AEF Grants Have Done So Much and

Future AEF Grants Have the Potential for So Much More To Be Accomplished
Since its inception in 2004, donations to AEF have impacted the Avon community in countless ways.

The grants awarded to the Avon Schools, Avon Free Library and Senior Center are described below.

Grants Awarded

All Grant Awards Have Been Funded Through Contributions Received From The Avon Community.

Avon Community- Library & Senior Center

Spring 2022 ASL: Avon Sign Language

Avon Free Public Library’s Technology Assistant, Victoria Kiszka received a grant for her project, “ASL: Avon Sign Language.” Victoria’s project was designed to further develop the library’s inclusivity and accessibility, by expanding the library’s American Sign Language collection and providing small group sign language classes for the staff and the public.

Spring 2017 Grant, Launchpads for Kids @ The Avon Library, Kari Ann St. Jean, Children’s and Teen Services Librarian: This grant award will purchase a core collection of 26 Launchpads, secure learning tablets pre-loaded with at least 10 high quality, ad-free learning apps grouped by age, grade level, subject area and theme and into six learning categories; English language arts, math, science, language learning, creativity, and critical thinking. Tablets are created specifically for library circulation and locked down without camera or Wi-Fi access.

Spring 2016 Avon Reads: Build a 1903 Wright Brothers Glider, Tina Panik, Reference & Adult Services Manager, and Jessica Palmer, Technology & Technical Services Librarian, received a grant for the purchase of a 1/4 scale model kit of the 1903 Wright Brothers Glider to be built by community members. This activity is part of the Library’s Fall 2016 Avon Reads town-wide project, which will bring David McCullough’s book, The Wright Brothers, to life with a series of programs from scientists, historians, and experts that will extract the details of the age of American innovation at the beginning of the 20th century.

Fall 2015 The Avon Education Foundation Chairman’s Grant in honor of Joanne Beers and Beth Zweibel, LyndaLibrary, Glenn Grube, AFPL Director.LyndaLibrary builds upon the Library’s LyndaKiosk, and allows access to Lynda.com’s vast array of online courses that teach business, technical and creative skills to all users. LyndaLibrary’s course selection will put industry experts on various topics directly into Avon classrooms, offices and homes via the Internet. Multiple simultaneous use of Lynda’s content will be available 24/7/365 to anyone with an Internet connection and an Avon Free Public Library card.

Fall 2014 Mardelle & David Pena Mini-Grant, My Story, My Gift, Jennifer Bennett, Avon Senior Center- A collaborative project with AHS students to record senior center participants’ life stories to share with family and friends. Funded by the generosity of Mardelle & David Pena, this funding will focus on intergenerational programming and will also involve recent AEF Grant Recipient and AHS teacher Jill Paterson who, along with the students, will record the stories utilizing AHS TV studio technology.

Spring 2014 CreeBeers Family Mini-Grant, Local Author Festival, Tina Panik, AFPL, Adults, Reading – The 2014 theme for adult summer reading is “The Magic of Local,”  and will feature a program theme that repeats for seven weeks. Focusing on local talents, businesses, and families, the programming includes a farmers market, computer classes, two magic shows for adults, afternoon hobby and craft sessions, a series of Friday films with cinematic themed food and a Local Author Festival on Tuesday evenings in July and August to showcase the talents of area writers. This grant will fund the grand finale event for the festival featuring Johnny Heller, a the narrator for the professionally recorded audiobooks produced by Recorded Books, Inc. He will share stories and anecdotes from his career. His program is titled, “The Audiobook Experience.”

2012 AEF Service Award , Richard Kisiel, Ed.D., Retired Superintendent, Funds will support the library’s “2013 One Book” initiative. This is a community read project. Funds will be used to acquire additional copies of Rebecca Skloot’s book, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and to support other aspects of this project.

2011 Hyatt Family Grant, Avon to Appomattox: Lives and Legacy of the Civil War, Patrice Celli, Avon Free Public Library, All Ages, History – Through diverse displays and events, demonstrate the role of CT in the Civil War and its impact on CT’s citizens, economy and social fabric. Examples: the portrayal of William Webb, an African American soldier from CT, to be performed in the schools; letters of Pvt. Eugene Hawley from Avon who served for 3 years.

2011 Mary Durant Grant, iPads for Lifelong Learning, Jennifer Bennett, Avon Senior Center, Seniors and high school student volunteers, Technology – This project will pilot the use of iPads in the senior community to promote lifelong learning. Unlike computers which require one to sit at a desk, use a mouse and a monitor, the touch screen technology is especially suited to people with physical issues. The intergenerational approach to learning will benefit both the seniors and the high school students working with them.

2009 Program, Promoting Peace, Tina Panik and Patrice Celli, AFPL, Grade 7-Adult, Humanitarianism – This program will host authors Alepho Deng, Benson Deng and Benjamin Ajak, three “Lost Boys” whose autobiography, They Poured Fire on Us from the Sky, recounts their survival of the ongoing genocide in Darfur. The high school, middle school and Senior Center are collaborating. Middle schoolers will read a less graphic companion book. The event is scheduled for October 2009.

2006 Program Grant, Town-wide Choral Festival 2006, Avon Public Schools Music Department, Grade 4-12 , Choral Music – Support the participation of approximately 600 students in the Choral Festival held at Bushnell Auditorium on March 13, 2006.

