At the Needham School Committee meeting on May 19, 2026, the Needham Education Foundation (NEF) announced the recipients of eight grants totaling $41,601 in its spring grant cycle.
Awarded grants include:
Growing Minds: Hands-On Plant Science Through the Plantmobile – Needham Preschool
Students at Needham Preschool will be provided with six hands-on, developmentally appropriate plant science modules from the Massachusetts Horticultural Society’s Plantmobile. Students will explore foundational concepts in plant biology, environmental stewardship, and healthy food systems. The Plantmobile will foster sensory exploration, inquiry-based learning, and direct engagement with the natural world.
— Awarded to Nicole Leung, Parent and Daniel Cohen, Preschool Director
You Belong at Broadmeadow: A Mosaic Community Art Project – Broadmeadow
Needham-based artist Audrey Dunn will work with the Broadmeadow Elementary School community to create a mosaic mural project that represents the school’s spirit and values. The artist will provide lessons on the mosaic art technique during workshops with students, staff, families and alumni, guiding them in creating portions of the mural. The “Broad Meadow” mosaic will be mounted on large wooden panels and permanently installed in the Broadmeadow cafeteria.
— Awarded to Cara Karelitz, Parent; Jennifer Buell, Parent; and Chanit List, Assistant Principal
School Garden Bed Replacement – Newman
Existing garden beds in the Newman Elementary School garden will be replaced with sustainable raised beds to extend the life of the garden and to support hands-on garden-centered education, particularly within the elementary science units. This is a Repeat grant from Fall 2015.
— Awarded to Stefanie Forman, Parent and Cathy Herndon, 2nd grade teacher
Building Blocks of Coding and AI with LEGOs – High Rock
Nine sets of LEGO’s Computer Science & AI robotics kits will be purchased for the High Rock Middle School Technology Club. These kits will provide students with hands-on experience in coding and engineering and will prepare them for continued practice at Pollard and more advanced coding opportunities at the High School. The equipment will also be evaluated for inclusion in the technology classes for all 6th grade students. This is an Express grant from Pollard.
— Awarded to Ethan Shapiro, Student and Erin Mack, Technology Integration Specialist
BlazePods for Pollard Middle School – Pollard
The Pollard Fitness Unit will be transformed into an interactive, high-engagement experience with the addition of two BlazePod sets. These wireless, light-up devices will help students improve reaction time, coordination, agility, and cardiovascular endurance through game-based activities. The system can be adapted for a wide range of abilities, and the included app helps with goal setting and differentiation of instruction.
— Awarded to Meaghan Kaplan, Wellness Teacher and Denise Domnarski, K-12 Director of PE, Health & Wellness
The Hideout: A Multisensory Space for Neurodivergent Learners – High School
Students in the Insight program at Needham High School, which is designed to meet the needs of neurodiverse students, will benefit from a dedicated multi-sensory space allowing flexible learning, inclusive practices, and positive support.
— Awarded to Lysa Bennett, Special Education Teacher – Insight Program
Enhancing Data-Driven Instruction and Program Fidelity Across District ILC programs Using TallyFlex – Preschool, Newman, Sunita Williams, High Rock, Pollard, High School
TallyFlex will modernize the classroom environment by providing staff with a centralized, digital interface for real-time tracking of frequency, duration, and interval-based behaviors in the district’s intensive learning center (ILC) classrooms. Transitioning to a digital data collection system will improve long-term student outcomes through more precise intervention tailoring, ensuring that every student receives data-validated support to reach their full developmental potential.
— Awarded to Julie Ma, Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
Meeting the Needs of All Literacy Learners Through Specialized Instruction-Year 2 – All Elementary
Selected special education and general education staff at all elementary schools will be trained in LiPs, Lively Letters, and OG Plus, evidence-based literacy practices, which will provide additional approaches for intervention to meet the needs of all students, particularly those with a reading or language-based learning disability. This training builds on the last year’s accomplishments which included: 1) systemization of student assessments, 2) systemization of protocols to determine targeted interventions for various learning profiles, and 3) training to provide these specialized interventions and support learning across all tiers of instruction. This is the second year of funding for this Large grant.
— Awarded to Lisa Messina, Director of Literacy and Stephanie Wyman, Executive Director of Special Education