Jeff Young - $613

Equipment for Net Game Activities: Alder Creek Middle School, Denise Morrow - $1,500

Purpose: This grant will purchase poles to be used for volleyball nets and other net-game sports to allow more PE students to participate in activities at the same time.

21st Century Temperature Data: Rock Creek Middle School, Sarah Zinzer - $1,169.46

Purpose: This project will provide each 7th-grade science teacher with a class set of infrared thermometers (and batteries) to use for labs. By using infrared instead of glass thermometers, students will collect more accurate data and have more time to focus on learning and applying the data.

High School Projects

Phoenix Court Sports: New Urban High School, Jennifer Schroeder - $930

Purpose: This grant will allow the purchase of equipment for intermural volleyball and basketball teams at New Urban High School. The students will have more opportunities to engage in healthy activities after school that will promote attendance and give them more incentive to earn better grades. It will help teach students community and sportsmanship as well.

Rex Putnam Garden: Rex Putnam High School, Giles Buser-Molatore - $1,213.22

Purpose: This grant will purchase materials and supplies to expand the outside garden and new greenhouse at Rex Putnam High School.

Jump Start for Video Broadcasting: Rex Putnam High School, Liz Randall - $3,200

Purpose: This grant will purchase two digital cameras to use in a new Video Production course at Rex Putnam High School. Students will use the cameras to film weekly student announcements, student produced videos highlighting student voice and the happenings at Rex Putnam. These cameras will enable students to have high-quality video and sound.

2022-23 Fall Enrichment Grant Recipients

Elementary School Projects

Materials for Purposeful Play: Sunnyside Elementary, Modesta Dominguez, Summer Smith, Traci Dolan- $1,500.00

Purpose: Kindergarteners have 70 minutes scheduled for playful inquiry. This grant supplies diverse toys and materials to support purposeful play and inquiry for kindergarteners. Hand puppets, matching games, and puzzles will educate and entertain students.

Whiteboard Tables: Ardenwald Elementary, Rick Kirschmann- $2,116.07

Purpose: Mr. Kirschmann received a grant from NCEF in 2019 for whiteboard surface tables for his special ed classroom at Sunnyside Elementary. After transferring to Ardenwald Elementary, he wanted to replicate the succcess he experienced with the tables with his new students. This grant will purchase 4 whiteboard tables for special ed students for small group learning. More effective than handheld whiteboard, the tables are a fun and unique way of delivering lessons and ensuring students are grasping the concepts.

MIDI Music Keyboards: Mt. Scott Elementary, Rachel Panni- $800.00

Purpose: Students will explore music with the progressive technology of MIDI pianos, learning through musical creation and production. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) pianos provide a way for musical instruments and computers to communicate. Students will be able to explore, create, and record their own musical creations. This grant will purchase 16 MIDI pianos.

Hands on Learning in Health and Wellness Classes: Linwood Elementary, Andrea Shanks- $706.00

Purpose: Puzzles, toys, books, flashcards, and human organ play models to promote hands-on learning in health and wellness class. Using hands on models and activities will increase knowledge and experiential learning of body healthy, community, and well-being.

Barton Reading and Spelling System: Sunnyside Elementary, Hattie Smith- $650.00

Purpose: This grant will purchase two levels of the Barton Reading & Spelling System. The Barton System is a multi-sensory, direct, explicit, structured and sequential intense intervention program for students with dyslexia that is research and evidence based.

Morning Bins: Happy Valley Elementary, Christa Struckmeier, Casey Pfleger- $598.03

Purpose: This grant will purchase engineering materials, arts and crafts materials, various manipulatives, and storage bins to create "morning bins" for 1st and 2nd grade classrooms. These morning bins are a hands-on alternative to traditional morning work such as worksheets, which allow students to create and interact during the morning period where students are arriving and class is beginning.

Relax and Read for Fun: Lot Whitcomb Elementary, Alexa Wyer- $310.22

Purpose: This grant will purchase posters, magnetic tiles, kinetic sand, and thinking putty to use by TLC students in a Relax and Read area. During designated break times, the Relax and Read area will provide students with a meaningful opportunity to be mindful and practice self-regulation.

22-23 grants

Middle School Projects

Rockets: Happy Valley Middle School, Chuck McCarthy- $350.00

Purpose: Purchase of materials so all 6th grade students can design and build paper rockets and materials for rocket launcher. By doing so, the students have fun and learn about force, net force, air pressure, and aerodynamics.

NGSS Bio Lab: Clackamas Middle College, Hannah Andrews- $1,008.00

Purpose: Cumulative project to engage students in an engineering design project for 10th grade biology in which they will make yogurt. CMC students lack a traditional science lab classroom and access to laboratory supplies, so this will allow those students to complete a more traditional science lab project to learn about cellular metabolism.

High School Projects

On-Site Labs: Clackamas Web Academy, Terri Gibson- $1,162.34

Purpose: This grant money will help purchase equipment to provide quality lab experiences for students at CWA, where much of the learning is typically on-line. In supplementing in person, classroom experiences with a students asynchronous online science curriculum, students will better understand and retain science standards and learning targets. This will also serve as additional support for struggling students and help all students in their proficiency in high school science mastery. This grant purchases Biology and Forensic Science Labs for 9-12th grade students.

Student Equity Team: Milwaukie High School and Milwaukie Academy of the Arts, Jillian Moody, Freeland Church- $500.00

Purpose: This discretionary grant will provide the seed money for a Student Equity Team at MHS/MAA. Made up of a large and diverse group of students, the team would meet for training in the fall and throughout the year to help build an inclusive and safe school culture through student-led equity campaigns.

Headset System for Communication: Milwaukie High School and Milwaukie Academy of the Arts, Laura Steenson- $1,940.00

Purpose: This grant will purchase 8 headsets to allow MHS/MAA theater students to communicate with each other during plays. Having these headsets will allow the student tech crew to communicate in the same way that professional theatre artists do during plays, which will improve their theatre education and better equip them for the future, as well as improve the quality of each production.

Robotic Arm: Sabin Schellenberg Center, Marlana Tizo, Wayne Sellavaag- $2,200.00

Purpose: This grant will provide initial funds to allow students to create and build a robotic arm in robotics class at Sabin Schellenberg. Students will learn proper manufacturing processes using machine shop equipment to build the components and assemble the robotic arm. Students will also learn circuit board design and layout of the control boards for the arm. Students will learn basic electronic components, soldering, assembly skills to build the boards, to wire the motors, and switches to control the robotic arm functions.