2006 Mini Grant, Playgrounds for All Kids, Caryl Goldberg, RBS, & Playgrounds for All Kids, Inc., Children, Diversity – Purchase Braille and sign language educational panels for a fully accessible playground planned for the Buckingham neighborhood.

2006 Avon United Fund Mini Grant, Here They Come! The Creative Author Process, Karen McNulty, AFPL, Grade K-3, Reading, Writing, Illustration – Bring children’s book author David Costello to explain the book writing and illustration process to young readers.

2006 Mini Grant, Susan B. Anthony: The Invincible!, Tina Panik, AFPL, Grade 7-Adult, Women’s History – Actress Sally Matson portrays Susan B. Anthony in a one woman play during Women’s History Month in March 2007.

2005 Avon Junior Women’s Club Mini Grant, Children’s Author Visitation, Carol Randolph & Karen McNulty, AFPL, Grade K-4, Reading – Bring a children’s author to visit the library during National Children’s Book Week.

Avon High School

Fall 2022 Go CNC, Matthew Dadona, Technology and Engineering Teacher: Go CNC (Computer Numeric Control) is designed to broaden students’ skills in engineering, including the ability to apply the engineering design process.  Students will be able to process wood to be machined on the CNC router, setup the jobs for the projects that they’ve designed, and finish processing the product by adding specific edging. The request of $1,000.00 will be used to purchase a router table, thickness planer, router bit set, wood chisel set, 2 tape measures, and a combination square.

Fall 2022 Grant, Starting Grounds, awarded to Jennifer Malz and Alexander Mancini at Avon High School, established a student operated coffee delivery service for teachers and staff at the high school.  Students benefited from vocational training in receiving and fulfilling orders, working with money, following multi-step directions, and collaborating with others.

Fall 2016 Grant, Will you please NOT sit still?, Michael Marella, Michael Fernandes, Jessie Shaw, Athena Kosinski, Scott Percival, Grade 9 Science: This funding will provide alternative seating options for four different freshman science classrooms with the intent of promoting increased mastery of the curriculum by improving students’ focus, attention and on-task behavior.

Fall 2015 Water Bottle Filler Initiative, Andrew Dorr, AHS. Funding will provide for the installation of a water bottle filler station at Avon High School to provide students and staff with a quick and easy way to fill their water bottles. This program will enhance sustainability, encourage healthy habits, and help minimize dependency on disposable plastic bottles.

Fall 2015 Founders Fund Grant, Jill Paterson, AHS Drama Teacher. Further improvements will be made to the AHS performance space, building upon Ms. Paterson’s 2013 theater technology improvement grant, by purchasing a scrim and cyclorama pipes. Founders Fund grants are available to previous AEF grant recipients to update, improve or expand upon an existing program.

Spring 2015 Acoustical Shell, Andrew Brochu & AHS Music Department, The Polley Family Music & Arts Grant & the AHS “Another Brick in the Walk” Pavers for Posterity supporters provided a seven-piece Acoustical Shell that will enhance AHS auditorium acoustics to both the ensemble & the audience. The AEF is proud to be part of this collaborative grant funded by many stakeholders in Avon, including Avon UNICO, FAME, AHS PTO & Avon BOE.

Fall 2014 Oh Family Grant, Avon’s “Fragtastic” Frag Tank, Scott Percival, AHS, Marine Biology-Expanding the Marine Biology curriculum by providing students with the opportunity to study and learn about hard corals, coral fragmentation and propagation. The Oh Family’s generous support will allow expansion of the current identification labs and purchase of an 80-gallon Frag tank supplied with various types of hard corals, so students will be able to use living materials instead of preserved specimens and gain hands-on experience to solidify understanding the of the material. Students will also have the opportunity to create their own independent research projects in smaller, satellite tanks.

Spring 2014 Polley Family Grant, Rosalind Wiseman-Creating Cultures of Dignity, Kathy Marzano, AMS, Grades 7 thru 12, School Culture and Climate – Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees & Wannabees, Masterminds & Wingmen, and several other books, will come to speak to groups of students about managing life as a teenager. She speaks about creating a culture of understanding and dignity, encouraging students to challenge “social group norms” that lead to mean behavior and disrespectful school culture. She offers her experience working with teens, sharing advice with students from her years of working with teen specific problems. She also offers a program for parents of teens, helping adults understand the teen perspective. Funding is also being provided by Avon Youth Services.

2013 Stan and Myra Frost Grant, Fluid Power Systems Curriculum Development, Jim Buys, AHS, Grades 9-12, Technology Education – Acquire 2 fluid power training systems, curriculum materials and website application. The equipment/software will introduce technology students to computer controls related to fluid power systems used for industrial applications.

2013 Oh Family Grant, Scientific Principals of Engineering Design – Robotics, Greg Dunford, AHS, Grade 12, Physics – Develop a new science elective course to provide students with the opportunity to apply physics concepts to the engineering design process.

2013 Monte and Cindy Hopper Grant, A “Pavers for Posterity” Grant, Avon High School Theatre Technology Improvement, Jill Paterson, Grades 9-12, Drama – Acquire clear com devices to enable stage crew to communicate with those in lighting/sound booth during performances. Also acquire a lighting board to control colors, positions, intensity and focal range through the Intelligent Lighting system which was purchased last year.

2012 Hudson Family Grant, Introduction of CAD/CAM Milling and Prototyping, Jim Buys, AHS, Grades 9-12, Technology Education – Acquire 2 CAD/CAM milling stations (Flash-Cut CNC Mill 2000) to allow students to fabricate project prototypes from designs they have created with state of the art Computer Assisted Design (CAD) software.

