MARSHFIELD – Expanding robotics programming at the elementary and middle schools, purchasing snowshoes for fitness classes, creating a district-wide, chrome-based “Olympics” for second graders and funding AP Art Student participation in a national art library are among the 13 educational grants totaling $82,258 being awarded this week to Marshfield Public Schools by the Marshfield Education Foundation (MEF) for the 2018-2019 school year. Since 2012, the Marshfield Education Foundation has awarded 129 grants totaling over $680,000 to Marshfield Public Schools.
The MEF provides critical seed funding for grants submitted by Marshfield Public School teachers for innovative programs that motivate and excite their students and achieve excellence in teaching and learning,” said John Giberti, President of the Marshfield Education Foundation. “Our goal is to award grants to programs outside of the current school budget that will grow to become regularly funded programs by MPSD. To raise the money necessary to fund these projects we rely on our many sponsors and donors, and we are incredibly grateful for the resources they provide in support of our mission.
Marshfield’s Superintendent of schools, Jeffrey Granatino, praised the MEF and added that, “For seven years, the MEF has been rewarding innovation and creativity in classrooms across the District. They have supported educators at all levels and their generosity has helped better prepare our students to be successful, 21st century learners. I thank the MEF for all that they do and I look forward to seeing the amazing things our teachers and students will do with these grants.”
The largest single grant of $31,560 will fund Chromebooks at the second-grade level across the school district in five elementary schools. This will allow second-graders to participate in a district-wide “Olympics” and work collaboratively on science, social studies and reading projects to learn research and presentation skills.
Two grants support the growing field of robotics in the district’s Science, Math, Engineering and Technology (STEM) labs to help prepare students for the workforce of the future. Furnace Brook Middle School is being awarded $9,647 to enhance the current robotics program and leverage technology to allow for more student creativity outside the walls of the lab classroom. A separate grant of $9,710 will fund starter sets of robotics and coding platforms at each elementary school.
Grants will also support innovation in fitness and arts programming. Funding from the Marshfield Education Foundation will also support a new Snowshoe Fitness program at Furnace Brook Middle School, extending the outdoor physical education season and helping to build strength, agility and balance. Marshfield High School will receive a grant to fund AP Art Student participation in “The Sketchbook Project” of The Brooklyn Art Library.
Additional grants being awarded by MEF for the 2018-2019 school year include:
$8,929 to create a “Makerspace” at Marshfield High School, a physical space where students can develop and enhance communication, collaboration, critical thinking and creativity skills and allow students to contribute ideas for working and living in a world with rapidly changing technology.
$5,685 will support the installation of a climbing wall in the Eames Way School gym, helping all students to improve their physical, cognitive and psychological skills.
$2,890 to create dual weather centers at the South River and Governor Winslow Elementary Schools. The centers will collect real-time weather data and connect the community to the national data center Weather Underground.
$2,729 will fund the purchase of Tech Accessory Tools such as microphones, stands and iPads to help students at Eames Way and South River Elementary Schools to film, edit and produce movies and e-books.
$2,568 will fund the second year of Reading Assistant, an intensive, research-based reading intervention program for struggling students at Furnace Brook Middle School.
$2,379 to fund the purchase of a full-body manikin and SkillGuide device to provide real-time feedback on student CPR performance at Marshfield High School.
$800 to help build a vibrant collection of student writing and artwork at Marshfield High School through a full color arts and literary magazine.
$192 to connect elementary school students at Eames Way School with community partners at the Marshfield Senior Center through an instructional-based letter-writing project.
Since 2010, MEF has impacted teaching and learning at all seven schools in Marshfield by awarding 129 grants totaling over $680,000. MEF is a 501(3)(C) charitable organization that fundraises through corporate and individual donations and from annually-held community events such as the Marshfield St. Patrick’s Day 5K and Circus Smirkus, which will be held July 24th and 25th at the Marshfield Fairgrounds. Lead sponsors of MEF events this year include Quirk Auto Dealers, Roche Bros, and Rockland Federal Credit Union. For more information, visit www.marshfieldfoundation.org, or find us on Facebook or on Twitter as @MarshfieldEF.