Imagine first grade students who explore the butterfly life cycle and the mathematical concept of symmetry through a performance of the puppet show, then make their own puppets to put their new learning to use. What if high school literature students could be exposed to diverse authors by reading a retelling of Pride and Prejudice set in New York with Afro-Latina characters? And what if Greenbelt students for whom English is a second language had hands-on resources to help them gain proficiency in English?
Each of these ideas, plus 21 other proposals for projects to enrich and support the education of Greenbelt students, were unanimously approved by council at its January 27 meeting. The city’s Advisory Committee on Education (ACE) evaluated all submitted proposals and recommended 24 of them to council for funding. The total cost is $12,507.
Enriching the education of Greenbelt students by funding special projects is something the city has done since 2008. The Fiscal Year 2020 city budget sets aside $12,500 for the ACE Grants to Educators program. ACE asked for grant proposals for up to $600 each from the six ACE core schools in Greenbelt: Greenbelt Elementary (GES), Springhill Lake Elementary (SHLES), Magnolia Elementary (MES), Dora Kennedy French Immersion, Greenbelt Middle (GMS) and Eleanor Roosevelt High.
Councilmembers praised the work of ACE, which was represented at the meeting by ACE member Jon Gardner. Councilmember Emmett Jordan called the projects recommended for awards interesting and creative and thanked ACE for its hard work. Councilmember Judith Davis thanked the committee for its detailed deliberation.
A Wide Variety
Of the 33 proposals submitted, 22 were submitted by GES, of which 14 were approved. Four of the five proposals submitted by SHLES were also funded. The other core schools submitted either one or two proposals each, all of which ACE recommended being funded.
The proposals funded include a wide variety of projects. SHLES will receive funding for a sensory room with various lights and materials of different textures for use by special needs and other students. This sort of room is specially designed to help engage the senses of special needs students. It also acts as a space to help calm distressed students, both special needs and in general education.
Another SHLES project that will receive funding is one that will provide continuing funds for the school Garden Club which plans to develop a sensory garden. As part of the project, students in grades 3 through 5 will nurture flowers, grasses, thorny plants, herbs, vegetables and fruits to engage the five senses. ACE recognized that this afterschool club teaches responsibility, independence and develops the capacity for collaboration and respect for the environment, while beautifying the area around the school.
Other grants included funding for the Harlem Renaissance Poetic Showcase for GES. It would allow fourth grade students to learn the components of storytelling through the poetry of the Harlem Renaissance. Other GES projects included the Plant & Pottery Club supplies and material, funding of hands-on STEM materials for classroom use and math intervention resources, which act as a remedial tool to help bring struggling fourth and fifth grade students back to where they should be for their grade.
Teacher Enrichment
Some grants are for teacher education and enrichment, such as funding for two GES teachers to attend the State of Maryland Literacy Association annual conference. Other grants aim to support healthy socialization of students such as the GMS PTA program called Middle School Talks. This program intends to provide specific settings where the students of GMS will be able to listen to a variety of opinions and views and gain knowledge and information presented by panel guests and staff. Some of the topics to be discussed include self-esteem, bullying, mental health and college/military options.
Davis asked Gardner for more background about why ACE was recommending funding for a stage curtain at MES, since such equipment isn’t a typical ACE-supported venture. The project is to purchase new stage curtains for MES to replace current curtains that are over 20 years old, look bad and are completely worn out. Gardner explained that the MES PTA had worked hard to raise almost all the funds for the curtains and the ACE award would put the project over the top. Educationally speaking, ACE suggested that the curtains would not only give a new look to the stage but also motivate performers to be enthusiastic about performing.
A complete list of projects, included in the ACE report on the 2020 Awards Program, can be found at http://legistarweb-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/attachment/pdf/509267/ACE_Grant_Report_2020-01.pdf