2012 Oh Family Grant, A Student Response System: “Clickers,” Sally deGozzaldi, AHS, Grades 9-12, Mathematics – Acquire a technology assisted formative assessment (TEFA) student response system (24 clickers) for the math department. This system enables the teacher to quickly adapt instruction based on responses gathered from all students during lessons. The teacher can also identify individual students who may require additional support.

2011 Flaxman Family Grant, Document Camera & Problem Solving, Tracy Andreana, AHS, Grades 9 -12, Mathematics – The math department will acquire a document camera on a mobile cart. A document camera can project virtually anything on its platform and can save work for review or sharing at a later time. Examples of use: demonstrate measuring tools, use spinner and number cubes in probability units, work with algebraic tiles, geometric solids, manipulatives, etc.

2010 Program Grant, APS Music Department Choir and Orchestra Collaborative Performance, Tom Kawiecki, AMS, Grades 7–12, Instrumental and Choral Music – The APS Music Department plans a full concert of mixed repertoire, including John Rutter’s Mass of the Children, to be held on March 30, 2011 in the Welte Auditorium at Central Connecticut State College. This will include the members of all choirs at Avon High School, select members of the orchestra and wind ensemble, and the Avon Middle School Arioso Choir. Tickets for priority seating and general admission will be available to the public.

2010 Hudson Family Grant, Creative Technologies & Aligning Technology Curriculum, Suzanne Drapeau & Robert Vojtek, AHS, Grades 9–12, Creative Technology – This grant will be utilized to extend the scope and range of the $22,323 Perkins grant from the State Dept. of Education to develop, expand and improve technology. AHS currently teaches video production skills across Computer Modeling and Visualization I, Broadcast Journalism, Media Ethics and Video Art courses. The faculty, with the Tech. Ed. teacher from AMS, will determine what would be required to create a concentration from the foundation skills covered in these classes and what mix of software solutions will support them most effectively.

2010 UNICO Grant, EBooks for Twenty-First Century Literacy, Julia Cowans-Wilhelm, Librarian, Grades 9–12, Non-Fiction & Reference –This grant will fund the remaining expense of acquiring the Gale Cengage EBooks to support student research and update the AHS collection. This will help close the gap in the current collection noted in the last NEASC review. EBooks will support the Freshman ISearch, Sophomore Civic Virtue and Senior Mastery projects required of all students.

2009 Mini Grant, EBooks for Twenty-First Century Literacy, Julia Cowans-Wilhelm, Librarian, Grades 9–12, Non-Fiction & Reference – The 222 titles Gale Cengage EBook collection will be acquired (print value $92,000) and available on-line to all students and staff at the high school.

2009 “Pavers for Posterity” Grant, Developing a “Sound” Theater Program, Doreen Cohn, Director, AHS Theater, All ages, Theater – Fund the purchase of sound equipment, including 12 wireless microphones, to enhance dramatic productions, augment technical theater instruction and complement the renovation of the stage area in the auditorium. Recurring production costs will be reduced enabling the theater program to use its proceeds from ticket sales to expand theater opportunities for students.

2009 Program Grant, Digital Visualizers and Writing, Sharon Wendler, AHS, Grades 9–12, Writing – Pilot the use of digital visualizers for writing instruction. Also known as a document camera, the device can project images from bulky 3-D texts in real time or store them for later use, such as posting to a web site.

2008 UNICO Grant, Avon TV and its Hub: The AHS Television Studio, Melissa Mirabello, AHS, Grades 9–12, Journalism – A high quality television broadcast will be achieved with individuals drawn from AHS journalism classes. Broadcasting sports events, concerts, competitions, town meetings via community the access channel will potentially effect every Avon resident.

2008 Program Grant, Mobile Language Lab, Peter O’Sullivan & Claudine Rose, AHS, Grades 9–12, World Language – A mobile language lab will be equipped with video iPods at a cost of about 10% of a stationary lab. No lab currently exists.

2008 UNICO Grant, It’s Time to Learn…Pass the Remote, Michael Marella with Janet Loynes, Mark Burgess, Scott Percival & Scott Tinker, AHS, Grades 9 and 11, Earth Science and Chemistry – Four classrooms will be equipped with innovative technology–Technology-Enhanced Formative Assessment (TEFA) using a classroom response system (CRS)–to increase student participation and inquiry in science classes. The teacher presents a problem and students enter answers into a remote control device that communicates with the teacher’s computer. Immediate feedback on learning gaps is available.

2007 Avon Chapter of UNICO Mini Grant, Dallas Brass Performs in Avon, David Winer, AHS, Grade 5-12, Band Music – Three events in one day–workshop, rehearsal for selected students and evening performance with this brass quintet plus percussionist. (Funding also provided by Friends of Avon Music Education and the schools’ Parent Teacher Organizations.)

2007 Citibank Grant, Leadership for Life, Lou Pelligrino, AHS, Grades 9-12, Life Skills – Leadership training delivered through seminars and workshops with community, business and education leaders as presenters

2007 Mini Grant, Plant Mobile, Scott Percival & Natalie Carlone, AHS, Grade 10, Biology and Special Education – Collaboration of biology and special education to integrate students for learning including development of vocational skills

2007 Mini Grant, LEGO®s–Not Just for Playtime Anymore, Janet Loynes, AHS, Grade 10, Biology – LEGO®s used to build models of DNA and LEGO®s genes used to build fish to demonstrate how they affect characteristics of offspring.