2021-22 Spring Enrichment Grant Recipients

Elementary School Projects

C-Pen Reader: Linwood Elementary, Rachel Frugard - $1,100

Purpose: Purchase of 4 C-Pen readers for special education students. This project will allow students who are below grade level in reading to access core content areas by using a pen that will read them the text. This creates independent reading and learning and supports inclusive learning environments. This pen reads text out loud with natural speaking voices, stores text, and looks up and explains words in dictionary mode. They are compatible with most headphones and easy to use.

Funnel Ball: Oak Grove Elementary, Chris Elkorek - $674

Purpose: Purchase of Funnel Ball game for use by whole school in outdoor play. Oak Grove Elementary is a Title 1 school. The demographics of the area show that students in thisarea have fewer options for outdoor playground areas and are therefore less likely to be engaging in physical activity. Part of developing a healthy and engaged student is providing opportunities for them to increase their wellness. Wellness includes opportunities for gross motor movement and development, structured activities and game areas where students utilize cooperation skills.

Calming Room: Oregon Trail Elementary, Gianna Bargetto - $750

Purpose: Transformation of a conference room into a Calming Room where students where students can take breaks and regulate their bodies to be more successful during their school day. (available to whole school, 455 students per year)

Whiteboards & Headphones: Cannaday Elementary, Anna Tsoi - $596.67

Purpose: Purchase of new headphones and whiteboards for kindergartners.

Headphones for 1st Graders: Sunnyside Elementary, Jennifer Cusik & Kate Segrin - $1,349.10

Purpose: Supplying three first-grade classrooms with headphones that are of good quality, will help facilitate learning and last several school years.

21-22 recipients

Middle School Projects

Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum: Rowe Middle School, Alexa Wyer & Laura Leff-Allen - $1,502.24

Purpose: Purchase of research-based Social Emotional Learning curriculum to help special education students how to understand perspectives, self-regulate, resolve conflicts, and critically think about more than just academics.

School Library Fund: Rowe Middle School, Lucas Dix - $3,498.30

Purpose: Reinvigorate library with purchase fo books to add more relevant and engaging nonfiction, replace lost books within a series, and also purchase more graphic novels and novels in verse to give our struggling readers new content.

Hand Weights for Herons: Happy Valley Middle School, Jeff Schroeder - $800

Purpose: Purchase of dumbbell sets to build up the Happy Valley Middle School strength training program to support an extracurricular program accessible to all students.

High School Projects

Gizmos for Science: Milwaukie High School, Nicole Matthew - $1,750

Purpose: Purchase of 1-year subscription to interactive virtual science platform for high school biology classes.

Art from the Heart: Clackamas Web Academy, Debbie Steere - $480

Purpose: The grant will fund the purchase of a portable drying rack for student artwork and a mobile cart to transport art supplies from classroom to classroom. This will allow the school to incorporate art into middle & high school language arts and social studies classes.

Pottery Wheels: Rex Putnam High School, Liz Randall - $3,000

Purpose: Purchase of two new potters wheels for ceramics classes.

2021-22 Fall Enrichment Grant Recipients

Elementary School Projects

Building Collaboration with Flexible Seating: Bilquist Elementary, Adrienne Courbis - $1,006.70

Purpose: To purchase multiple seating options for 4th grade classroom, including wobble stools, cushions, scoop rockers, yoga balls, standing desks, and fidget bands. After an untraditional school year in 2020-2021, learners will need extra support to build stamina and stay focused for longer periods of time with a large group of peers again. Building collaboration and working together will be key. Research has shown that learning environments have a direct impact on student learning and achievement.

School to Home Science Kits: Lot Whitcomb Elementary, Shaun Martinez - $1,194

Purpose: Purchase of 24 School to Home Science kits for 1st grade students to take home 3 times per year. Students and families will investigate the topic and complete a project related to the kit. Each kit will have a literature connection, directions, links to extend learning and basic supplies. Kit materials will be bilingual (Spanish/English) so that they are accessible to a greater population of students and families and support the DLI program at Lot Whitcomb. Students will bring back completed project or picture of project and kit upon completion. Students will share their project and learning with their class.

News Literacy in the Classroom: Beatrice Morrow Cannady Elementary, Kelly Granato - $608.35

Purpose: The project request is to purchase Scholastic News Magazine for each 3rd grade student. Monthly magazines and digital resources are offered with the subscription. Our goal is to build news literacy and non fiction reading skills through discussing current events around the world. Typically we fund this ourselves, however our funds have been decreased this year so we are seeking assistance.

Arts Integration in a Dual Language Immersion Kindergarten Classroom:

Riverside Elementary, Lisset O’Neill - $900

Purpose: Use the arts to promote literacy and language development in Spanish

by purchasing art supplies.

Sound Wall for First Graders: Beatrice Morrow Cannady Elementary,

Kathleen Law - $100.00

Purpose: This sound wall package includes guided lessons and posters to help

teach and reinforce sounds and letters. It will enhance our reading curriculum by

teaching explicit phonics. Readers will learn the importance of mouth placement

by looking at model pictures of diverse faces.

Flexible Seating for Special Education: Oregon Trail Elementary, Theresa Just - $1070.00

Purpose: Flexible seating, such as the 20 wobble stools this grant will purchae, allows students who require movement to aid in their learning to move in a non disruptive way. Many of our students who qualify for special education support have sensory needs such as ADHD or sensory processing disorder and need to move their bodies while receiving small group instruction.

Middle School Projects

Academic & Social Skills Curriculum: Rock Creek Middle School, Jennifer Wilcox - $999.90

Purpose: Purchase of specially designed social and emotional curriculum for students receiving special education services. The curriculum will provide a streamlined scope and sequence with measurable outcomes.

High School Projects

Recycle, Reuse, Recreate: Clackamas High School, Ashley Snyder - $4249.00

Purpose: Instead of wasting clay, Ms. Snyder will purchase a Pugmill with grants funds allowing clay to be recycled and reused, instead of discarded. A pugmill can be safely operated by students and will save significant time and money for the school.

