2016 Teacher Grant Recipients

1.	Intermediate School Campus – 4th Grade	$1,962.55
	Recipients:	Laura Donaway as a team with Krista Clay, Meyra Davison, Beverly Moore and Staci Tennyson

	Awarded:
	The money from this grant will be used to purchase the replacement of some of the current classroom sets of the novels used in the fourth grade reading classes. The novels are in terrible condition and some copies are beyond repair or being salvaged. The novels are used to expose the students to award winning pieces of literature. Some students struggle to read, others just don’t enjoy reading and modeling reading to these students can help build fluency, word recognition, vocabulary and comprehension. The goal is to expose students to these great pieces of literature and hopefully create a lifelong love of reading.



2.	ECC – Kindergarten	$1,100.50
	Recipient:	April Brannan

	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase a complete leveled books classroom library, guided reading sets, a mobile storage cart with bins for color coding books, and book buddy bags so the books can travel safely from school to home and back. This leveled classroom library will enable Ms. Brannan to differentiate her small group reading instruction to meet the diverse needs of her students and to ensure individualized reading progress for all her students.





3.	Middle School Campus – 6th Grade	$600.55
	Recipient:	Brandon Little

	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase new rocket engines which will enable them to continue to use the rockets that were purchased last year with WBEF grant money. This provides a hands-on, inquiry based opportunity to launch a rocket and greatly enhances the student’s understanding of space technology. Students will understand how the rocket’s engine gives it the needed thrust and forces to overcome gravity to launch. Rocketry gives the students a unique way to become active participants in the discovery process of science.



4.	High School Campus – Grades 9-12	$1980
	Recipient:	Andrew Hope as a team with Jay Tindol

	Awarded:
	This grant will be used to fund the purchase of two laptops, six arduino kits, as well as additional Lego Mindstorms robotics kits for use in the Physics and Robotics classes at Wylie High School. Students will use the laptops and kits to collaborate and develop designs for projects that promote critical thinking and use STEM curriculum. By using the laptops and kits on a daily basis, students will gain skills and experience that will help them succeed in various science and robotics competitions throughout the year. The robotics kits will help diversify the instruction in the classroom leading to enhanced student engagement.



5.	Middle, Junior and High School Campuses	$947.98
	Recipient:	Robin Davis as a team with Brittany Gurganus
	Awarded:
	This grant will fund the purchase of two iPads (one for the High School and one to be shared between the Junior High and Middle School) and two Edirol recording devices (one for the High School and one to be shared between the Junior High and Middle School). These will be used to increase the assessment abilities of students in multiple ways. It will allow the ability to record individual singing and assess rhythm, solfege, sight reading and interval learning. It will allow the ability to record the choir as a whole from which students can accurately assess the choral sound.



6.	Elementary Campus – 2nd Grade	$319.39
	Recipient:	Rachel Perkins
	Awarded:
	The funds will be used to purchase math wrap ups. They are a fun way that the students can engage in the learning process while increasing the automaticity of addition and subtraction facts in order to meet Grade 2 TEKS



7.	High School Campus – 11th & 12th Grade	$500
	Recipient:	Gabriela Bundy


	Awarded:
	This grant will be used to pay for an Economics Institute which will allow Ms. Bundy to attain 3 graduate hours in Economics, necessary to teach dual credit Economics. In addition, the training will also help her to incorporate these lessons into her History and Government classes, both advanced and regular classes. As important, she will be providing training to her department so that they too can benefit from the lessons, activities and training to incorporate in their classes. These classes will ensure that she is qualified to teach seniors at the college level. When students are taught by Wylie educators, it allows them to attend regular tutorials for additional assistance plus allows them to use all curriculum days available rather than following a college calendar.



