At its March meeting the Appleton Education Foundation board of directors approved the following 20 grants totaling more than $22,000 to creatively enhance education for students in the Appleton Area School District.
Appleton Area School District –
- $500 to add diverse materials for the birth-to-five resource library to better reflect the families/children served by the program.
- $500 for literacy materials to help early childhood diagnosticians evaluate student abilities.
- $500 to provide high-interest music for the district’s growing middle school jazz program.
- $1,265 for equipment the occupational therapy department will use with students across the district.
Appleton East High School –
- $500 allows students in a technical education class to design, build, test, and refine a drag racer powered by an angle grinder.
- $500 provides start-up funds for Patriots Care, a program to support students during times of greatest struggle.
- $900 for adaptive classroom materials that will help special education students work more independently.
- $2,000 to support activities – designed by juniors and seniors – to help freshman students engage with their school community.
- $2,884 for safe, working tools to help theatre students learn set building and life skills.
Kaleidoscope Academy – $1,644 for take-home materials to help students with emotional regulation needs outside the school day.
Wilson Middle School –
- $500 for a new program that uses cooking activities to help students with autism learn social, executive functioning, and communication skills.
- $500 for a staff book study on culturally and linguistic responsive practices.
- $2,278 to pilot the use of white board tables in special education math classes.
Franklin Elementary School – $750 toward the school’s efforts to build a sensory and workout room.
Horizons Elementary School –
- $500 for cultural presentations to help build school community.
- $500 for a parent book study focused on positive parenting strategies.
Jefferson Elementary School – $3,020 to provide mindful meditation devices for each classroom to assist students who need additional emotional supports.
Johnston Elementary School – $500 for enhancements to the dramatic play and sensory areas of the early childhood special education classroom.
McKinley Elementary School – $1,500 to add STEM materials for focused use during indoor recess and whole school reward days as a way to encourage positive behavior.
Richmond Elementary School – $1,381 to establish writing-focused play centers in two kindergarten classrooms.
The grant funding is from seven charitable funds within the Appleton Education Foundation: AEF Fund, Vira and Alan Stoner Education Fund, Betsy Melzer Endowment Fund, Bob and Gerri Heffron Family Endowment Fund, Gruner Family Community Mental Wellness Fund, John Mielke & Sally Morey Mielke Education Fund, and Mile of Music Fund.