2020-21 Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Recipients

2020-21 Grants

Elementary School Projects

Opening Our Eyes to Others: Happy Valley Elementary, Donna Mansour & Hayley Reinauer — $185

Purpose: Purchase of picture books to use to teach the Social Justice Standards to 4th and 5th graders. These books expose students to diversity topics and are able to be used in an online distance-learning class setting.

Every Student Reads: Sunnyside Elementary, Summer Smith, Modesta Dominguez, Melissa McEwan, and Traci Dolan — $2,400

Purpose: Purchase classroom sets of books to deliver to 1st grade students to increase their access to literature during distance learning.

Growing Readers: Sunnyside Elementary, Laurie Foote - $624

Purpose: Purchase books to deliver to 3rd-grade students to increase their access to books during distance learning

Student Dictionaries: Happy Valley Elementary, Casey Pfleger - $150

Purpose: support 75 first-grade students in reading and writing by providing them the student-friendly Quick-Word Handbook for Beginning Writers.

White Board for All: Scouters Mountain Elementary, Amy Mathews - $979.86

Purpose: During CDL, it is important that all students' math problem thinking is made visible so the teacher and community can honor and assess their level of understanding. This grant will allow Scouters Mtn staff to get whiteboards, erasers and pens in the hands of each student in their school to make this possible.

Social-Emotional Learning During Distance Learning: Oregon Trail Elementary, Theresa Just, Melissa Konrad - $599.98

Purpose: This project will provide a 2-year subscription to a multi-sensory curriculum for students receiving specially designed instruction in social skills, behavioral, and adaptive skills in special education during distance learning and hybrid learning. Students can access videos, worksheets, interactive games, and more with this curriculum.

Books for Home: Verne Duncan Elementary, Jodi Lee, K'Ann Iparraguirre, Kate Mills - $1,005

Purpose: This project will provide 3-5 books for 3rd graders to read at home. Our students are struggling to find books at home that they have not already read. They are also improving in their reading and many of them do not have books at home to support this.

Books for 4th Graders: Beatrice Morrow Cannady Elementary, Barb Stephens, James Ringo - $383.40

Purpose: To get books into the hands of our 4th graders to get them away from the screen. Providing an opportunity for them to meet in small groups via breakout rooms and read and discuss the book. Through sharing their thinking, they build a richer understanding than any one student could gain from independent reading alone.

Books in Hand During CDL: Spring Mountain Elementary, Lisa Bach - $250

Purpose: To put books into the hands of kids that are doing all of their learning online. Allowing children to each pick a book once per term. Books would be chosen with the classroom teacher’s guidance and limited in cost to less than $10 (no activity books)

Shared Reading Experience: Scouters Mountain Elementary, Rebecca Olson, Nadia Bora - $84

Purpose: To send home a 2nd-grade level chapter book, so that each student can read along with the teacher and then continue the book at their own pace. The book, Zoey and Sassafras, features a young black girl who enjoys science and will be an excellent way to get readers into a new series! Once we all have the book, we can use it as a mentor text for reading mini-lessons.

Books in Their Hands: Beatrice Morrow Cannaday Elementary, Grace Morishita, Kelly Granato, Michele Giddings - $1,120

Purpose: Our third-grade team sees a dire need to get books into the hands of our students. We recognize the value of all online reading applications, however there is nothing like an actual book in a student's hands. Many of our students do not have books at home and are relying on reading online. We would like them to have CHOICE as well, as we know that when a reader is selecting books that interest them, it increases engagement and develops a lifelong love of reading. We are asking for 20 dollars per student, which would allow them to choose 3-5 books each.

Whiteboard Table Tools: Sunnyside Elementary, Jeanne Acker, Rick Kirschmann - $333.91

Purpose: To purchase markers, erasers, and cleaner for whiteboard tables (tables were purchased with prior NCEF grant)

Materials to Build Literacy and Focus: Beatrice Morrow Cannaday Elementary, Anna Tsoi, Aksana Sirosh - $650

Purpose: Purchase Books, magnet letters, wiggle cushions, playdough, and other tools to encourage a love of reading and inclusive classroom

Enhancing Audio for K/1: Spring Mountain Elementary, Claire Walker - $384.72 (Discretionary Grant)

Purpose: To purchase portable microphone/amplifiers so students can more clearly hear teachers.

Biography Project: Verne Duncan Elementary 4th Grade, Ryan Johnson - $500 (Discretionary Grant)

Purpose: Students research, by reading a "Who was/Who is" book about a variety of influential people and through a variety of projects, share their learning with school community.

Middle School Projects

BIPOC Authors in the Middle School Classroom: Alder Creek, Rowe, Happy Valley, and Rock Creek Middle Schools, Carrie Blythe and Barbra Ackerman - $2,827.92

Purpose: This grant is to provide eight North Clackamas Middle School teachers with young adult novels written by BIPOC authors to enrich their classroom library. The books will be read by the eight Equity Group members and book talks will be presented to the ENTIRE North Clackamas Middle ELA Department.

Ballet Folklorico: Alder Creek Middle School, Karina Ramirez Velazquez - $1,100

Purpose: This grant will help purchase costumes for Ballet Folklorico club at ACMS. This dance group will give students an opportunity to learn traditional Mexican dances and as well as learning about Mexican history through dance and music.

Supporting Authentic Writing with Middle School Literary Magazine: Alder Creek, Rock Creek, Rowe, and Happy Valley Middle Schools, Wendy Weatherill - $1,000

Purpose: This project aims to bridge the gaps in literacy of middle school students attending NCSD. Eleven teachers, representing all four middle schools, working collaboratively want to provide authentic writing experiences for every student. They aim to create an opportunity that inspires students to share their stories with the world.

Table Ball, Fitness Bars, Racquet Sports: Alder Creek Middle School, Bud Taylor, Amanda Byrn, Jeff Schroeder - $4,818.94

Purpose: Submitted as three individual grants to support the physical health of Alder Creek students, these grants purchased; 10 folding tables and 15 rubber bouncy balls. The tables will also be used for table tennis., A class set of 40 18lb fitness bars and a rack.,Table tennis equipment and tennis racquets to expand racquet sport offerings in PE.

High School Projects

Kingsmen Thunder Drumline: Rex Putnam High School, Rene Jarmer — $5,000

Purpose: To support the drum line program costs for supplies, equipment, masks, clinicians, PPE and virtual costs. The program is starting virtually with hopes of moving in person (when allowed). Music, drill/design, and virtual clinicians will help the drumline prepare for the year and stay trained and vital.

