Solar Car (WJHS)
Debbie Clark, 8th grade science teacher at WJHS, has been awarded a grant to fund a Solar Car science initiative. This project will engage all of the 8th grade students in real world problem solving and allow them to experience inquiry-based learning as well as provide deeper understanding of an alternative energy source. They will build and race cars and then seek to improve their vehicles’ performance based on experimenting, learning, and adapting angles, mass, and other parameters.
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference – Professional Development (WJHS)
Andrea Kowalchik, and 3 other WJHS math teachers will attend the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics annual conference in April 2011. This conference will allow our teachers to collaborate with colleagues, drawing on best practices from math teachers around the country. These teachers will learn about new math technologies and approaches to teaching math to 7th and 8th graders across the academic spectrum. They will then share their experiences and learning with their WJHS colleagues through collaboration at weekly meetings of their Professional Learning Community.
Lunchtime Ecology (Central)
As part of the Foundation’s ongoing support of the District’s garden-enabled curriculum, a grant has been awarded to Central School for the piloting of a lunchtime recess activity enabling a hands-on exploration of ecology and ecosystems through creation and nurturing of tropical and desert terrariums. Through exploration and discovery of soil, plants, and animals that thrive in these varying eco-systems, as well as problem-solving skills and creativity associated with building the terrariums, students will have the opportunity to experience many of the learning components called out in the District’s strategic plan. This initiative will be piloted this spring in conjunction with the Evanston Ecology Center.
African-American History Presentation (Harper)
Harper third grade teacher Laura Nerenberg has been awarded a grant to enhance the Social Studies curriculum as third grade students learn about Wilmette and Glenview history. This grant will bring Dino Robinson, founder of Shorefront Legacy Center, to Harper to speak to students about the important historical contributions and lives of African-American Northshore residents.
Bottled Water Phase-Out (WJHS)
In an effort to support an all-school green initiative, the District 39 Education Foundation will be supporting efforts to phase out water bottles in the WJHS cafeteria. This initiative focuses on an applied understanding of the environmental impact of bottled water consumption, with students viewing the documentaries “Tapped” and “The Story of Stuff”, complemented by a service learning component where students engage in the decidedly “low-tech” approach of pouring water for their classmates in the cafeteria line. This grant is part of a community-wide partnership with D39 Food Service, WJHS PTO Environment Committee, local business leader Dean Thanos of Ridgeview Grill and Wilmette’s Go Green Foundation.