NWRESD's Foundation Awards $27k For Teachers' Ideas To Welcome More Children In Our Classrooms And Public Spaces -04/19/23
HILLSBORO—Northwest Regional Education Service District’s Foundation has awarded educators in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties with $26,865 in grant funding.
The projects range from $700 to $2,500. The majority of the projects will help students who are experiencing developmental, physical, behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Other projects support students who are learning English.
This year’s grant projects include:
- a visual communication system for an early childhood center in Hillsboro
- culinary supplies for a new life skills class in Warrenton
- a year-end celebration for students who experience blindness and visual impairment
- an urban experience on the 4T (Trail, Tram, Train and Trolley) for middle school students who are learning English
- community outings for families with babies or toddlers who are experiencing disabilities
- toy and book kits adapted for children with physical disabilities
- a field trip to the Oregon Zoo and a local play for children who are deaf or hard of hearing
- STEM supplies for high school students who experience significant emotional and behavioral learning challenges
Sara Dinneen, an early childhood education specialist who works for Northwest Regional ESD’s Hillsboro Early Childhood Center, will create a more welcoming environment for children who communicate nonverbally by placing communication boards throughout the center. Communication boards use symbols, pictures or photos. Children who cannot use spoken words can instead point to the appropriate symbol to communicate their needs.
The boards will have bilingual keys so families who speak English or Spanish can learn to communicate with their child. By placing them throughout the early childhood center, children will have the opportunity to engage with others when previously this was only available at certain times or in certain spaces.
Sara wrote in her application that her goal is to normalize alternative ways of communicating and showing families with neurodivergent children that there is more than one way to communicate.
“These boards will allow parents and families to see visual/picture communication as a valid and functional way for their child to communicate,” she wrote.
Since 2006, the foundation has awarded $475,574 in funding for 488 grants specifically for special needs students from birth to age 21.
“Every year we are delighted to see the energy and creative juices from all the proposals designed to provide new experiences, more quality learning and specific ways to meet children’s diverse needs,” says Karen Foley, foundation president. “It is our foundation mission in action.”
Karen has served on the grant selection committee for many years and says the committee always takes such care in deliberating how to spend the dollars raised for these grant projects.
See below for a description of the grant, name of the recipient and their school district. Sign up for updates from the NWRESD Foundation to get notified about the next opportunity to apply for a grant. The foundation typically accepts applications in the fall and awards grants in the winter.
2022-23 Northwest Regional Education Service District Foundation Grant Awardees
Grant title: Career Training - Design and Print Custom Shirts and Products - A School-Based Business
Total awarded: $1,750
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Kristen Faust
Grant description: This grant will fund supplies for students to design and print custom T-shirts and other products. Students will learn about design, technical computing, printing, customer service and marketing. They will also gain project management experience. The project will be offered as an elective or optional work experience to students at Cascade Academy, a high school for special education students with intensive behavioral and mental health needs.
Grant title: Coding and Computer Science in our Social Emotional Learning Schools
Total awarded: $2,146
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Jodi LePla
Grant description: This grant will fund four micro:bit computer kits for students who attend our four social emotional learning schools in Beaverton. Students who attend these schools experience significant emotional and behavioral learning challenges, and our programs provide a variety of behavioral and mental health interventions. However, students do not have access to the same array of courses they would in their neighborhood schools.
These computer science kits will provide students a hands-on coding experience. NWRESD’s instructional coach will collaborate with special education teachers to integrate computer science and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts into their classes. The hands-on, build-it mentality of the kits promote collaboration, problem-solving, communication and self-awareness while also introducing students to programming and computer science skills.
Grant title: Communication for All!
Total awarded: $1,350
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Sara Dinneen
Grant description: Many students who attend NWRESD’s early childhood centers do not use spoken language to communicate. This grant will fund a bilingual (English-Spanish) visual communication system at an early childhood center in Hillsboro. Having this type of system will help parents and families understand that visual/picture communication is a valid and functional way for children to communicate. Additionally, providing visuals to support language development is also beneficial, especially for visual learners.