Gizmos, Engaging Interactive Virtual Science Labs with Next Generation Science Standards & Practices: Rex Putnam High School and Milwaukie High School, Nicole Robinson, Nicole Matthews - $2,840

Purpose: This project provides 3 teacher licenses for Gizmos. A quality science education is one that includes experimentation, engineering, and hands-on experiences. The Gizmos technology will provide students with online interactive opportunities to engage and explore science content. The Gizmos technology can also provide students with opportunities for differentiation, remediation, and additional vocabulary development (in person or online).

Learning Materials for Special Education Department: Milwaukie High School, Kelsey Balint - $1,420

Purpose: This project supports the entire special education department at MHS. We are in great need of supplies for our classroom such as calculators, headphones, and individual whiteboards. These materials will support hundreds of students in their learning each year. Each of these supplies will provide access to IEP accommodations. Headphones will allow students with disabilities in reading and writing to access speech-to-text and text-to-speech technology. Calculators will support students with a disability in math by allowing them to check their work. Whiteboards will allow students to participate in formative instruction.

Music Studio - Creating a More Inclusive Music Program: Milwaukie High School/Milwaukie Academy of the Arts, Willy Dolan - $3,980.40 (Discretionary Grant)

Purpose: We are building a recording studio and creating a new class to meet the needs of our diverse students. The idea for this class was born out of a desire to create an inclusive music program that celebrates music from every genre, representing our students and their diverse cultural assets. School is also receiving another grant to fully fund project.

2019-20 Spring Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Recipients

19-20 Spring Grants

Elementary School Projects

Engaging Whiteboard Surface Tables: Sunnyside Elementary, Richard Kirschmann — $1,870

Purpose: Kidney-shaped tables with dry erase, whiteboard surfaces, to support students with special education needs.

Makerspace: Happy Valley Elementary, Kristi Norton — $1,500

Purpose: Create a common area that is reserved for creative exploration, engineering, tinkering, inventing, and purposeful play.

Learning With Light: Oak Grove Elementary, Rachel Wong — $490

Purpose: Learning with Light: Students will practice and extend their joy of learning with a challenging and engaging light table during instructional and exploration time. Students will have the opportunity to practice writing letters in sensory materials, manipulating letters to form different words, building patterns, adding, subtracting and decomposing numbers with translucent math materials.

Headphones for Learning: Scouters Mountain Elementary, Ron Burr — $720

Purpose: Purchases 36 headphones for students to access a multitude of online resources to enhance learning.

Everyday Speech Social Learning Curriculum: Happy Valley Elementary, Melissa Wilcken — $800

Purpose: 4 subscriptions to evidence-based curriculum “Everyday Speech," to be used by SPED to help students with social learning challenges, particularly to help them with perspective and empathy skills.

Middle School Projects

Spikeball for PE: Alder Creek Middle-School, Bud Taylor, Jeff Schroeder, Amanda Byrne — $990

Purpose: Purchase of 10 sets of Spikeball for use in PE units.

Literature Circles for 7th Grade: Rowe Middle School, Coco Vernon — $3,675

Purpose: Purchase of class sets of 3 novels to use for novel study projects. Novels will share a theme but offer varying levels and choices for students.

Fractured Fairy Tales: Happy Valley Middle-School, Beverly Whitewolf — $475

Purpose: Fractured Fairy Tales: Purchase of class set of 4 books. Sixth-grade teachers implement an Inquiry By Design unit in which students read, compare, analyze, and write fairy tales. I want to capitalize on the interest and excitement students have for this genre and offer grade-level appropriate, fun and challenging fairy tale-based novels as independent reading options during and after this unit.

Lasers for Learning: Clackamas High School, Rhiannon Boettcher — $1,390

Purpose: Laser and vinyl cutting machines are a versatile way for students to learn industry-specific skills like Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software usage, materials manipulation, marketing, etc. Students will be able to design materials for a huge variety of school or extracurricular projects that are high-quality and professional. No more scissors and pens!

Forensic Photography: Sabin-Schellenberg Center, Mike Boyes — $6,300

Purpose: Purchase of 2 forensic photography kits for use in Crime Scene Investigation class.

2019-20 Fall Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Recipients

19-20 Fall Grants

Elementary School Projects

Assistive Technology: Ardenwald, Cannaday, & Oregon Trail Elementaries, Rachel Brekke — $2.328

Purpose: To increase communication for individuals with complex communication needs who use augmentative and alternative communication systems. To help with communication disabilities in the classroom by training and providing the staff with an iPad that has ProLoQuo2Go and an IEP goal-tracking app that will be used while teaching their lessons. This will provide a more efficient data collection routine and facilitate more activity involvement.

Quality Headphones for All: Sunnyside Elementary, Melissa McEwan — $1,209

Purpose: Provide high-quality headphones with microphones so students can listen in comfort and record their learning without distractions. This project provides an engaging enhancement to the interactive listening pieces of our newly adopted literacy, math, and science curricula. All students (IEP, ELL, TAG, etc) can benefit from the use of the microphone headphones to share their thinking in an equitable way.

Middle School Projects

Reading in Room 110: Rowe Middle School, Lucas Dix — $800

Purpose: This goal of this project is to add books to Mr. Dix’s classroom library that would be interesting to and beneficial for 7th and 8th grade students in his Literacy Workshop intervention class, as well as other students throughout the school who tune into Rowe’s It’s Lit Podcast and the It’s Lit book review segment on the Shamrock News program.

Project Healthy Reading: Rowe Middle School, Dana Johnson — $1,500

Purpose: The goal of health class is that students learn and practice how to be healthier versions of themselves. By providing a “health class library”, students will be given an opportunity to pick out a health-related book based on their own interests and reading level, regardless of which unit we are studying.

High School Projects

Kingsmen Thunder Drumline: Rex Putnam High-School & Alder Creek Middle School, Rene Ormae Jarmer & Jeff Wilson —$3,000

Purpose: The Kingsmen Thunder Drum Line gives students at Rex Putnam High School and Alder Creek Middle School an opportunity to learn an engaging and athletic art form. This grant helps them purchase another keyboard/synth station to add to the front ensemble. Electronics/Synths are heavily present in the marching arts in Front Ensembles. Piano is a highly popular musical instrument to learn, and there is a piano class at Putnam, yet there are few opportunities for performing in groups.