2005 Mini Grant, A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Michael Marella, AHS, Grades 9–12, Earth Science – Multi-Media, Integrate visual images into earth science activities using digital cameras in order to identify earth science processes at work in the environment to increase motivation, comprehension and depth of analysis.

2005 Mini Grant, VRoma, Peter O’Sullivan, AHS, Grades 9–12, Latin, History – Support the VRoma project to teach and learn Latin and Roman culture through workshops and presentations that engage participants in a virtual community by using internet technology.

2004 Giles Family Mini Grant, Developing Student Voices, Julia Cowans-Wilhelm, AHS, Grades 9–12, Writing – Interactive SMART Board enabling students to develop group writing assignments and have their voices heard in real time. This is a new method of instruction to improve critical thinking.

2004 Mini Grant, FIRST Robotics Team, James Ligotti, AHS, Grades 9–12, Science, Engineering, Technology – Purchase materials to design and build reusable packaging to transport and store the team’s robot. Students participated in Atlanta’s National Robotics Competition at which their newly designed packaging equipment transformed into a mobile computer work station.

Avon Middle School

Spring 2019, $8,000 Grant for Middle School 7th grade Robotics Project, Eric Lord, AMS Technology Education teacher, . The purchase of Robotic Kits will allow students to benefit from a Robotics program that emphasizes complex, strategic problem-solving and higher order thinking skills while allowing them to scale the project to their specific abilities and ambition levels. Design, building, coding and testing are integral to the project process. This program will offer a level of multidisciplinary emphasis, exciting engagement and exposure to STEM and engineering principles that can benefit all students, not just those that are interested in tech-related fields.

December 2017, David and Mardelle Pena Grant for Music Masters Modern Band Equipment, Jane Sitarz, AMS Choral Director. Funding will support band instruments and equipment for students to form small bands in which to perform music in the style they have studied and fulfill performance standards.

Spring 2016 Fidget for Focus Furniture, Nicole Gresh and Donna Beaudoin, AMS math teachers, were awarded a grant for a pilot program for Fidget for Focus Furniture, which research has demonstrated helps to support engaged instruction. The project will include the purchase of Zenergy Ball Chairs, Ergotron Adjustable Standing Desks and Classroom Stools, Hokki Stools, and WOBBLE chairs.

Fall 2015 Verba Card Sets Mini-Grant, Kathleen Hickey & the AMS World Language Teachers Acquisition of Spanish, French and Chinese educational instructional materials which will enhance authentic & meaningful communication in the target language.

Fall 2014 Stoll Family Grant, Unified Theater Lighting, Nora Goeler. Generously supported by The Stoll Family, the funding will be used for theater lighting equipment for stage productions. Unified Theater, in its 4th year at AMS, is a national program that accommodates and supports students of all abilities through a theater experience. The productions are all-inclusive, student-directed, student-written and student-produced and encourage collaboration among students working together with their individual talents to create a piece of theater.

2014 Polley Family Grant, Rosalind Wiseman-Creating Cultures of Dignity, Kathy Marzano. AMS, Grades 7 thru 12, School Culture and Climate – Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees & Wannabees, Masterminds & Wingmen, and several other books, will come to speak to groups of students about managing life as a teenager. She speaks about creating a culture of understanding and dignity, encouraging students to challenge “social group norms” that lead to mean behavior and disrespectful school culture. She offers her experience working with teens, sharing advice with students from her years of working with teen specific problems. She also offers a program for parents of teens, helping adults understand the teen perspective. Funding is also being provided by Avon Youth Services.

2012 Natale & Elizabeth Messina Grant, iPads and Energy, Jason Cleveland, Christopher Jones and Scott Rand, AMS 8th Grade, Science, – Acquire 3 iPads to enhance physics instruction using available robust apps for teaching physics. iPads can interface with existing projection equipment, and, for a reasonable price, also existing PASCO probe ware (2006 Research in Real Time grant). Live, on-screen demonstrations of physics concepts will be possible using the unique accelerometer and magnetometer capabilities of the iPad.

2012 Mini Grant, Student-Constructed Outdoor Classroom, Patrick Mulligan and John Mason, AMS Grades 7 & 8, Technology Education and Science – Collaboration of parents, teachers, students and the school district to plan, design and build a pergola and picnic tables creating an outdoor classroom area behind the middle school. In addition, students will research and select plantings to beautify the area with evaluation of this project element by the science teacher.

2010 Mini Grant, Community Courts for All Ages and Abilities, Marco Famiglietti, AMS Principal, Grade 7-12 and Avon Community, Physical Education – This project will support community efforts to reinstate approximately 6 weeks of tennis instruction and approximately 4 weeks of paddle tennis instruction as well as games and activities in the spring and fall for all AMS students; increase the number of high school students who qualify to play Junior Varsity and Varsity team tennis by approximately 35%; enable including tennis in the Unified Sports program at AHS for special athletes and their partners of regular abilities; and expand access to recreational tennis for all Avon residents.

2009 UNICO Grant, “A is for Avon,” Jan Brennan, AMS Grade 2, 7 and Avon Community, Civic History, Writing, Editing & Publishing – Her 1979 alphabet book, A is for Avon, highlights points of historical interest in the town. It is being updated by 25 volunteer 7th graders and will continue to be used in the 2nd grade civic history unit. Copies will be available in the 5 public school libraries and the Avon Free Public Library. The Avon Historical Society will be involved in its distribution and promotion.