8.	Junior High Campus – 7th Grade	$985
	Recipient:	Alison South

	Awarded:
	The money from this grant will be used to secure a spot in the 2016 Gretchen Bernabei Summer STAAR Writing and Grammar workshop. Gretchen Bernabei is an incredible author and instructor who has taught writing to special ed and ESL students for years and she is now sharing her success. This money will allow Mrs. South to hear a successful educator tell about her success in education and will allow her to dig in and create materials that she can use in her own classroom. This workshop will change her as a writing teacher and will allow her to create successful, confident writers. She intends to share the information and all materials with her colleagues for them to use in their own classrooms.



9.	Intermediate School Campus – 4th Grade	$1,118.74
	Recipient:	Diana McMillian as a team with Kim Cheek

	Awarded:
	This grant will fund the purchase of seven standing desks and seven stools. In an effort to get students to be more attentive in class, research has shown that students provided with standing desks show higher rates of engagement in the classroom than students in traditional seated desks. The stand-up desks will allow students just enough movement to be more comfortable so that they can focus their mental energy on what is important. Studies have proven that giving students an outlet for their energy is not disruptive to anyone else and reduces negative behaviors. The goal is to reduce disruptive behaviors and increase student attentiveness and learning.


10.	ECC & Elementary School Campuses – Kindergarten & 1st Grade	$284.87
	Recipient:	Susan Coker
	Awarded:
	The funds from this grant will allow the purchase of literature with accompanying music and will give the students an opportunity to experience these cross curricular connections in the music classroom. Many commonalities exist between music and literacy, especially in the pre-K to 2^nd grade years, and therefore music education is a vital element in a child’s literary development.


11.	Elementary School Campus – 2nd Grade	$915.50
	Recipient:	Megan Oliver
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase quality art materials in order to cover Art TEKS and some more basic art foundations. Poor quality materials do not bring the best end result. In teaching art techniques and applying them to creation, a student is taught how to express emotion, tell a story or recreate something they have seen through art. This helps every child become a better student. It’s also been found that you can peak a child’s interests in reading and science when doing an art project on a specific theme.


12.	High School Campus – Grades 9-12	$2104.85
	Recipients:	Amber Smith as a team with Curtis Williams
	Awarded:
	The Wylie High School Investigative Math and Science Program will use the money awarded to purchase Computer Algebra System capable calculators. These calculators will enrich the cooperative learning process by allowing students to explore mathematical concepts in more depth resulting in high achievement in UIL and TMSCA competition, as well as a greater mathematical foundation for SAT, ACT and overall college readiness.


13.	Elementary School Campus – 2nd Grade	$297
	Recipient:	Megan Bontke
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase Wrap Up manipulatives for a 2^nd grade classroom which was required to share a set previously. The students will be able to use these tools everyday to increase the automaticity of addition and subtraction Math facts in order to meet Grade 2 TEKS by the end of the year. By having her own class set, she will be able to use them more frequently for the whole class as well as with small groups for extra practice.


14.	Junior High Campus – 7th & 8th Grades	$799.98
	Recipients:	Shawn Bowers
	Awarded:
	This grant will cover the purchase of two iPads for a Junior High science classroom. The iPads will be used for lab activities where the lab stations require access to the internet to watch videos or other presentations. The iPads will be used for virtual labs and digitals lessons from the textbook and will also be used to find the answers to questions which are unable to be answered from memory.


15.	ECC & Elementary School Campuses – Kindergarten & 1st Grade	$688.25
	Recipients:	Susan Coker
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase 17 different musical instruments to be used in the music classroom. The Orff instrument approach provides children with a whole variety of activities to experiment with rhythm and movement, while also allowing them to explore the creative process during music. Students will look forward to accompanying their favorite songs with these easy to use instruments.


16.	Junior High Campus – 7th Grade	$679.96
	Recipients:	Nicholas Hindes
	Awarded:
	This grant will fund two iPad minis and two cases which will be used as supplemental technology in the classroom. The iPads will be used by students to test over Accelerated Reader quizzes. Beyond the AR Program, students will have access to assessments and study preparation programs such as Kahott!, QR Code Reader, Newsela, Socrative, Kindle and Poetry apps, Quizlet and Google Read/Write. This will allow students to test at their own pace as they finish.


