At the Needham School Committee meeting last night, the Needham Education Foundation (NEF) announced the recipients of four grants totaling $15,980 in the fall grant cycle.
Awarded grants include:
- A field camcorder will be used in the Television Communications courses at Needham High School. With it, students can capture high quality video footage when recording outside of the school building, allowing for more real-world experiences in television production. The Needham Channel will match this grant with the funding of a second field camcorder.
- A wide range of books will be acquired to establish a new Book Club unit in 7 th grade English classes at Pollard. A robust list of engaging, contemporary fiction titles were selected to span reading preferences and abilities and represent diverse and resilient protagonists.
- The Learning Ally iPad app will help eligible Pollard students who struggle with reading to build strong vocabulary, strengthen comprehension skills, increase reading fluency and accuracy rates, strengthen reading stamina, and increase reading motivation. A launch workshop for over 30 educators will be complemented by a teacher platform for advising and communicating with students about their independent reading.
- Musician and composer Spencer Parrish will compose three pieces for Needham High School’s Concert Band, Symphonic Band, and Jazz Ensemble. Due to COVID restrictions on music practice and performances, this project will provide ensemble members the opportunity to learn about other aspects of music study, specifically, how a composition evolves from its inception to its completion. The commission will include two master classes for each ensemble, along with materials and final composition. The project will culminate in a virtual recording of each piece.