Photo courtesy of Vestavia Hills City Schools.
Fifteen grants were awarded by the Vestavia Hills City Schools Foundation to innovative projects throughout the city, totaling nearly $59,000.
Robin McKean, a three-year member of the VHCSF board, said the annual grants are a chance to support student growth and learning through projects outside the standard curriculum.
“I think what we have in Vestavia is very unique, and our teachers and administration do a great job,” McKean said.
There were 23 applicants for this year's grants, which were awarded right before Spring Break. McKean said the foundation board, with help from principals and the board of education, award grants to projects that align with their school and school system's overall education goals. They try to distribute the grants roughly equitably across the schools.
“We try to award grants based on the greatest possibility to positively impact as many students as possible,” McKean said.
The board of education can also receive grants for teacher training purposes. McKean said sometimes a grant will be funded to provide students the same opportunities across schools, such as this year's weather balloon kit grant at Liberty Park Middle to replicate a similar project at Pizitz Middle last year.
“We do a lot with technology and I think that’s great,” he said.
One grant that McKean was particularly excited for was a request by VHHS teacher Denise Brundege to purchase 15 computers and a computer cart for the Exceptional Education department. The computers will allow different learning methods, including read-aloud tests.
“I think that was just a great opportunity for us to support that department," McKean said. “I think all the ones at the high school were very well done this year.”
The awards totaled $58,850, an increase from last year. Funding for VHCSF grants comes from individual donations as well as fundraising events like Dinner and Diamonds. The full list of 2017 grants is below.
Board of Education
- $10,000 for summer professional development and DIY professional collaboration.
- $2,000 for the Vestavia Teacher Leaders Program.
Vestavia Hills High School
- $5,150 for 15 computers and a computer cart for the Exceptional Education department.
- $1,268.88 for a new kiln to be used in art and science courses.
- $2,468.50 to purchase the newest version of The Geometer's Sketchpad, Kuta software and to add additional "seats" to the TI-Smartview software.
Liberty Park Middle
- $1,630 for a high altitude weather balloon kit, GoPro camera and tracking software.
Pizitz Middle
- $3,500 for a model classroom with different seating and work spaces to engage different learning styles.
Cahaba Heights Elementary
- $2,699.73 to purchase the Investigations 3 math program.
- $3,043 for a set of Blue-bots, a docking station, backpack and four mats, two iPad Minis and a Cubelets Mini Makers pack.
Central Elementary
- $6,600 to create a Virtual Reality room inside a computer lab.
East Elementary
- $7,003.25 for Osmos Wonders Kits for each classroom.
Liberty Park Elementary
- $6,543 to purchase 24 Virtual Reality viewing sets.
West Elementary
- $3,000 for a set of Blue-bots, four iPad Minis and two Cubelets Educator packs.
- $845 to purchase the Fountas and Pinnell First Grade Book Collection 1.
- $3,100 to purchase the Units of Study for Teaching Reading resources for all classrooms.
