Seeking to encourage collaboration between the five elementary schools, Paul Revere Middle School and Palisades High in the Palisades complex, the Palisades Charter Schools Foundation (PCSF) awarded $9,000 in innovation grants on December 10. Foundation co-chairs Susie Newman and Eileen Savage announced that three inaugural awards had been made in three disparate areas: music, school gardens and an astrophotography lab. The idea for the grants came about when parents complained to Foundation chairs that there needed to be greater integration between schools. Parents were unhappy, for example, that students were reading some of the same books at Revere and PaliHi. Savage and Newman set up two meetings between the eighth and ninth grade English teachers so that they could discuss the curriculum. ’It was exciting how they worked together,’ Newman said. Inspired by those meetings, they persuaded the Foundation board decided to award grants as an incentive for teachers from different schools to work together. In September, at the monthly coordinating council meeting (held so principals and school representatives can discuss common issues), the co-chairs announced the availability of grants, with the specific criteria that the idea must involve students from more than one school. The grant announcement was also posted on the PCSF Web site. After reviewing the numerous grant applications, the board awarded $2,000 to David Schalek, PaliHi physics teacher and a Lori Petrick Excellence in Education award winner, to create an astrophotography lab. Schalek envisioned high school students taking photos of astronomical objects with a CCD (charge-coupled device) camera for telescopes and then studying the photos with elementary school buddies in order for both groups to learn more about astronomy. Revere band director Yosuke Miyoshe (also a Petrick award winner), who has collaborated extensively with PaliHi band director Arwen Hernandez the past three years, applied for money for musical instruments. Although the grant is not specifically for equipment purchase, PSCF members gave the music program $2,000 because they felt that the department had established precedent in bridging the gap between middle and high school curriculum, and hoped it would encourage other departments to follow their lead. Canyon Elementary School kindergarten teacher Susan Hamilburg received $5,000 for her gardening proposal which included curriculum development and workshops. She noted that each school has established a garden. ’The purpose of the Palisades Garden Workshop is to support and sustain emerging garden and lunch programs throughout the Pali Complex schools, grades K-12,’ Hamilburg wrote. ‘This workshop will be the first step towards the ultimate goal of a fully-integrated edible education for all students in the Pali Complex.” ‘ With the money, the first workshop will be held at Paul Revere’s revitalized outdoor classroom, and representatives from each school will attend in order to develop a three- to five-year plan. Hamilburg notes that hands-on education, such as gardening, is especially important when standards-based curriculum and standardized tests dominate primary and secondary public education.’ PCSF established the Lori Petrick Excellence in Education Awards in 2003 to recognize and reward teaching excellence and creativity in the classroom.’Additionally, PCSF awards $1,000 scholarships each year to 10 graduates from PaliHi.’ PCSF, a nonprofit, was established in 1988 to provide resources and support for the schools, and to try to create a seamless K-12 education. Contributions are sought to continue to support its mission. Visit: www.palischools.org.
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