2007/2008
“Visual Presenters“
Applicant: Kevin Santiana
Beneficiary: Hurlbutt Elementary School
Grant: $2100
Purchase of: 3 visual presenters
Project: This technology enables teachers and students to project three-dimensional objects onto Smart Boards.
“Science Lab Equipment”
Applicant: Melanie Welsh
Beneficiary: Weston Middle School
Grant: $11,000
Purchase of: Data Collection and Analysis Equipment
Project: This equipment, specifically designed for middle school students, evaluates water quality, allowing the students to become real scientists.
“Senior Internships”
Applicant: Lisa Wolak, Weston High School Principal
Beneficiary: Weston High School
Grant: $5000
Project: These funds were used to introduce a pilot internship program for ten Weston High School seniors.
“Xplorer Devices“
Applicant: John Kingston, Weston High School Physics Teacher
Beneficiary: Weston High School
Grant:
Purchase of: Xplorer Hand Held Devices and Electronic Sensors
Project: This equipment demonstrates physics principles.
2005
“Digital Spectrophotometers”
Applicant: Stacey Greenberg
Beneficiary: WHS students in Honors Biology, Honors Chemistry, Honors Chemistry II, AP Biology
Grant: $7,887.00
Purchase of: 6 Spectronic 20D + Digital Spectrophotometers
Project: Spectrophotometers allow scientists to measure the amount of light absorbed or transmitted by a solution. Students can use spectrophotometers to collect data monitoring the progress of a reaction, allowing them to quantify results that are currently gained through qualitative measures. The use of spectrophotometers enables the department to be expanded and enhanced by the ability to carry out labs which could not be done previously.
2001/2002
“Wireless Library”
Applicant: Larry Schackner
Beneficiary: All WHS students
Grant: $30,350
Purchase of: NEC or comparable 15” flat panel display, Wire Access Node, NT application server w/2 processors, Citrix MetaframeXPS software license for 15 stations,3Com or comparable wireless pcmcia network cards, WYSE 3360se or comparable wireless Thin Client
Project: Pilot the use of innovative wireless technology to create a flexible learning and teaching environment in the WHS Library/Media Center. This project will provide expansion and new access to the Internet and the addition of current and new software into areas of the school that currently have no access to learning technology. This pilot program will spearhead a flexible environment that can be expanded throughout the high school and be a model for the middle and elementary schools. The Wireless Library will create a flexible infrastructure to meet a wide variety of educational needs, situations, and opportunities. For example, in the library or classroom, a teacher can create large and/or small tutoring centers, presentation centers; quiet study areas; production areas; individual team research areas; and discussion, research, and brainstorming team areas.
1999/2000
“Network printers”
Beneficiary: systemwide
Grant: $15,000
Actual amount spent: $13,480.79
“Gel Electrophoresis Laboratory”
Applicant: Sue Pastor
Beneficiary: students in Bio I, Bio II, and Honors Biology
Grant: $5,000-$6,000
Purchase of: Laboratory equipment
Project: The purchase of gel electrophoresis kits (approved by the National Science Standard Committee) to pilot the integration of biotechonology labs into the curriculum though the funding of equipment, curriculum revision, and related training. Gel electrophoresis is a biotechnology experiment that allows students to conduct research on DNA. The labs help prepare students to compete in the future as leaders in biotechnology and other careers grounded in inquiry and experimentation. The labs incorporate inquiry-based labs while still maintaining the quality of the science curriculum. Cloning, gene therapy, genetically-modified foods, and human-genome sequencing are addressed.
“American Studies Collaboration with Fairfield University”
Applicant: Mary Kolek
Beneficiary: WHS American Studies students
Grant: $5,325
Project: Allowed the high school to form a partnership with Fairfield University faculty to give seminars and co-teach classes for WHS American Studies classes. ThePurpose of the collaboration was enhance the WHS program and to improve the curricula for coming generations of instructors and students. Special attention was paid to the incorporation of arts into the interdisciplinary study of both American Literature and U.S. History.
“Sound System”
Beneficiary: systemwide and Weston community
Grant: $76,049.48
Purchase of: high school auditorium sound system
Project: to install a completely new and state-of-the-art sound system in WHS auditorium for use by the middle school production (Short Wharf), high school productions (Company),and Weston community events
Funding: a collaboration of a single donor, WHS Company, WMS Short Wharf, and WEF
1998/1999 -1999/2000
“Media Lab”
Applicant: Dave Eger
Beneficiary: WHS students
Grant: Initially $40,000—an additional $40,000 was approved later on
Actual amount spent: $80,000
Purchase of: state-of-the-art equipment, videography hardware and software
Project: To create a high school Media Technology Lab that rivals those found at colleges and universities. With the installation of video editing, audio, lighting, and mixing equipment, students can explore and/or create individual video productions.
1998/1999
“Summer Curriculum Institute”
Applicant: David Trigaux
Beneficiary: systemwide
Grant: $15,400
Actual amount spent: $8,082.79
Purchase of:
Project: A mini-lab program for teachers. At high school, teachers and students developed a Web site, www.westonhighschool.com. At the elementary level, Weston teachers were trained through Lincoln Center to develop a fine arts course.
1996/1997
“High Speed Internet Access”
Applicants: David Trigaux and Richard Miller
Beneficiary: systemwide
Grant: $32,920.79
Actual amount spent: $25,456.83
Purchase of: T-1 telephone connection and cable modems
Project: Provide all three schools with high-speed access to the Internet
1995/1996
“Data/Video Projector”
Applicant: Dave Burke
Beneficiary: systemwide
Grant: $6,180.50
Purchase of: Data/Video Projector