2007 AEF Service AwardSponsored by Farmington Savings Bank, Doreen Cohn, Technology Integration Coordinator grade K-12, Grade 7 & 8, World Language – Pilot personal audio player technology in World Language studies.

2007 Avon Chapter of UNICO Mini Grant, Dallas Brass Performs in Avon, David Winer, AHS, Grade 5-12, Band Music – Three events in one day–workshop, rehearsal for selected students and evening performance with this brass quintet plus percussionist. (Funding also provided by Friends of Avon Music Education and the schools’ Parent Teacher Organizations.)

2006 Program Grant, Research in Real Time, Kelley Lanahan & Math and Science Depts., AMS Grade 7 & 8, Math, Science – Establish a mobile research laboratory using laptop computers with scientific probeware and graphing calculators to enhance math and science outcomes. (Funding also provided by the AMS PTO)

2006 Mini Grant, Avon Summer Theater: “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast,” Thomas Kawiecki, AMS Grade 7 & 8, Music, Theater – Costume rental to aid student actors dramatically interpret their roles which require them to imbue inanimate objects (e.g., candlestick) with human characteristics.

2005 Dos Santos Family Mini Grant, Connecting to a World of Learning Using Streaming Digital VideosKelley Lanahan, AMS, & Doreen Cohn, TBS, Grade 5-8, Multi-disciplinary – Provide teachers and students a new and powerful learning tool – real-time video through United Streaming–to change student-teacher interaction in ways that facilitate student achievement.

2005 Lounge Lizards Mini Grant, KidWind, Christopher Jones, AMS Grade 8, Science, Ecology – Experiment with the variables affecting wind turbine electrical generators to explore current energy issues using hands-on scientific methodology.

2004 Farmington Savings Bank Mini Grant, Salmon Egg Rearing, Christopher Jones, AMS, Grade 8, Science, Ecology – Raise salmon in the classroom for release into local waterways while teaching the fragility of the ecosystem. Corresponds to the 8th grade Ecology Unit and offers a community benefit through environmental stewardship.

2004  Silverman Family Mini Grant in memory of Kenneth Sargent, Digital Video Editing, Patrick Mulligan, AMS, Grade 7 & 8, Multi-Media – Create a television editing studio incorporating multi-disciplinary connections for multi media projects.

Pine Grove School

Spring 2023 Piney’s Hideaway, Jon Moss, Grade 4 Teacher, Pine Grove School: Piney’s Hideaway is designed to enhance the outdoor classroom at Pine Grove School. Additions to the gathering lesson area will be a white board for science, math, reading and writing instruction. A storage shed providing a site to hang and store the white board, will also protect mobile seating options from the elements as well as frequently used materials for grade level lessons.

Spring 2023 Gamification, Devin Van Patten, Kindergarten Teacher: Kindergarten students at Pine Grove School will benefit from the positive effects of using educational games to improve lesson engagement, retention of skills learned, and the connection of learning to the real world. Games purchased are standard based or classic childhood games that can be modified to be standard based.

Fall 2022 Boosting Reading Engagement with Periodicals, Jon Moss, Grade 4 Teacher: By providing 4th grade students with access to new periodical texts on a regular basis, students will improve reading engagement by being introduced to fiction and non-fiction articles in a generally unfamiliar text type. The addition of periodicals presents both reluctant and enthusiastic readers a variety of text types, and genres that support the learning process as they read of real-world applications that correspond to classroom topics.

Spring 2022 Read Aloud Challenge, Ginny Conn, Grade 3 Teacher: The Read Aloud Challenge was developed in response to research which indicated that reading aloud to students who have already learned to read is an important element in their growth as readers. Fostering reading comprehension, expanding an interest in reading and enjoyment of books, and building vocabulary skills are some of the benefits to reading aloud. On a monthly basis, families were supplied with an age appropriate, classic children’s book and encouraged to read the book together as a family.

June 2018, Myra and Stan Frost Grant for Classroom Sensory Tool Boxes to Promote Engagement, Attention and Positive Behaviors: Lori Manaitis, Grade 2 Teacher & Alescia Ford-Lanza, parent. Grant funding for second grade classes to purchase tools such as weighted lap pads, stress ball fidgets and sensory cushions for better engagement, greater time on task, and channeling energies more appropriately and efficiently.

From Lori Manaitis, grant recipient: All materials have been purchased and are in use in the classrooms.  The students LOVE the tools.  We have introduced them one at a time and made sure that all students have had the opportunity to “experiment” with each tool.  Now the tools are available and students nonchalantly grab them when they need them.  We have been working hard to utilize the tools in ways that help students to focus and sit in comfortable positions while learning.  They love trying things out and are working through which tools work best for them.  We have also discussed how these tools can help us achieve the goals we have created for ourselves through our class Social Contracts.  We are looking forward to watching the students grow in their use of the sensory tools throughout the year.

December 2017, David and Mardelle Pena Mini-Grant for Moon in My Classroom: Mary Labowsky, PGS 4th grade teacher, Funding provided an interactive moon in each Grade 1 and Grade 5 classroom district-wide, so students can see patterns and phases of the moon every day, supplementing the the curriculum. Here is a quote from a first grade teacher as to how the AEF Grant has advanced learning: “In our first grade classroom we have incorporated the Moon into our morning meeting routine.  We use it weekly to observe the changes in the moon.  We have synced it up to the moon cycle and it has been great to reinforce the students observations at home with their moon journal and make it consistent with observations followed up the next day in class.  It has helped enhance learning in our classroom and made this lesson much easier to teach and also made it more effective!”

