Palisades Educators Earn Lori Petrick Innovation Grants

On Thursday, May 18, local educators were awarded a total of $10,700 in Lori Petrick Innovation Grants. The children of the late Lori Petrick, who is fondly remembered for her innovative teaching style, were impressed with the number of teachers competing for the grants. They credited the continued efforts of the Palisades Charter Schools Foundation for carrying on the grant criteria to fit their mother’s vision.

“It’s moving,” said John Petrick, who attended the awards at Taste of the Palisades with his wife Sara, who’s pregnant with a baby girl. Petrick said they plan to send her to Palisades Elementary to continue the legacy.

“First at Marquez and then to Pali [Elementary]… she gave her entire life to teaching,” he said of his late mother.

The grants aid the seven public schools that make up the Palisades Charter Complex: Palisades High School, Paul Revere Middle School, Pali Elementary, Marquez Elementary School, Canyon School, Topanga Elementary School and Kenter Canyon Elementary School.

Yosuke Miyoshi, band director at Paul Revere, received a $1,000 grant to continue the Instrumental Music Showcase. He said they just wrapped up its first showcase on April 24, which included the Elementary Schools Honor Orchestra, the Paul Revere Middle School Band and Orchestra and the Pali High Concert Band and Symphonic Orchestra. “We’re trying to make this an annual event and want to help retain students at all levels.” he said.

PaliHi arts and theatre teacher Nancy Cassaro-Fracchiolla was thrilled to receive a $1,000 grant toward boosting the growth of the popular “Friday Night Lights” sketch comedy showcase. She had noticed a drop-off in the number of boys participating in middle school theater and looked to Saturday Night Live’s model of sketch comedy for inspiration. “We’ve grown,” she said. “I love they are thinking as filmmakers and rising to the occasion.”

Joan Ingle, principal of Pali Elementary, said they were really thrilled to get a $4,000 grant to address the common core standards implementation for professional development within the Palisades Complex. Ingle got the idea to apply for a grant when all the school principals came together to form a committee to tackle the new common core standards beyond just the third grade. “Teachers beg for more planning time,” Ingle said.

PaliHi teachers Karyn Newbill (above right) and Steve Engelmann received a $2,700 grant, with the help of the Pacific Palisades Woman’s Club, to purchase a life-sized, walk-in gray whale to be used as a teaching tool. Newbill, a marine biology teacher, and Engelmann, an environmental science teacher, said the whale will be at its upcoming Earth Day Carnival. They’re also purchasing a 110-foot kite of a blue whale.

(Not pictured) PaliHi Principal Pam Magee accepted a $1,000 grant for technology supervisors Carole Smith and Lilly Pierre (both not pictured) to go toward an all-girl math and engineering club. Magee said Smith saw how hard Pierre worked with PaliHi students on engineering and both teachers bring a “great momentum” to the discussion about 21st century technology at the school. “I’m glad it’s starting a new phase at PaliHi,” Magee said.