17.	High School Campus – Grades 10-12	$918.71
	Recipients:	Stacy Sanchez
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase personal source materials to be used for drawing, painting or sculpting. At the moment, they have to borrow from the Science department their Biology study materials. As students are creating, they are also doing their own research to better understand the frame work of the object, aiding in overall creative skills. Some of the items include a Life Size Skeleton, Anatomical Facial Sets, Human Heart Model and Butterfly and Insect Display Mounts.


18.	Elementary Campus – 1st & 2nd Grade	$798
	Recipients:	Susan Langford
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase two iPad minis to be used in Content Mastery. Integrating the technology available on the iPad provides a constant challenging environment where students can strengthen reading, writing and language skills through individual, personal instruction in phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension. Technology provides a print rich environment for teachers to provide additional instruction. The student can then use technology to research and expand the development of their present curriculum.


19.	High School Campus – Grades 10-12	$966.76
	Recipients:	Alexis Hughes as a team with Stacy Sanchez
	Awarded:
	This grant will be used to purchase chairs, tables, pots, planter boxes, outdoor paint and flowers and plants in order to beautify the courtyard area outside of the art room. Students will be able to get some fresh air and inspiration while creating art which is always a highlight of their day since the majority of their day is spent in a classroom without windows. The seating areas will be used while drawing and sketching. The outdoor paint and fun decorations will give it a funky artistic vibe to inspire imaginations. The trees that had been used for sketching and admiring were lost due to construction so the potted plants will replace those. The students were given an opportunity to be a part of the planning process in the event they were awarded the grant.


20.	Elementary Campus – 2nd Grade	$1050
	Recipients:	Valerie Anderson
	Awarded:
	This grant will provide 25 student stability balls, 1 teacher ball and 1 air pump to be used in a 2^nd grade classroom. The stability balls were requested to help students who constantly need to move to be more productive in their work. The belief is that the balls will increase student attention, improve handwriting, improve students’ posture and reduce the amount of discipline problems.


21.	Elementary Campus – 2nd Grade	$1029.50
	Recipients:	Kathy Burnitt
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase 10 Hokki stools for a 2^nd grade classroom. These were requested for students who have trouble focusing or have been diagnosed with ADHD. Movement is highly beneficial for focus. Being able to move around on a Hokki stool will give students who use them the kinesthetic movement necessary for certain ADHD diagnoses.


22.	Junior High Campus – 7th & 8th Grade	$295.31
	Recipients:	Rebecca Roberts
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase 25 hoops for the Junior Belles drill team. The hoops will be used during football games and will allow all team members to perform on the field. Hoops are an easy prop that makes a routine look good on the football field and is something every team member can do. Because they are trying out for every routine starting next year, hoops are vital to ensure each team member gets to perform at least one time. Hoops will be used for years in the future.


23.	Junior High Campus – 7th & 8th Grade	$995
	Recipients:	Luke Hurst
	Awarded:
	This grant will purchase 3 STEAM Student Sets and 2 Makey Classic sets which will be used to start a class at the Junior High involving STEM. STEM is a new career path at the High School so this class will be used to prepare students for their future. Students will learn to code while programming robots and they will be working on problem solving. These packets will help the students accomplish both of these skills. The Student Sets introduce STEM principles.




	TOTAL AMOUNT GRANTS APPROVED:	$21,248.40

	5 @ High School, 5 @ Junior High, 1 @ Middle School, 2 @ Intermediate, 6 @ Elementary, 1 @ ECC, 3 @ Multi-Campus
	4 Science, 3- Math, 3-Art, 1-Economics, 3-Reading, 3-Music, 1-Writing, 3-Focus, 1-Belles, 1-Content Mastery

2016 Teacher Grant Recipients

Memorials and Honorariums

2022 Santa Fun Run

Thank you Donors!!

WBEF ON FACEBOOK!