2010 Duffy Family Grant, Playing for Keeps: A Playground for ALL Students, Jon Moss and Christopher Grgach, PGS, Grade Pre-K thru 4 – The grant will fund the proposed academic components: a sign language panel, a Braille panel and an alphabet panel that will allow primary students to practice their language skills. In addition, it will fund a mock storefront that kids can use to practice basic skills offering an authentic application of math lessons that are taught even into fourth grade.

2009 Mini Grant, Graphic Novels: A Novel Approach to Reading Instruction, Christopher Grgach and Jonathan Moss, PGS, Grade 3, Reading – “Graphic novels” use drawings to enhance the story. They have been found to be very effective in encouraging boys to read. Funds will purchase texts leveled on the Fountas and Pinnell Guided Reading rating system to benefit different types of learners.

2008 Avon Junior Women’s Club Mini Grant, Leaping into Learning, Lisa Fenn, RBS with Erin Dorsey, PGS and Laura McDonnell, RBS, Grade 1, Science – Scientific inquiry that investigates the life cycle of the frog culminating in a “Swap and Hop Day” when all 1st graders will gather to share results and release their former tadpoles. Collaboration between the schools will be enhanced by a web blog of frog progress.

2007 Program, Chidsey Brook Nature Trail, Leigh Ann Bacevich, Community Project Leader & Gail Dahling-Hench, Principal, PGS, All Ages, Natural Science – The mission is “to provide a fun and educational classroom where the whole community can explore, learn, and develop a relationship with one another and nature.” Located on 2 acres adjacent to PGS. Broad community support and collaboration.

2005 Routt Family Mini Grant, SMART Board for Smart Teaching, Jonathan Moss, PGS, Grade 3, Multi-disciplinary – Acquire a SMART board, an interactive white board, to allow teachers and students to interact with computers in exciting new ways.

2004 Lublin Family Mini Grant, Reading Success through Early Intervention, Barbara Daly-Byrnes & Jodi Kryzanski, PGS, Grade K, Reading – Materials to extend existing program to enhance the development of sight vocabulary.

Roaring Brook School

December 2017, David and Mardelle Pena Mini-Grant for Moon in My Classroom: Mary Labowsky, PGS 4th grade teacher, Funding provided an interactive moon in each Grade 1 and Grade 5 classroom district-wide, so students can see patterns and phases of the moon every day, supplementing the the curriculum. Here is a quote from a first grade teacher as to how the AEF Grant has advanced learning: “In our first grade classroom we have incorporated the Moon into our morning meeting routine.  We use it weekly to observe the changes in the moon.  We have synced it up to the moon cycle and it has been great to reinforce the students observations at home with their moon journal and make it consistent with observations followed up the next day in class.  It has helped enhance learning in our classroom and made this lesson much easier to teach and also made it more effective!”

Fall 2016 Mini-Grant, Math Fluency Practice, Kristin Cutler, Grade 2: This mini-grant will fund 8 Minute Math devices, which allow the students to independently practice their fact fluency in a small group setting. The devices have multiple levels of difficulty, as well as multiplication and division modes. Kristin’s comments on receiving this grant: “I was so excited to see the prize patrol in my classroom, but the ones who were the most excited were my students!  I tried to include them as much as possible in the process, and they were THRILLED that we would be receiving the Minute Math Machines.  They love using the one I have, and now we can use them in a small group math lesson.”

Fall 2014 Mini-Grant: Educational Flip Books for Blazer’s Trail Kiosk Stations, Larry Sparks, Assistant Principal, RBS, Grades K-4 and the community. This grant expands upon the 2012 Polley Family Grant, Blazer’s Trail: Outdoor Learning Project, and the 2009 Unplugged Learning project.  This funding will enhance the Blazer’s Trail experience by facilitating the design and creation of laminated ring-bound flip books that correspond to each kiosk and learning station so students can identify what they are observing along the trail. Larry Sparks, Janet Conner of the Avon Historical Society, and Judy Witzke, Park Naturalist for Winding Trails Recreation Center, will collaborate with Kristin Cutler and Joe Perieira (RBS teachers and 2012 Polley Family Blazer’s Trail grant awardees).

2013 Hyatt Family Grant, Playground Initiative: Access, Inclusion and Laughter for All, Dr. Crisanne Colgan, Principal, Grades K – 4 – The Mini-Grant will support the purchase of two Spinner Bowls, a hollow, bowl-like piece of playground equipment that children can sit in and pump their legs to spin and move all around. It uses centrifugal force and weight distribution to not only provide a safe and fun ride, but as a great tool for teaching science.

2012 Polley Family Grant, Blazer’s Trail, an Outdoor Learning Project, Joe Pereira and Kristin Cutler, Grand K – 4 – The Blazer’s Trail Committee will direct the construction of permanent kiosks to serve as learning stations along the existing nature trail. This project builds on the Unplugged Learning Project funded in 2009. Students will have access to Explorer Kits with tools and supplies to make the outdoor experience fun and engaging.