Putnam Coding Club: Rex Putnam High-School, Mike Anders — $750

Purpose: Putnam Coding Club: Each school year, the Rex Putnam Coding Club participates in the “Oregon Game Programming Challenge (OGPC).” OGPC is a non-profit organization that uses computer game development as a way of engaging students in STEM/STEAM activities. Students will grow in their knowledge of computer programming and will grow in their ability to effectively contribute to the development of a product within a team. Coding Club gives students a community, which is important because they often feel excluded elsewhere, and allows them to advance their learning and move towards their potential alongside a diverse group of peers.

Sources of Strength: Milwaukie High-School, Jennifer Krumm — $1,250

Purpose: Sources of Strength is a relationship-building program that focuses on suicide prevention. The program is based on relational connections, using peer leaders (mentored by adult advisors) to change peer social norms regarding seeking help. It also encourages students to individually assess and develop positive mental health behaviors. The program is entirely dependent on grants to operate, and NCEF’s grant will provide part of the funding needed to train peer leaders.

2018-19 Spring Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Recipients

18-19 Spring

NCEF awarded more than $27,000 to 13 projects. NCEF awarded Teacher Enrichment and Discretionary Grants to 13 projects in North Clackamas Schools.

These awards impact thousands of students in North Clackamas Schools, as well as our entire community. This round of grant awards was in addition to our fall grant awards, for a total of more than $40,000 in grants delivered to North Clackamas School District from NCEF.

Our grant application process will be open again in the summer, but we are always accepting programs to put on our Fund-A-Teacher platform. Apply Here

Elementary School Projects

Passport to the World: Bilquist Elementary, Justin Sooper — $1,040.20

Purpose: Thinking beyond his fourth-grade classroom, Bilquist Elementary teacher Justin Sooper sought a $1,050 grant to bring “Passport Club” to all students at Bilquist Elementary. A supplemental program that begins in second grade, Passport Club follows students all the way through grade 5. The program allows students of all levels to learn about countries around the world, with opportunities for individual goal-setting, progress checks, and accountability as students create their own plan to work towards earning stamps from the various countries they want to adorn their passport with.

Reading Café: Cascade Heights Charter School, Denise Cantin — $1,000

Purpose: Cascade Heights teacher Denise Cantin was awarded $1,000 for the creation of a reading café in her 4th-grade classroom. The purpose of the new reading café is to inspire and further motivate a love of literature in all of Cascade Heights 4th grade students. Take-home opportunities outside of the classroom, in addition to the flexible seating options within the reading café, will expand the opportunities for students to enjoy reading beyond the hours of the school day. The 4th grade-specific library will also increase opportunities for engagement, by providing a collection of books best suited to both the interests and reading level of these students.

Podcast Equipment: Lot Whitcomb Elementary, Desi Nidodemus — $270

Purpose: This $270 grant will fund podcast equipment for 4th and 5th Graders at Lot Whitcomb Elementary. Students will build research and presentation skills by learning to produce and edit podcasts for their school community. Stay tuned for the upcoming podcasts conducted by these students, which may include topics such as science reports, playground fun, storytelling and grammar tips.

Chromebooks for Kindergarten: Mt. Scott Elementary, Megan Erb — $2,520

Purpose: Mt. Scott Elementary teacher Megan Erb was awarded $2,520 to bring touchscreen Chromebooks to her kindergarten classroom. Early engagement with educational technology is necessary to prepare even our youngest students for academic success. Students will be able to practice math habits, make video responses to literature, and create and revise writing pieces into books using these touchscreen Chromebooks, allowing these young students the opportunity to start building a solid foundation of literacy and math technology skills.

Focus Tools: View Acres Elementary, David Grieshammer, Mackenzie Baker — $440

Purpose: Student teacher Mackenzie Baker and classroom teacher David Grieshammer were awarded $440 for the purchase of twenty new wiggle board focus tools. The pair not only plan to implement these tools in their own classroom, but to also make them available to other classrooms across View Acres Elementary. Already having implemented a couple of wiggle boards in their classroom, the teachers have received incredible feedback from their students about how they use these tools to help regulate energy, maintain focus and stay on track during class time.

Middle School Projects

The Need for Graphic Novels: Literary Merit & Equitable Access: Rowe Middle School, Allison Ackerman — $1,117.32

Purpose: After the highly successful implementation of a new “Why Read?” 7th grade English unit, Allison Ackerman saw a significant increase in Rowe Middle School students advocating for and using genre-specific language to describe the types of novels they are interested in reading. Visual cues help build deeper interpretations of words and storylines for visual learners and struggling readers.

Compared to traditional novels, graphic novels can be consumed with relative speed and immediate enjoyment,

providing a unique access point for reading engagement by students who identify as visual learners,

or who may struggle with or otherwise not enjoy reading. The 95 brand-new graphic novels to be

purchased with this grant will help struggling readers build vocabulary, reading comprehension

and confidence.

Flexible Seating for Reading: Rowe Middle School, Ashley Friedman — $1,355.08

Purpose: Because students learn better when they are more comfortable, Rowe Middle School teacher Ashley Friedman will use this grant to bring flexible seating options to her classroom, such as yoga balls, wobble chairs, and armchairs. The array of seating options will cater to the diverse needs of her students. While some options will help to ease the general sense of discomfort that many students feel while at school, other options will help mitigate the need for movement experienced by students with ADHD.

Lego Robotics: Rowe Middle School, Tricia Halonen — $2,487

Purpose: Increasing the number of students who can access Rowe Middle School’s Lego Robot program, this funding will expand the number of students who can access the robots. The lego robotics program helps students learn foundations for computer science and drag-and-drop programming. Competing in challenge courses facilitates teamwork, programming skills, competition experience, design skills and grit.

High School Projects

The Air We Breathe: Milwaukie High School, Phil Marchant — $409

Purpose: Milwaukie High School biology teacher Phil Marchant wants to run an experiment to show his students just how serious indoor air pollution is. This grant will fund a new classroom experiment, making the best out of Milwaukie’s temporary portable classroom situation. Using different combinations of air-filtering plants and technologically-powered air filters, Mr. Marchant’s class will test, report on and publish the results of their air-quality experiments and later use their scientific insights to make recommendations for classroom improvements.

