“Authoring Inspiration” at NHS – Young Adult Author Nancy Werlin Inspires Students
In February, young adult author Nancy Werlin visited Needham High School to conduct a series of workshops and speaking sessions with students. Nancy Werlin is a New York Times bestselling author whose young adult books cover a wide array of genres, including realistic fiction, suspense, fantasy, and comics. Her book, The Rules of Survival, is a National Book Award finalist. Locked Inside is an Edgar Award finalist, and The Killer’s Cousin is an Edgar Award winner.
According to NHS Librarian Paige Rowse, “About 175 students attended the events. Ms. Werlin spoke about a number of relevant topics and was able to connect with students. Students were engaged and eager to ask questions – we actually ran out of time during each session because so many students wanted to participate.” One NHS teacher said it was “a great opportunity to ask questions and gain insight and inspiration.” Students “liked how she talked about her whole experience, not just talking about books” and how “she gave great advice about deadlines and goals.”
The visit was funded by a grant from the NEF’s Fall 2015 Small Grants cycle.
See coverage of Ms. Werlin’s visit in the Hometown Weekly.
NEF Announces 2015-2016 Large Grant and Interdisciplinary Learning Funding
Large Grant Award – STARLAB Coming to Needham
The NEF announced the award of a $15,000 large grant from its 2015-2016 Large Grants cycle at the School Committee meeting on January 26th. The grant supports the purchase of a Basic STARLAB Portable Planetarium System (with weather and solar system units) for use by the Needham Science Center. The STARLAB can be used in gyms and performance centers and can accommodate up to thirty students when inflated.
STARLAB is an exciting way to spark students’ interest in science and increase their scientific literacy. It can be used to make meaningful curriculum connections for students across all grades and can build students’ skills and content knowledge in a way that ensures that students not only “know” science concepts, but also can use their scientific knowledge to investigate the natural world.
More Interdisciplinary Learning at Needham High School
The School Committee accepted two NEF Interdisciplinary Learning Initiative (ILI) grants at its January 26th meeting, totaling $48,019. These grants will help to solidify the broad and lasting impact of the ILI Collaborative Initiative, the collaboration between NHS and the NEF that is most well-known for the creation of the Greater Boston Project, an interdisciplinary class at NHS. The Da Vinci Workshop and several smaller interdisciplinary projects have also been created through this collaboration, now in its fourth year.
The first new grant provides a third year of funding for the “Interdisciplinary Learning Fund.” This fund, administered by both NHS and NEF representatives, was created to support small interdisciplinary units of study. Thus far, six multi-year mini-grants have been awarded.
A new, part-time Interdisciplinary Learning (IL) Specialist position will be created with the funding from the second grant. The IL Specialist will serve as a resource for all of NHS, and will also provide interdisciplinary learning guidance throughout the district.
To date, more than 20 teachers and 550 students at NHS have been impacted by the NEF’s support of interdisciplinary learning initiatives. These new grants will extend that impact to the 2016-17 school year.
Robotics Are Elementary
NEF funded this grant in the Fall 2014 cycle, which financed the purchase of Bee Bots, Curriculum Mats, Lesson Plans and a set of 24-unit LegoWeDo robots for each of the five Needham Elementary schools.
According to Barbara Tennyson, Instructional Technology Specialist at Broadmeadow, “Bee Bots help us teach coding to young children. Specifically, teaching sequencing, estimation, and problem-solving are made very visual by using the BeeBots.
We have incorporated them mainly into 1st and 2nd grade STEAM classes but have even introduced them to Kindergarteners. We used them during International Dot Day and challenged the students to program them to spell the word DOT.
The individual challenges can vary greatly, from programming them to travel through a maze to completing an odd/even race using dice to using the number line mat to program addition and subtraction problems to using the alphabet mat to program it to spell their name. Lots of fun and learning!”
NEF Awards $60,526 in Fall Grants
The Needham Education Foundation announced the recipients of 16 grants totaling $60,526 in the fall small grants cycle at the Needham School Committee meeting last night. These include one multi-school grant that will provide professional development with Irene Fountas to all K-8 Needham Principals and key district administrators in an effort to boost overall literacy efforts and to develop a common vision of literacy education in Needham’s schools.