2011 Robert, Brian and Matthew Duffy Grant, Mobile Overhead Projector Set-Up, Linda Miller, Librarian, Grade K – 4, All Subjects – Acquire a mobile projector and laptop computer with wireless access to the internet that can be used anywhere in the building. This will enhance teaching and learning by providing access to a broad array of internet based teaching tools.

2009 Program Grant, “Unplugged Learning” Project, Larry Sparks, Assistant Principal, RBS, Grades K-4 and the community, Natural Science – Build an amphitheater stage and seating, develop a nature trail and remove invasive poison ivy (including ADA accessibility compliance). The space, designed by the Unplugged Learning Project team, will be used for “place-based education.” That is, hands-on, experiential learning and exploration within immediate natural surroundings.

2009 Duffy Family Grant, Hartford Stage Arts and Literacy Connections, Mike DeRitis, TBS with grade level team leads at TBS and RBS, Grades K – 6, Reading – The Connections Program is being expanded after last year’s well-received 4th grade pilot program at RBS funded by an AEF Mini Grant. Over the course of five days, visiting artists in each classroom explore a grade-appropriate core-curriculum book. Designed to enhance reading comprehension skills and to instill a love of reading, students are engaged in a literary text through the use of dramatic techniques. (Additional funding from the PTOs and in-school field trip fees.)

2008 Avon Junior Women’s Club Mini Grant, Leaping into Learning, Lisa Fenn, RBS with Erin Dorsey, PGS and Laura McDonnell, RBS, Grade 1, Science – Scientific inquiry that investigates the life cycle of the frog culminating in a “Swap and Hop Day” when all 1st graders will gather to share results and release their former tadpoles. Collaboration between the schools will be enhanced by a web blog of frog progress.

2008 Mini Grant in honor of Larry Sparks, Fluency in Motion, Laura McDonnell, RBS, Grade 1, Reading – This program will assess and encourage reading fluency in first graders through the use of Reader’s Theatre audiobooks.

2007 Leo & Jean Duffy Memorial Grant, Fitness for the Future, Tim Feshler, RBS & TBS, Grade 4-12, Physical Education – Incorporate use of technology into Physical Education to enable students to track their fitness levels and progress and to enable educators to evolve the curriculum to meet needs.

2007 Mini Grant, Connections Literacy Program, Wendy Zacchera and 4th Grade Teachers, RBS, Grade 4, Reading, History – This in-school residency program by the Hartford Stage is designed to enhance reading comprehension skills and to instill a love of reading by engaging students in a literary text through the use of dramatic techniques. A master teaching artist will lead literacy and drama activities based on Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.

2005 Avon United Fund Mini Grant, China: Through the Eyes of a Child, Nancy Usich & Michele Lemis, RBS, Grade 2, History, Geography – Make the history and culture of Chinese Americans come alive through a multi-disciplinary approach. Students explore Chinese legends, folktales, customs, food, music and origami, interact with guest speakers and Chinese dance performers, and participate in a school-wide Lion Dance parade.

2005 Shopis Family Mini Grant, The RBS Current, Alexa Pariano, RBS, Grade 3 & 4, Writing, Journalism – Software to enable students to develop a student-run newspaper. Avon High School students mentor and advise elementary students on the editing and publishing process.

2004 Avon Junior Women’s Mini Grant, Music and the Underground Railroad, Nancy Usich, RBS, Grade 2, History – Multi-Disciplinary, Explore the history and culture of the Underground Railroad through music as a communication tool. A resident artist and musician visits classrooms and students keep slave journals and make “quilts” all culminating in a performance to parents and the community.

2004 Mini Grant, Literacy-Based Phonic Enrichment, Kerry Lurate and 1st Grade Teachers, RBS, Grade 1, Reading – Books to enrich the current phonics program with authentic children’s literature.

2004 Mini Grant, Multicultural Instruments, Paul Johnson, RBS, Grade 1-4, General Music, Geography – Acquire multicultural music instruments to implement study units devoted to world music. Grade level teachers will receive cultural support for geography units on other countries.

Thompson Brook School

FALL 2022, Little Free Library, TBS 5th Grade teachers, Brendan Lynch and Steffi Dunn were awarded a grant for a Little Free Library. The Little Free Library has been developed as a student centered project that ties into the reading workshops at TBS, emphasizing independent reading.  Conceived as a solution about what to do with extra books in classroom libraries,  students will be involved in making decisions such as the selection of the library, placement on the property, what books should be housed in the library, and how to best maintain and restock the library.

Fall 2018TBS Grade 5 Teacher, $1,000 Mini-Grant for Escape Classroom Project, Brendan Lynch, AEF granted funds for Mr. Lynch to purchase Escape Classroom kits, which are team-based puzzle games, where students have to collaboratively solve puzzles, riddles, or other challenges together to reach a goal. The very popular Escape Room concept, now possible in the classroom, allows teachers to create their own Escape Classrooms, incorporating any subject area into the theme. In a world of high stakes testing and data driven instruction, any opportunity to bring in a fun, interactive experience into the classroom, while still meeting necessary education standards, is very much valued.

December 2017, David and Mardelle Pena Mini-Grant for Moon in My Classroom, Mary Labowsky, PGS 4th grade teacher, Funding provided an interactive moon in each Grade 1 and Grade 5 classroom district-wide, so students can see patterns and phases of the moon every day, supplementing the the curriculum. Here is a quote from a first grade teacher as to how the AEF Grant has advanced learning:”In our first grade classroom we have incorporated the Moon into our morning meeting routine.  We use it weekly to observe the changes in the moon.  We have synced it up to the moon cycle and it has been great to reinforce the students observations at home with their moon journal and make it consistent with observations followed up the next day in class.  It has helped enhance learning in our classroom and made this lesson much easier to teach and also made it more effective!”

