SEPTA GRANTS AWARDED IN 2013-2014
SEPTA awarded more than $9,000 in grants to enrich the educational experience of special education students, as well as many regular education students, in the Mamaroneck School District. SEPTA appreciates the dedication, creativity and innovation of this year’s grant recipients and is confident funds awarded for the projects listed below have and continue to benefit our children. SEPTA is proud to support Mamaroneck’s faculty and congratulates the SEPTA grant recipients for the 2013- 2014 school year.
Literacy:
Mamaroneck Avenue School: 5th grade and Special Education teachers were awarded sets of book series for students’ book club. Book club discussions take place in class and online.
Central School: James Perrotta was awarded non-fiction books that allow multiple reading levels to access similar content at the same time.
Central School: Alexis Pirone and Elizabeth Johnson were awarded non-fiction, mystery and historical fiction books that allow multiple reading levels to access similar content at the same time. Grant request also included comprehension lessons for RTI needs and homework pages for independent reading.
Murray Avenue School: Kimberly Hickey, Eileen Murray, and MaryAlice Pietropaolo were awarded supplemental non-fiction picture books (2 trade book packs appropriate for K-5th grade) to enhance the lessons in “The Comprehension Toolkit”. In addition to the book packs, this grant would provide for 2 non-fiction books by Nicola Davies who is highly acclaimed for her beautifully illustrated and engaging books.
This project is intended to be a resource library for the special education department at Murray across all grades.
Murray Avenue School: Cathy Mangieri, Gina Loughran, and MaryAlice Pietropaolo were awarded multi-leveled readers to support and enhance non-fiction units. These readers are high interest books that keep kids engaged as they build comprehension skills. They include mathematics, science and social studies themes.
Speech and Language:
All Six Schools: Two apps were awarded to the district’s speech therapists: Storymaker for social stories (10 copies), iPrompts Visual Supports (5 copies). Social stories app helps students understand and perceive an event or situation. Social stories help us share information accurately and meaningfully with students who have ASD or other social delays or differences. The video modeling app allows the therapists to demonstrate appropriate behaviors or skills to complete an activity/work task through video demonstration.
Mamaroneck Avenue School: Amy Streaks was awarded a collection of stories printed in both Spanish and English for bilingual students with speech/language services. Use of books will assist both language development/enrichment and language transference.
Technology:
Chatsworth School: Gail Boyle, Katie Anderson and Andew Hess were awarded 6 live scribe Echo Smart Pens to be used by the Chatsworth Assistive Technology Team as part of the Multimodal Reading Classroom lab.
Murray Avenue School: Pamela Tanenbaum was awarded Seven Playaway Views for the Murray library. The Playaway is a handheld device that has 45-50 minutes of the best reviewed books to watch and listen to. These will reach students to who like to “read” in different ways. They will appeal to auditory and visual learners unlike a listening book. They will allow students to sit quietly while engaging in literature. Some of the narrative non-fiction books are too challenging for some of our readers but this technology will enable the students to “read” and then interact in conversation with teachers and peers. May be used in school or at home.
Mamaroneck High School: Jeff Queen was awarded a Digital film library (Sprout Digital Film Library) that will be used: (1) generate essays/student writing, (2) as examples of documentary for video class, (3) SEPTA film program for the community, (4) for building bridges.
Social Skills:
All 4 Elementary Schools: John Savage was awarded funds for Olympic-type events; funds to cover shirts, medals, pizza, sports drinks, water, ices and ice cream.
Mamaroneck Avenue School: Alyssa Ternullo and Antonia Sgueglia were awarded Lotto/communication boards to prepare special education students to enter general education specials, to communicate during mainstreaming time, and as a follow up activity to assist in “sharing” about their mainstream experience with staff or peers. Story time communication boards for comprehension during classroom reading.
Multi-Sensory Learning:
Chatsworth School: Lisa Kmetz and Mary Kate Glennon were awarded 8 seating devices to enhance a student’s ability to take in sensory information: sit and spin, senseez vibrating cushion, howda hug chair, small stretch, hokki stool, 18” whopper hopper, exercise ball set, donut ball.
Central School: Christine Sullivan was awarded 2 beanbag chairs to provide proprioceptive input to students with sensory processing challenges.
Murray Avenue School: Kimberly Hickey and Stephanie Feinberg were awarded Set B. Set A was purchased through a SEPTA 2012-13 grant. These materials supplement the district’s current math program through direct visual experiences rather than verbal exchanges. The materials are designed for sequential use but can be easily adapted to supplement a current program for a whole class or individual. The Set B materials include a 1-4th grade teacher guide and wooden math manipulatives. Lessons cover multiplication, division, time, money and fractions.
Murray Avenue School: Kelly Brennan was awarded weighted lap/body blankets for use during reading and rug instruction. Four blankets will provide sensory input and awareness to special education and general education students on a daily basis.
Mamaroneck High School: Cara Viggriano was awarded a collection of stress balls to be available to all students who demonstrate a need for self-regulation through fidgeting.