Awarded grants also include:
- A collaborative fiber art project for Needham High School (NHS) students to work with a visiting artist coinciding with Own Your Peace week
- Magnet kits, which will allow Mitchell students to expand their understanding of engineering and magnets in a culminating student-led engineering challenge
- Six “express” grants that build on the success of grants funded at other schools including: international flags at Mitchell, yoga workshops at Broadmeadow, stand-up desks at High Rock and Pollard, a school garden at Newman, and a Weather Day at Blue Hills Observatory for Mitchell.
- An augmented reality sand box for Pollard students to simulate topographic maps in real time
- A musical residency program for NHS students with Asylum Saxophone Quartet
- Three performances at Eliot designed to expand the school’s cultural proficiency through Brazilian drumming, Chinese culture and Mandarin, and African/Caribbean folktales
- Rear projection theatre scenery technology allowing High Rock, Pollard and NHS students to create their own scenery for school productions
- Writing workshops for NHS students with a local young adult author
- Scientific sensor equipment for Pollard engineering students to investigate renewable energy technologies
- Artist-in-residency workshops for all Mitchell students to use everyday objects to produce unique collages
See coverage of the fall grant awards on the Needham Channel.
NEF Sponsors Another Series of Needham Talks Lectures
Needham Talks is proud to present another exciting free series of talks focused on the promotion of supportive and healthy parenting practices. New York Times bestselling authors and internationally acclaimed speakers will be visiting our community to share their knowledge of…
- How to effectively manage hectic lifestyles and enhance family relationships.
- Strategies for raising authentic and emotionally intelligent girls.
- The impact of fathers/male role models on children’s development.
- Understanding adolescence and how to build a new relationship with your tween/teen.
- How to discuss hard or sensitive topics with your child.
All lectures will be held at the Newman Elementary School Auditorium from 7:00 – 8:30pm.
Speakers and Dates:
- October 29, 2015: Edward (Ned) Hallowell, M.D. – Crazybusy: Overbooked, Overworked and About to Snap! How Parents Can Cope in a World Gone ADD
- December 2, 2015: Rachel Simmons, M.A. – Be You: An Interactive Workshop for Girls and Adults (Girls 8-14 Years of Age)
- February 4, 2016: Michael Thompson, Ph.D. – The Importance of Fathers/Male Role Models in Children’s Lives (Male-Only Event)
- April 6, 2016: Joani Geltman, M.S.W. – The Tween/Teen Years: Understanding Adolescence and How to Build A New Relationship With Your Child
- June 2, 2016: Jeanine Fitzgerald, M.A. – The Truth About the Hard or Sensitive Topics
This free speaker series is funded by a Spring 2015 NEF grant.
One School, One Book: Schooled
NEF and the Pollard PTC co-funded this grant, which gave each student and teacher a copy of the summer reading book Schooled by Gordon Korman.
Tamatha Bibbo, Pollard Principal and grant writer said, “We had a team of teachers work incredibly hard over the summer to create activities for advisory for the first month of school.
“Overall, Schooled has been a huge success. The teachers were excited to experience a common read with the students and to emphasize ‘being kind.’ Students have been enthusiastic and a majority really liked it. We are having a full school – one day – workshop on the text in November. This day will be our culminating experience for all students- it will prove to be educational, valuable, and fun (some 60’s music, speakers on home schooling, tye-dye T-shirts, Tai Chi, and so much more from the text.)”
NEF Awards $69,230 in Spring 2015 Small Grants
The Needham Education Foundation has awarded 15 grants totaling $69,230 in its recent small grants cycle, with programs for student enrichment, parents, and teacher training. Spring 2015 grants include funding for:
- A 5-lecture series for parents of elementary and middle school students with expert speakers addressing the “crazybusy” phenomenom, the importance of male role models, how to address sensitive topics, and building the parent-teen relationship.
- A five-week summer program at Needham High School for struggling and disadvantaged students to stay on track for an on-time graduation.
- A week-long visit by Author Jarrett Krosoczka to Broadmeadow Elementary School that includes presentations and workshops for all grades, a professional development workshop for teachers on “Reaching Reluctant Readers,” and an evening presentation for families.
