Earlier this spring, the local chapter of Alpha Delta Kappa (ADK), an International organization of women educators, was pleased to award 25 classroom mini-grants in the amount of $150 each to teachers in the Sunnyvale School District. Grants were awarded to teachers in grades preschool through 8th grade and covered a wide range of proposals. What they all had in common was a focus on supporting students.
Many teachers asked for funding for books – to provide additional reading materials for classroom libraries, poetry units, literature circles, leveled instructional reading materials, books focusing on Social Emotional Learning, audio books for English Learner (EL) students and books reflective of the students cultural and language diversity. Funding also helped provide materials to implement such programs as innovative approaches to Physical Education, iPad styluses for EL students, phonics materials, supplementary math materials, weekly classroom magazine subscriptions, technology and classroom materials to support Special Education students, classroom organizational materials, supplies for a classroom garden and materials for students to create and sew their own pillows.
The ADK mini-grant selection committee, many of whom are retired SSD teachers, were impressed with the quality of the projects and the clear commitment of the recipients to meeting their students’ needs in creative and caring ways.
Submitted by Ann McCarty, Alpha Lambda Teacher Mini-grant Co-chair.
