our community, our kids
Decatur Education Foundation
MID-YEAR UPDATE 2016
Empowering Connections
Second and third graders at Glennwood Elementary are studying the history of flight this year, including the science that makes flight possible. For their unit on lighterthan-air flight, they were able to build and launch their own hot air balloons, thanks to a grant from DEF. What a great demonstration of the Glennwood motto, “Where Learning Takes Flight!”
Sixteen residents of Decatur were empowered through Power Up PC – a hands-on workshop that was the result of a partnership between DEF, Decatur Makers, and the Decatur Housing Authority. Participants worked with local makers to disassemble and rebuild donated computers, and each left with a newly refurbished machine.
Third-grader Cassidy Renno and teacher Kate Schultz prepare his hot-air balloon for an imminent launch.
Fourth grader Asha Yussef is proud to be building her own computer.
Hands-on Learning Takes Flight
Decatur Makers Give Sound Advice In February, Renfroe students were able to visit the Decatur Makers, a local makerspace, to check out some cool tech tools like the 3-D printer and the oscilloscope. Chris Goode used an electric guitar to demonstrate how we can ‘see’ sound waveforms on the oscilloscope, and how to manipulate the waveform and thus alter the sound using an effects pedal he built at a Decatur Makers class. Decatur Makers member Chris Goode talks to Evan Beech about the properties of sound waves.
the DEF difference remove obstacles • fuel personal effort • support teacher innovation
No Place for Hate
Students Chime In
drumming together
How is it that hate and prejudice can so easily take root? All Renfroe sixth graders had a chance to examine this issue during the fullday event No Place For Hate. They learned how some people use hate to gain personal power and the destructive results of letting hate take hold. Through a DEF grant, they heard firsthand the experiences of Norbert Friedman, a 95-year-old survivor of several Nazi concentration camps, including Dachau. With so few Holocaust survivors still living, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Glennwood students can now reinforce their music-reading skills by participating in the school’s new Tone Chime Choir. Tone chimes are similar to hand bells, and each choir member is responsible for playing a specific note within a larger piece of music. DEF funds allowed the new choir to get started with a two-octave set of tone chimes.
Westchester music teacher Kristen Gwaltney submitted a DEF teacher grant request so that she could introduce gathering drums into her music classes, allowing her students to work on rhythm skills in a new and different way. The drums, which allow three to four students to play together on one drum, also help special-needs students with soft skills such as eye contact, focus, following directions, and communicating.
Miranda Borland asks Norbert Friedman about life in a Nazi concentration camp.
Kala Gabor, Madeline Faris, and Dorothy Ciccarelli practice new skills on the gathering drums.
Kids’ Almanac Clairemont second graders are becoming more aware of changes in their environment by studying their local climate, the life cycle of living organisms, and the changing pattern of the moon and stars. They have compiled their accumulated knowledge in the Clairemont Kids’ Almanac, and a grant from DEF allowed the almanac to be published. Several copies are now available in their school library. Sam Ragland and Seth Wilson gather data to add to the almanac.
Brains Explained DHS psychology teachers thought up a creative way to help students learn the “map” of the brain. Teams of two mapped out centers of learning and brain function onto swim caps, thereby creating a 3D brain map. Tactile learning of this type helps our brains remember better. The caps were donated to DEF by Dynamo Swim Club. Ainura Johnson carefully identifies the parts of the brain with helper Emilia Fuentes.
Toto, We’re Not in Decatur Anymore Renfroe seventh graders travel to Rock Eagle every year for an outdoor experience that includes personal and team challenges designed to create lasting bonds forged from shared experience. When students are unable to supply gear essentials for themselves (like sleeping bags and warm clothing), DEF is able to step in and help so that no student is left out of this wonderful experience.
AdVenture in Italia DEF fuels personal effort. Amina Hull and Sydney Marie Jones are hard-working flutists who received an invitation to play at the Orfeo Music Festival in Vipiteno, Italy. They each received a Student EdVenture Grant to help defray the cost of transportation and accommodations. The two met like-minded students with similar ambitions, participated in small group ensemble performances, and took master classes to further develop their skills. Amina said, “I came back to Georgia with many new ideas on how to improve as a musician, and I have a clearer view on how to accomplish my life-long goal: to be a professional flutist.”
Bienvenidos Amigos! This year, CSD had the exciting opportunity to receive 19 students from Don Bosco University in Madrid and place them in early childhood education internships in five of our schools. DEF helped find host families for each of the students and hosted a welcome party at the home of Annie and Greg Caiola. The program allowed the interns to learn new teaching methods and gave CSD students an opportunity to practice their Spanish language skills.
Books on the Avenue Kids who own books in their homes tend to be more eager readers. The annual school book fairs at FAVE and all the K-3 schools promote a love of literature by encouraging students to shop for books by some of the best-known and well-loved authors of children’s literature. DEF’s Book Fair Bucks allow students at all income levels to indulge their love of reading and build their home libraries.