2015 Spelling Bee
A Repeat Victory at the 25th Annual NEF Spelling Bee!
On Sunday, March 13th, the Needham community came together to test their spelling prowess at the 25th annual Needham Education Foundation Spelling Bee. Over 40 teams participated, including elementary, middle and high school students, teachers, parents, members of Needham community organizations, and local business people. The afternoon kicked off with the return of the Elementary School Round. After some fierce competition, the Hillside Yellow Jackets, including Omri Sde-Or, Ariel Berk, and Larisa Badawi, won on the word “chauffeur.”
In the Championship Round, the High Rock & Pollard Teachers team repeated last year’s victory after spelling “catarrh,” which means inflammation of a mucous membrane. It was a fun-filled afternoon, with hundreds of spectators cheering on the spellers. Attendees enjoyed answering trivia questions between rounds and competition was high for the great raffle prizes from area businesses. Celebrity pronouncers Superintendent Dan Gutekanst, WHDH-TV 7News reporter Kimberly Bookman, and Last Minute Productions partner Gary Gillis kept the event lively and fun.
NEF: 25 Years of Making Learning Come Alive
In celebration of its 25th anniversary, the NEF hosted a weekend of events to commemorate this milestone.
Pancake Breakfast
Many families, former NEF board members, and community members enjoyed a delicious pancake breakfast co-hosted by the Rotary Club of Needham. Kids enjoyed mini-spelling bees, balloon animals and face-painting, while adults enjoyed learning about the NEF through an historic timeline exhibit. Thanks to many corporate sponsors, there was fantastic food for all!
Da Vinci Workshop Reception
The festivities continued at a reception celebrating the opening of the new Da Vinci Workshop at Needham High School – a space funded in part by a $50,000 gift from the NEF. This interdisciplinary learning space provides students and teachers a place to build and create. Town officials, community members, families, and current and former NEF Board members enjoyed a special 25th Anniversary video as well as demonstrations from NEF-funded programs such as Let’s Build Engineering and the High School Robotics teams. A special thanks to Superintendent Dan Gutekanst and Needham High School teacher Hans Batra for their opening remarks.
24th Annual Spelling Bee
The celebration concluded with a special Sunday edition of our Annual Spelling Bee. Over 50 teams competed in this annual community event, including (for the first time ever) teams from each of our five elementary schools! The High Rock & Pollard Teachers team came away with the victory.
Read Superintendent Gutekanst’s anniversary message to NEF!
Read coverage of the milestone in The Needham Times.
2014-2015 NEF Large Grant Awards Announced
The Needham Education Foundation (NEF) announced the recipients of its 2014-2015 Large Grants at the School Committee meeting on January 20th. Two grants totaling over $25,000 were awarded. One grant supports a 1:1 iPad program in the Language Based Classroom at Eliot Elementary School. The second grant supports the ongoing interdisciplinary arts integration pilot by extending the partnership to 6th grade science classrooms at the High Rock School.
iPads for the Language Based Classroom at Eliot
This grant of $13,529.60 provides 12 iPads, a cart, and thirteen apps for 1:1 student use in the Language-Based Classroom (LBC) at Eliot. The students in the LBC are fourth and fifth graders from Needham who often struggle to access text-based curriculum due to learning disabilities in the areas of reading, writing, and spoken language. The use of iPads in the LBC will provide students with the means to reach their individual and collective goals across the curriculum. The iPads will also help to foster greater independence and creativity. This grant was submitted by Kimberly Hoffman and Bonnie Nguyen (Special Education Liaison and Speech-Language Pathologist).
Interdisciplinary Arts Integration Project at High Rock
This grant of $12,010 extends the large grant interdisciplinary arts project currently being implemented at the High Rock School with Social Studies and Visual Arts. This extended pilot is designed to explore the impact of an interdisciplinary partnership between sixth grade Science and Visual Arts teachers. The funds will be used for materials and additional planning and instructional time for the existing Visual Arts teacher to co-teach certain lessons in the Science classes. For example, students will work to create a collagraph plate and print that represents the atomic structure and attributes of an element from the periodic table. The pilot will be implemented in the 2015/16 school year and will impact all clusters. This grant was submitted by David Neves (Director, Fine and Performing Arts).