Spring 2017 Grant: Battle of the Books, Jessica Buckle, Reading Specialist, entire school: Funding will support a school-wide reading motivation competition involving the Nutmeg Book Award selections and other books: to increase student reading and comprehension of complex literary and informational texts independently; to increase reading engagement, motivation, and love of lifelong reading; and to create a school-wide event that united the student body and grade levels.

Spring 2017 Grant: Flexible Seating, Catherine Hanks & Mike Deritis, Grade 6: This grant will provide components for a flexible seating environment in some sixth grade classrooms. The stand-up desks, bean bag chairs, balance balls, wobble cushions, stools and tables will allow students to be more engaged in their learning because their focus will be on the material being presented.

Spring 2016 Polley Family Digital Literacy and Technology Grant, Basic Coding, Julia Cowans-Wilhelm, Librarian, was awarded funding for the purchase of Probots and Ozobots to bring basic coding capabilities to TBS students, which will enhance the library curriculum with 21st-century and STEM learning opportunities.

Spring 2015 Book Publishing Project, Brendan Lynch, TBS 6th grade teacher, will provide a program for students focusing on the behind the scenes work that go into the books that they read. Students will collaborate to write and publish a book, going through and learning about all the stages: writing, revising, editing, copyright, book layout, font choices, binding, cover design, book website, distribution and book release.

2011, 6th Grade: Hudson Family Grant; Yellow Team: Richard W. Kisiel, Ed.D. Grant in honor of his retirement; Blue Team: Oh Family Grant; Red Team: UNICO Grant, Classroom Access to 21st Century Technology, Michael Netkovick, 6th Grade Teacher, and Ardith Franklin, Librarian, Grade 5-6, All Subjects – Upgrade technology in 5th and 6th grade classrooms to enable educators and students to initiate and engage in innovative and creative learning. A ceiling mounted DLP projector and speakers will be installed in each classroom. This will provide capability they do not have today: use Google maps, take online virtual field trips, watch videos and live television to reinforce curriculum, use interactive science activities, collaborate with other classrooms through online communication. Also, every classroom will be able to take advantage of the interactive software for SMART Boards TBS already owns even though they are not equipped with the SMART touch screen itself.

 

2009 Duffy Family Grant, Hartford Stage Arts and Literacy Connections, Mike DeRitis, TBS with grade level team leads at TBS and RBS, Grades K – 6, Reading – The Connections Program is being expanded after last year’s well-received 4th grade pilot program at RBS funded by an AEF Mini Grant. Over the course of five days, visiting artists in each classroom explore a grade-appropriate core-curriculum book. Designed to enhance reading comprehension skills and to instill a love of reading, students are engaged in a literary text through the use of dramatic techniques. (Additional funding from the PTOs and in-school field trip fees.)

2007 Avon Chapter of UNICO Mini Grant, Dallas Brass Performs in Avon, David Winer, AHS, Grade 5-12, Band Music – Three events in one day–workshop, rehearsal for selected students and evening performance with this brass quintet plus percussionist. (Funding also provided by Friends of Avon Music Education and the schools’ Parent Teacher Organizations.)

2007 Leo & Jean Duffy Memorial Grant, Fitness for the Future, Tim Feshler, RBS & TBS, Grade 4-12, Physical Education – Incorporate use of technology into Physical Education to enable students to track their fitness levels and progress and to enable educators to evolve the curriculum to meet needs.

 

2007 Farmington Savings Bank Mini Grant, WAVN TBS Podcasting, Mary Ramondetta, TBS, Grade 6, Language Arts, Social Studies – Application of personal audio technology to Language Arts and Social Studies; students will create podcasts which can be published to the internet for use by others.

 

2006 Program Grant, Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) Lab, Carl Sauerbrunn, TBS, Grade 5 & 6, General Music – Complete the MIDI Lab so that every student has the opportunity to compose, notate and record original musical works on the computer. The technology also enables new ways to integrate music with social studies, language arts and science projects.

 

2006 Farmington Savings Bank Mini Grant, Regarding the Book, Judy DeVito & Ardith Franklin, TBS, Grade 5 & 6, Reading, Writing – A reading and writing program presented by Nutmeg winning author and journalist Kate Klise.

 

2005 Dos Santos Family Mini Grant, Connecting to a World of Learning Using Streaming Digital Videos, Kelley Lanahan, AMS, & Doreen Cohn, TBS, Grade 5-8, Multi-disciplinary – Provide teachers and students a new and powerful learning tool – real-time video through United Streaming–to change student-teacher interaction in ways that facilitate student achievement.

 

2005 Avon United Fund Mini Grant, Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) Lab, Carl Sauerbrunn, TBS, Grade 5 & 6, General Music – Create a pilot MIDI Lab to allow students to compose, notate and record original musical works on the computer.

Mr. Jon Moss (Pine Grove School, Grade 4 teacher) was happily welcomed by students in Mrs. AnnMarie Castle’s 4th grade class as he delivered a recent shipment of periodicals. Mr. Moss’ AEF grant, “Boosting Reading Engagement with Periodicals,” was designed to expose students to a variety of fiction and non-fiction articles that correspond to classroom topics.