The Appleton Education Foundation has approved grants totaling nearly $25,000 to support creative programs and projects that enhance the education of Appleton Area School District students.

Nineteen requests received funding. All grants were awarded from the Appleton Education Foundation Fund – an unrestricted endowment – unless otherwise noted.

Districtwide
$6,000 for the Every Child Every Day Summer Institute. More than 900 AASD staff members are expected to attend this four-day professional development opportunity.

$5,000 towards the training of a Math Recovery Champion to assist district staff with high-quality math instruction and professional development.

$2,000 from the John Mielke and Sally Morey Mielke Education Fund and the AEF Fund to update the “Heart Adventure Challenge Course.” This obstacle course represents the four chambers of the heart. Students get physical activity while also learning about the heart.

$1,626 for Pocketlab wireless sensors to be used in new science curriculum for grades 4-6 in the North and East cluster elementary schools.

$1,118 to purchase two manikins to help AASD nurses train secretaries and paraprofessionals who may have to perform specialized medical procedures.

$1,000 from the Mielke Education Fund for an author visit during the Fox Cities Book Festival. Keiko Kasza will visit AASD elementary schools.

Badger and McKinley Elementary Schools
$1,000 from the Mielke Education Fund to support an arts integration project for K-1 Badger and McKinley elementary students.

Berry Elementary School
$686 for a light table. This table will be available to the entire school community, but can be especially useful to adapt lessons for more hands-on learning using translucent blocks or colored gel.

Columbus Elementary School
$264 for materials to build a dedicated clothing closet to organize items available to needy students and families.

East High School
$300 for a professional development session about the power of sharing stories as a way to make meaningful connections with their students.

Einstein Middle School
$2,000 to sustain the newly established greenhouse. Students will learn about planting, growing, and harvesting, and will document their work through a blog.

Ferber Elementary School
$425 from the Mielke Education Fund to bring Oneida storyteller and cultural presenter Debra Morningstar to speak to all third-grade students. This will be the culmination of a cross-curricular/art integration unit.

$450 from the Pitt Endowment Fund and AEF Fund to support Badges and Bobbers. This is a new program that brings students and police officers together for a day of fishing, as a way to build relationships and promote positive lifestyle choices.

Horizons Elementary School
$775 from the Mielke Education Fund for items that will help kindergarten students build fine motor skills.

$500 from the Dianne Catlin Lang Fund for Empowering Girls Through STEM and Leadership Development to support the Girls Empowered club.

Houdini Elementary School
$200 from the Mielke Education Fund to support a movement/refocus center within a third-grade classroom.

Jefferson Elementary School
$350 from the Mielke Education Fund to create a multisensory space to enhance literacy curriculum within a first-grade classroom.

West High School
$650 to support Knitting for New Noggins. Students will knit hats for newborns and learn to sew sacks that will be used to distribute personal hygiene and food items to students in need.

$500 from the Connie Pitt Memorial Endowment Fund to support the Appleton West Market. The market is run by West’s Intellectual Disability program and offers students an opportunity to gain skills helpful for life after high school.

Wilson Middle School
$300 from the Diversity Fund to purchase books that represent the diverse student population.