Academic Bowl Team’s High-Q Members of the Decatur High School Academic Bowl Team participated in the city-wide High-Q tournament sponsored by WSB-TV. They advanced to the top eight teams after their victory over Marist in February. The larger DHS team also competes in interscholastic Academic Bowl competitions throughout the state and has qualified to take two squads to the National Academic Quiz Tournament to be played in Dallas in May. DEF is happy to help support the DHS teams with a grant to cover their registration fees. Noah Hull, Nathaniel Wolff, Joey Emerson, and Eric Broner
Young Readers Say “Yes” to ‘Read Live’ This year, thanks to the generosity of the Decatur City Church, all of the K-3 elementary schools of City Schools of Decatur got a boost to their reading programs. Each school received a grant from DEF to cover the cost of Read Live, an online program designed specifically to help students improve reading fluency and comprehension. Julie Semones, a teacher at Winnona Park, reported that in a short time, she has seen an increase in reading engagement from her students. She and her students love the immediate feedback the program offers at the end of a session. “YES!” is a word that Julie hears often during her Read Live sessions. William Duke and his teacher Julie Semones
Littlest Learners Quality early childhood education is a major factor that leads to success in school, which is why DEF supports a number of initiatives in partnership with College Heights Early Childhood Learning Center. Low-income families enrolled in the center’s Head Start and early Head Start classrooms can opt for an extended day, thanks to funding from DEF. The foundation also funds a full scholarship spot in the one-year-old classroom and provides classroom grants that support critical developmental learning.
Volunteer of the Year
Kathryn Purselle
DEF is extremely appreciative of the many members of our community who volunteer their special skills to support our work in myriad ways. Each year at our annual volunteer appreciation event, the DEF staff recognizes one volunteer whose contributions have had significant impact. This year Kathryn Purselle is the DEF Volunteer of the Year. Kathryn has been a weekly volunteer in the DEF office for the past three years. Her quiet, but positive presence and broad array of skills has made her a most valuable asset in our office. Kathryn, we are so happy you are a part of our team! Kathryn Purselle with DEF Director of Community Engagement Meagan Berardi
connect • volunteer • donate
get involved Mardi Gras madness Who doesn’t love a parade? Especially when the parade is filled with music and costumes and benefits the kids in Decatur. The Mead Road Mardi Gras Parade and Party has been growing year by year, thanks to the dynamic efforts of organizers Emily and Dave Berg. This year’s event raised $6,000, which will support music education across our school district.
DEF Hits the Road Thanks to the generosity of our community, DEF had many boxes of books left over after our hugely successful Reader-to-Reader Children’s Book Sale at the Decatur Book Festival. DEF donated them to Kids in Need, an organization that provides school supplies to low-income schools in 29 counties throughout northern Georgia. The DEF staff and some of our wonderful office volunteers also spent a morning in their “school store,” unpacking several palettes stacked high with boxes of donated school supplies. It’s gratifying to know that all of these books will go to classrooms in schools that need them most and to individual eager readers who will love them.
Students give back Five awesome Decatur High School students sold their handmade goods at Clairemont Holiday Marketplace last December as part of their IB Creativity, Action, and Social Services project. They donated their profits to DEF and to the Malala Fund. Thanks Matilda McNeely, Terryl Cronic, Emily Sciarrone, Camille LaScala, and Josh Suson-Mrak!
decatureducationfoundation.org 200 Nelson Ferry Road, Suite B Decatur, GA 30030 404-377-0641
The Decatur Education Foundation supports youth in our community in three ways: removing obstacles to learning, fueling personal effort, and supporting teacher innovation in our schools. Our success is due to an actively involved community and their generous donations of volunteer time, special skills, and financial gifts. We have touched upon just a small fraction of the work we do in these pages. If you would like to learn more and join our community go to: decatureducationfoundation.org DecaturEducationFoundation @DEF_DecaturGA DecaturEducationFoundation
Step up for teachers today! Our fabulous teachers are a big part of why we all love our schools! Decatur Education Foundation supports teachers in several ways, including scholarships and grants, which help teachers pursue professional development: • The Carriere Family Scholarship for Teachers • The Joan Pierce Early Childhood Education Scholarship for Teachers • Step-Up Grants for Professional Learning DEF also provides more than $30,000 annually in Teacher Innovation Grants to allow teachers thoughout the school system
to try-out creative ideas for engaging students in learning. These grants are funded in part by our spring Step-Up for Teachers campaign. DEF invites YOU to honor a CSD teacher or staff member with a donation and an online tribute today! When you do, DEF notifies the teacher of your donation with an invitation to read your tribute on our website. You will receive a Step-up for Teachers yard sign to proudly display on your front lawn. Part of the fun of the campaign is seeing all the signs
popping up in yards throughout Decatur. Learn more and make your tribute gift at StepUpforTeachers.com