NGSS Biology Pilot: Milwaukie High School, Nicole Matthews — $966.14

Purpose: Embracing North Clackamas Schools transition into NGSS Biology, 10th-grade biology teachers Nicole Matthews and Donny Law are piloting a new ecology lab incorporating engineering design. The materials purchased with this grant will support a three-week long STEM-based algae growth experiment. For this lab, students will use science skills to research and identify the requirements for plant growth and photosynthesis; engineer a recipe of chemical ingredients to maximize algal growth; and develop math and technology skills while using a spectrophotometer to determine growth rates. This exciting new lab will successfully hit on all elements in a STEM curriculum but will also boost students' understanding of plants' essential nutrients and the vital role of plants in our ecosystem.

Breaking the Code: Supplies to create escape room style challenges for science concepts: Clackamas High School, Patty Heintz —$1,092

Purpose: Clackamas High School science teachers Patty Heintz, Sally Howe and Sara Schipper are combining creativity, science, and a popular new trend in order to make science concepts more exciting to their students. These three science teachers will use their grant of $1,092 to engage over 600 students a year in a series of classroom escape room-style challenges based on science concepts. The collaborative group competition will challenge students to use their knowledge to decipher puzzles, each clue leading to another with an end goal of unlocking the strongbox to reveal a prize.

Kingsmen Thunder Drum Line: Rex Putnam High School, Rene Ormae-Jarmer & Jeff Wilson — $5,000

Purpose: The Rex Putnam High School Kingsman Drumline does not qualify for district funding and relies heavily on grant funding and donations for the continued success of their steadily growing program. The Kingsmen Thunder Drum Line was awarded $5,000 for the purchase of their own dedicated PA system, which is essential to ensuring that the front ensemble can be heard over the drummers. Funds will also go towards the purchase of the drumline’s second-ever marimba, standard drumline equipment that the program has never been able to afford until a very recent fundraiser. Playing the marimba is required for college percussion majors, as it establishes necissary experience with mallets. The addition of this instrument will prove key for young students wishing to pursue higher education along the music track.

2018-19 Fall Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Recipients

18-19 Fall Grants

NCEF awarded $12,000 to 6 projects, impacting more than 4,000 students. For the first time, the North Clackamas Education Foundation has awarded Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grants and Discretionary Grants through a summer application process that allows teachers to implement innovative and exciting projects into their classrooms at the beginning of the school year.

These fall grants are in addition to NCEF's spring grants. We're accepting spring Enrichment Grant applications now! Apply Here.

Elementary School Projects

Culture Day: Happy Valley Elementary, Donna Mansour — $325 (Discretionary Grant Funds)
Purpose: My students want to organize a “Culture Day” for the students of our school. They want an event celebrating the diversity of our school and community, and a chance for students to dig deep into the history, music, art and food of their culture and then share with others.
- (This program is partially funded, please visit our Fund-A-Teacher Elementary Projects page to make a donation to this project!)

Bilingual Story Time for Families: Linwood Elementary, Shaun Martinez — $1,000 (Discretionary Grant Funds)
Purpose: Each month, October - May, we will open the Lot Whitcomb Library for Bilingual family story time during the evening. Staff and guests will share stories in English and Spanish. Students and families will participate in story time, an activity and have an opportunity to check out books from our school library. Each evening will consist of 30 minutes of story time, 15 minutes of an activity, and 20 minutes of library check out. Since not all families are able to access the public library, opening the Lot Whitcomb library each month provides another source of access to literature. As educators, we will be able to model literacy skills while we are reading. Books used during Bilingual Story Time will be made available in the Lot Whitcomb Library for student check-out and future use. Each person that attends Bilingual Story Time will be given a raffle ticket to be used for a drawing for a book. Drawing for books is to support literacy and reading at home.
- (This program is partially funded, please visit our Fund-A-Teacher Elementary Projects page to make a donation to this project!)
Creating School Wide Wellness: Oregon Trail Elementary, Gianna Bargetto — $550
Purpose: This year, Oregon Trail Elementary will have a new Health and Wellness Specialist who will teach a class focused on health and social-emotional practice. Oregon Trail Elementary is looking for funding to repurpose the school’s computer lab into an innovative classroom and for class materials to enrich the learning experience. Students will learn curriculum which will aide them in becoming more empathetic, adapted and self-aware learners.

Middle School Projects

Medicine Balls for Middle School: Alder Creek Middle School, Jeff Schroeder — $600
Purpose: 20 6-lb medicine balls and a couple of racks to store them will be purchased for our Strength Training and PE classes. These medicine balls will promote efficient movement training concentrating on the students' core muscles. This fits under the "Resources and Quality Programs" and "Improve processes to provide greater efficiency" district goals. This is an innovative way to exercise that we learned from Jimmy Radcliff at the University of Oregon. He has been extremely successful using these techniques with his collegiate athletes. We plan on continuing to meet with Jimmy on a yearly basis to improve our program year after year. The medicine balls will also be available to our new Unified PE class that we're starting this year. That's a PE class that includes special ed students with general ed classes. We plan on starting this right away.
Innovative Therapy with Technology: District-Wide Program — $8,805 Purpose: Speech Language Pathologists (SLPs) propose that $17,610.46 be used for special technology hardware and software to serve students with communication needs.

Therapeutic iPads will benefit students by improving their overall communication skills with peers, teachers, families and the community at large by providing equitable access to the newest technology advances in therapy. It’s anticipated that students will improve their success rates at school, due to improved participation in therapeutic sessions and increased carry-over skills in class. Therapy will be more innovative, engaging, and evidence-based. Case management for therapists will improve, allowing for more collaborations with parents, teachers, and other professionals.
- (This program is partially funded, please visit our Fund-A-Teacher Middle School Projects page to make a donation to this project!)

High School Projects

Music for All of Us: Rex Putnam High School, Erika Lockwood — $1,000
Purpose: The purpose of this grant is to purchase high quality choral literature composed and/or arranged by women and people of color, in order to broaden the music education of current and future choral musicians at Rex Putnam High School. The fulfillment of this grant will allow concert programs to represent more diverse backgrounds, while enriching student learning and connection with composers. All students will be able to identify with professional musicians and see this timeless, global art form as a possible field of study for students from all backgrounds.

