MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS GRANTS TO MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS TOTALING $22,215.60

Grant awards included an elementary school book room,

MacBook Air ^® computers, e-books and continuing education conferences

Millstone TOWNSHIP, NJ, January 15, 2014 – Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) awarded five grants today totaling $22,215.60 to Millstone Township Schools. The grant awards included a book room in the Millstone Twp. Elementary School, MacBook Air ^® computers, e-books and continuing education conferences. MTFEE is a non-profit organization devoted to funding grants for items that nurture extraordinary educational experiences for every student in Millstone Township Public Schools and are beyond the scope of the general school budget. Since 2002, MTFEE has awarded more than $460,000 to its schools. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE funded grant programs running in the Millstone Township School district. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE funded grant.

Following is a listing of the grants and recipients:

Elementary School Book Room ($10,529.82) ( Sarah Iannuzzi, Reading Specialist; Jennifer Kohn, Third Grade Teacher; Luis Ramirez, Assistant Principal; Meredith Weibel, Reading Specialist and Dr. Stephen Wisniewski, Principal ) - The grant consists of the establishment of a school-wide book room in a section of the elementary school library, to better meet the diverse independent reading levels of its students in grades 3 through 5. It will contain books at a variety of reading levels, balanced between fiction and nonfiction. Additionally, it will expand each classroom library by 320 titles, with a total of 1,920 books. Teachers will also be able to check out books for up to one unit of study. As a result, students will have access to more books, effectively enriching each child's daily dose of independent reading.

MacBooks To Create "iBooks" ($6,294.00) (Jennifer Kohn, Third Grade Teacher and Meghan Olah, Third Grade Teacher) - With MacBook Air ^® computers, students will have the opportunity to create and publish lively, voice-filled informational "iBooks" using a free application, iAuthor ^® . The app allows the user to create beautiful, multi-touch picture books that can be viewed on the iPad ^™ (previous MTFEE grant award ). Using photo galleries, videos, interactive diagrams and 3D objects, these books bring content to life in ways a printed page cannot.

The grant consists of six MacBook Air ^® computers, which will initially be shared by two third grade classes in the spring, while they pilot it for the "Virtual Zoo" project. The "Virtual Zoo" project (previous MTFEE grant award) enables third graders to engage in a cross-curricular animal research project that is entirely dependent upon technology. Each student conducts research, writes a report and uses the latest technology to create a graphic representation of the animal in its habitat, as well as a brief description of the animal. Parents are invited to the presentations, where each student speaks on their specific animal.

In the fall, the MacBook Air ^® computers will be available to the entire third grade, via a mobile cart, for each class to publish a writing piece of their choice.

Confratute Conference & Institute ($3,300.00) (Michelle Falanga, Gifted and Talented; Beth Topinka, Sixth Grade Science Teacher) - The grant consists of a week-long, research-based professional development conference focused on enrichment learning and teaching; differentiation; strategies for high engagement and creativity; meeting the needs of all students; and using technology to personalize instruction. The presenters are among the most noted experts and visionaries in the field of gifted education. The information and ideas from Confratute will be taken back and shared with the Millstone Township teaching staff. Topics learned at the conference are designed to enrich student's academic experiences by focusing on higher-order thinking skills, as well as their creative and intellectual growth.

E-Books ($1,563.08) (Francine Kamen, Librarian) - The grant consists of adding a set of U.S. state and regional e-books to the Elementary School Library collection. The e-books will include 57 titles, each one covering a separate U.S. state, the District of Washington, Puerto Rico and the five general U.S. regions. They will be available to staff and students through a web-based bookshelf and its online catalog. The e-books can also be accessed through any internet connection and permits unlimited, simultaneous access by the entire user population. Each teacher can also project the e-book onto a smart board (previous MTFEE grant award) and read it with the class.

The Geological Society of America Northeastern Section Meeting & Conference ($528.70) (Mary O'Rourke, Eighth Grade Science Teacher and Gloria Thomasella, Eighth Grade Science Teacher) - The grant consists of a two-day conference that will provide educators with the unique experience of learning about cutting-edge research in various fields of Geoscience from college students and professors from the Northeast. Participants will have the opportunity to attend themed sessions, view exhibits, discuss teaching strategies with other science colleagues and bring these research topics back to the classroom for students to experience. In addition, the conference will provide the necessary information to expose students to material that is beyond the scope of the standard curriculum, as well as careers and opportunities in science.

MTFEE grants are awarded twice a school year. Once grant applications are received and compiled, the grant committee has an opportunity to review them individually and then come together as a group to discuss them before their recommendations are presented to the entire MTFEE board of trustees for final approval. The committee utilizes a grading system, similar to a rubric that the teachers use, during the review process to fairly evaluate the applications.

For more information about donating to MTFEE, becoming a trustee or its fundraising programs and events, please e-mail info@mtfee.org , visit www.mtfee.org and like us on Facebook.

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ABOUT MTFEE

From its initial conception in 1995 to its designation as a 501©3 charitable organization in 2002, the Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) has remained steadfast in its goal to fund grants for items that nurture extraordinary educational experiences for every student in Millstone Township Public Schools and are beyond the scope of the general school budget. Items include innovative classroom programs, educational opportunities for students, staff development, and state-of-the-art teaching materials. Through the creativity of the teaching staff’s grant applications and the fundraising efforts of MTFEE, the foundation is proud to have awarded more than $460,000 in grants to Millstone Township schools. MTFEE grants, which have been awarded at every grade level and in every discipline, have included STEM enrichment programs, SMARTBoards ^® , mobile computer and iPad ^™ labs, and a rock climbing wall. MTFEE was the first organization in the district to put iPads ^™ into the classroom in the spring of 2011. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE-funded grant programs running. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE-funded grant. MTFEE is a member of New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership and The National Consortium of State and Local Education Foundations (NCEFS). 

MTFEE TRUSTEES