2017-18 Winners

2017-18 Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Awardees

The North Clackamas Education Foundation is pleased to award grants totaling over $27,500 to 15 projects at 11 North Clackamas School District schools.

NCEF's Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grants, along with Discretionary Grants, enable teachers to create innovative and exciting projects to challenge and motivate students in the arts, sciences, literature and more.

NCEF's grants and our Fund-a-Teacher program go hand-in-hand to make sure our teachers have the support they need to make their projects a success!

Elementary School Projects

Boost Phonological Awareness and Phonics Skills for 2nd Graders Using HD Word Student Kits: Bilquist Elementary, Jenny Klassen — $1,650.00
Purpose: HD Word is a researched-based program which takes a strategic approach to reading multisyllabic words, focusing on functionality and efficiency rather than memorization. This leads to strong decoding skills and fluent, accurate reading for all students. This project will allow for the purchase of 25 HD Word kits plus teacher training. Students will gain word attack strategies appropriate for their reading level that will move them to more complex text levels. It will also improve their accuracy as readers, which is crucial for comprehension. The project aligns with district goals to provide quality instruction, sound literacy practices, and provide additional effective student assessments.

Engaging Authentic Texts for Struggling Readers: Bilquist Elementary, Justin Sooper — $1,500.00
Purpose: This grant will allow the purchase of 200 high-interest, low-level books to help meet the needs of struggling 4th grade readers. Research shows that students make the most gains in reading when their self-selected independent practice is at their instructional level. By purchasing materials that honor a student’s current level, but is also of high interest to their actual grade level, students will move toward benchmarks. Text selection will also include a mix of cultural and economic perspectives, so that students see themselves represented in classroom libraries.

Diversity Research & Classroom Library Project: Mt. Scott Elementary, Karen Morgan & Angie Richen — $770.00
Purpose: “There is no one like me in this school – I don’t fit in.” These words from a 4th grade student to her teacher inspired this grant project that will purchase over 40 new books. The new book set for the 4th grade level will increase the quantity, quality and availability of diverse reading options that will broaden cultural awareness and celebrate cultural differences of students in fourth grade and the school. The books will allow for differentiation across reading levels, so all students can access books that explore equity and diversity.

Relooking at History with a Native Perspective: Riverside Elementary, Shani Johnson — $1,230.00
Purpose: Fourth and 5th grade students will learn to read non-fiction texts by examining the history and culture of Native Americans of the Northwest through information literature. Students will collaborate and work as a team to research a Native American tribe with a culminating project. As an active member of the Hoopa Valley Tribe, teacher Shani Johnson will provide an authentic perspective of the Native American experience, as well as artifacts for students to study.

Community Room Updates: Lot Whitcomb Elementary, Annie Schlegel — $1,324.00 (Discretionary Grant Award)
Purpose: Improvements to the Lot Whitcomb Community Room will better support multigenerational, bicultural, bilingual family groups and Title X families. Purchase and installation of a dishwasher, refrigerator, washer and dryer will increase the school’s ability to provide greater family and community engagement, which promotes early learning, expanded learning opportunities, enhanced school involvement and meeting basic needs.

Oregon Trail Community Garden: Oregon Trail Elementary, Kim Kellogg & Gretchen Rowland-Horrigan — $1,000.00
Purpose: Oregon Trail Elementary will create a Community Garden, which will be a place where students and the community grow together. Oregon Trail is partnering with many community business and groups to make the garden a reality. Students will be able to apply math, science and English knowledge to real-world experiences in the creation and care of the garden.

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Shani Johnson, Relooking at History with a Native Perspective

Annie Schlegal, Community Room Updates

Middle School Projects

Graphic Novels: A Gateway to Reading: Rowe Middle School, Lucas Dix — $673.00
Purpose: Over 60 graphic novels will be purchased and made available to 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Graphic novels are a gateway to stories for many young readers and help struggling readers become excited about reading. Providing more access to different kinds of books makes the classroom a more equitable environment and sets a path for students to become quality readers and quality graduates.
Verse Novel Literary Circle: Happy Valley Middle School, Megan Neal — $1,700.00
Purpose: Verse novels are not strongly represented in our current curriculum, yet are becoming more popular with young adults. This literature circle unit will increase the number of titles available to 7th grade language arts teachers that are written in this diverse format. Through a shared literary experience, students would not only examine and evaluate the content of the text, but also analyze the format and style of a verse novel. This unit would add titles written by and about underrepresented populations.
Base Ten Blocks: Rowe Middle School, Christina Welker — $530.00
Purpose: Base Ten Block Sets will be purchased for 6th grade math teachers in order to deepen students’ understanding of the standard algorithm for long division and operations with decimals. Students will have a tangible, visual model that decimals are an extension of the system they are already familiar with. Having a manipulative is helpful to all students to make the abstract algorithm more concrete.
STEM: Lego Robotics: Alder Creek Middle School, Claudia Carle — $2,940.00
Purpose: The purchase of a class set of robots will make Lego programming an STEM available to all ACMS students. This grant will expand on the success of a small Lego Robotics club and extend the program to reach more students. Teachers will be able to share equipment to provide access to STEM and coding activities with Lego Robotics. With a Lego Robotics unit, students will be able to work in groups at their own pace to identify variables within a robotics problems and design, build, test, and defend their robot structures and coding solutions.

NCEF Board Member Gary Chapman presenting a grant award to Claudia Carle of Alder Creek Middle School

High School Projects

Points of View: Clackamas High School, Laurie Thurston — $500.00
Purpose: This grant will purchase books reflecting diverse voices for 9th graders. The addition of texts from contemporary YA writers will offer equitable access to narratives written from different cultural, racial and gender perspectives. The teacher seeks to create a culture of choice, offering the space and time for students to enjoy books and providing the opportunity for them to reflect on the impact of the reading experience, necessary components for an effective program. By examining a life through a different culture or gender, students will have the opportunity to participate in discussions and write about how this point of view changed the way they see the world.
Learning the Art of the Potter's Wheel: Milwaukie High School, Ashley Snyder — $1,700.00
Purpose: Two new pottery wheels will be purchased to replace worn-out equipment and to provide greater access to pottery for students. Students will learn how to create a three-dimensional form on the potter's wheel and will study both historical and wheel-thrown pottery. Working on the pottery wheel is one of the most engaging aspects of the curriculum.
The Physics of Music: Clackamas High School, Dan Robinette — $1,050.00
Purpose: Students in grades 10-12 will research, design, build and analyze their own stringed musical instruments in a cross-disciplinary project that combines music and science. Students will develop an understanding of vibrations, patterns, resonance, sound, waves, and energy through a long-term engineering design project involving planning, testing and revision. The project-based nature of the program provides students with a variety of pathways to success and allows students’ individual needs and goals to be addressed.
Starting a School Library: New Urban High School, Tate Braeckel — $8,000.00
Purpose: New Urban High School will build an in-school library from the ground up. Currently, the 180 students at the school have only in-class reading resources, which come from individual teachers. The students would greatly benefit from having immediate access to a functioning library in the school building. This grant will buy book sets, shelving, bookcases, furniture for seating and tables for reading and writing.
Tools for Practical Skills/Fusion Classes: New Urban High School, Tate Braeckel — $3,000.00 (Discretionary Grant Award)
Purpose: New Urban High School will purchase and create a construction toolkit for crossover classes (such as Geometry/Building). Fusing practical, technical skills with academic learning will create more interest among students and will give them concrete skills they can use in their future careers.

Dan Robinette, The Physics of Music

Presentation of the $11,000 combined Enrichment and Discretionary Grants at New Urban High School.

2016-17 Teacher and Classroom Enrichment Grant Awardees

16-17 Grants

Elementary School Projects

Gyotaku (Fish Printing) in the Classroom: Bilquist Elementary, Stephen Katz — $275
Purpose: Students will learn how to create artistic prints using fish models and ink on rice paper. This project provides students of all levels and abilities with diverse opportunities for communication and expression, creating an inclusive learning environment.
Exploring the World through Virtual Reality: Linwood Elementary, Christopher Hosman — $1,348
Purpose: Google VR Cardboard and Expeditions will add a “wow” factor to any lesson. Students will make meaningful connections during virtual field trips while connected to a lesson’s learning outcome, providing these kids with engaging insights that they would not be afforded otherwise.
Engaging Kindergarteners in Math with iPads: Oak Grove Elementary, Alisa McNaughton — $2,348
Purpose: Kindergarteners’ engagement in math and development of crucial digital skills will be increased through the implementation of the new Envision math curriculum. These programs that have accountability and assessment features (Nearpod and Seesaw).

Middle School Projects

Healthy Hearts: Alder Creek Middle School, Bud Taylor and Jeff Schroeder — $3,000
Purpose: Heart rate monitors will be used to provide feedback and help students improve their personal fitness and lifestyle in collaboration with science and health teachers in cross-curricula classes. Parental participation will be encouraged.
STEM Ecology Garden: Alder Creek Middle School, Claudia Carle — $2,480
Purpose: The courtyard garden will be revamped into a hands-on vehicle to teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) targets and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for 7th grade students. Students will choose projects that match their individual learning style. Increases in student engagement, science test scores, sense of belonging and voice are anticipated outcomes.
Hearing Quiet Voices: Alder Creek Middle School, Heidi West — $358
Purpose: This project, which addresses the district’s equity goal, provides an opportunity for students to engage in inquiry and discussion, and to create a project to express why it is important to explore history through multiple perspectives. It sheds light on the experiences of Native Americans during the Indian Removal of the 1830s.
Classroom Living with an Equity Lens: Rowe Middle School, Coco Vernon — $636
Purpose: To create a place where students see their history and heritage are celebrated through literature written by people of color about people of color. TAG students and students of higher abilities will also be provided access to pre-AP books that are more appropriate for high-school reading ability and beyond.
Native Plant Seedling Project: Rowe Middle School, Jeff Young — $737
Purpose: In collaboration with the city of Milwaukie, students will grow and plant native plant seedlings along Kellogg Creek. This hands-on project will help students understand human impact, design solutions to mitigate impact and investigate the influence of environmental factors on plant growth.
Shamrock News Camera: Rowe Middle School, Lucas Dix — $600
Purpose: In a program aligned with Oregon’s technology standards, students will learn to collaborate on projects, creating segments representing the many diverse races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities, etc. at their school.

High School Projects

Bringing Art into the SPED Classroom: Clackamas High School, Janet Tansy — $600
Purpose: Through a variety of media, simple art instruction and art techniques, reluctant learners will be taught how to overcome fears and see their mistakes as opportunities for authentic expression.
Green Fuel: Making Biodiesel From Waste Oil and Comparing Fuel Efficiency: Clackamas High School, Sara Schipper — $850
Purpose: Students will make and test biodiesel using waste oil from the Clackamas High School kitchen. This project aligns with the NCSD #12 by providing opportunities to engage in a challenging project that intentionally and purposefully integrates science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Creating for Kids: Writing and Illustrating Books for Children: Clackamas High School, John Stewart — $600
Purpose: Students involved in National Art Honor Society, Creative Writing and English classes will work in collaborative teams to research, storyboard, write, illustrate and publish children’s books about equity and growing up, which will be read in elementary school classrooms throughout the district, as well as to children outside of NCSD.
Interactive Notebooks: Clackamas High School, Carrie Ann Tkaczyk — $1,889
Purpose: All learners (ELL, IEP, TAG, AP, etc.) will apply a variety of techniques to discover the learning styles that work best for them, via effective notes.
Microscopes for College-Prep and Biology and Genetics Class: Milwaukie High School, Ken Blacksmith — $2,448
Biology and genetics students will have simultaneous access to college-level equipment, in order to use problem-based learning for achieving NGSS. This benefits all students and learning styles, and provides a head start for college/career science-related professions.
iPads: Tools for Teaching Students with Speech, Language and Communication Disorders: Milwaukie High School, Stephanie Gaslin — $913
Targeted IEP goals will be met by providing motivating, novel ideas/materials for speech and language therapy.
Special Education Hardware and Software: NCSD Special Education, Vivian Garrison — $10,000 and 20 iPads
Purpose: Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) advanced technology software will create equitable educational opportunities for students who do not have the ability to use spoken language to communicate. It will improve students’ success in school through providing opportunities for participation in classroom discussions, accessing/understanding curriculum, interacting with their peers and increasing their families’ connection to their education