Grant title: Culinary Supplies for Life Skills and Workforce Skills Development
Total awarded: $2,500
County: Clatsop County - Warrenton-Hammond School District
Educator: Karleta Reierson
Grant description: Funding for this grant will help a new life skills program in Warrenton-Hammond run a culinary class for students who experience moderate to severe disabilities. Students will learn how to cook a variety of foods and will practice math and reading along the way. The grant will help the program purchase a variety of new kitchen items, including new pots, pans, cookie sheets, measuring cups, a waffle maker, a microwave, baking pans, knives, a mixer, cutting boards and an air fryer. Students will learn how to cook for themselves and also learn skills that could help them get a job after high school.
Grant title: Embracing and Celebrating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Total awarded: $2,500
County: Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington Counties - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Kimberly Medlin
Grant description: This grant will fund a year-end celebration for students who experience vision impairments and their families. With the help of additional funding from the Blind and Visually Impaired Student Fund, more than 700 students from all over Oregon will be invited to attend. Community partners including the Northwest Association for Blind Athletes, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Oregon Commission for the Blind, Washington School for the Blind, Child Development and Rehabilitation Center and Portland State University’s Visually Impaired Learner program will attend. Representatives from a local library and fire and police departments will also participate.
The event will focus on connecting families to each other and to community support while providing children with visual impairments with a fun day of activities that are tailored just for them.
Grant title: Engaging Minds in STEM
Total awarded: $2,160
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educators: Tamra Frame and Lesley Upham
Grant description: This grant will fund six robot inventor kits for students who attend Pacific Academy, a social emotional learning school in Beaverton. Students who attend this program experience significant emotional and behavioral learning challenges, and our program provides a variety of behavioral and mental health interventions. However, students do not have access to the same array of courses they would in their neighborhood schools. These robot inventor kits will give students a hands-on learning experience that will introduce them to coding, experimentation and computer science. As they build their robots, they’ll build confidence, self-esteem and perseverance.
Grant title: Family Field Trips
Total awarded: $1,900
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Joy Broussard
Grant description: This grant will provide families who have babies or toddlers with disabilities with the opportunity to participate in typical family outings. Children receiving Early Intervention services in the Hillsboro region will have the chance to visit an apple farm, go to the zoo, participate in an open gym at a community center, attend story time at the library and visit a community park. NWRESD specialists will attend the outings and teach parents how to support their children as they meet and interact with other children. They will help parents navigate accessibility issues and teach them how to help their children regulate their emotions and how to manage unsafe behavior such as running into traffic.
In her grant application, Joy Broussard, an early childhood education specialist, wrote:
“Children need access to their communities. Families with children experiencing disabilities sometimes struggle with navigating community events. These events will also allow families to connect with each other. While this is more difficult to measure; this has real value for families.”
Grant title: Introduction to Assistive Technology Kits for Families
Total awarded: $2,000
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Danielle Benjamin
Grant description: This grant will provide 17 adaptive toy and book kits for families who have children with physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness or deafness. Most toys on the market are not designed for children with these types of disabilities, so it can be difficult for families to find appropriate toys for their children. Additionally, adaptive toys can be prohibitively expensive for families who already have many extra medical expenses related to their child’s disabilities. Families will receive adaptive toys and books for their children for free and children will be able to play alongside siblings and peers with toys made just for them.
Grant title: Microscopes for Science
Total awarded: $1,034
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Rebekah White-Robertson
Grant description: This grant will provide seven student microscopes and one teacher microscope so the quality of the science education at Cascade and Pacific academies will be stronger. Students who attend these high school programs have intensive behavioral and mental health needs. More microscopes will give every student more time doing science rather than waiting for a microscope and will make certain labs in biology, botany and zoology much more effective,
Grant title: Pre-Feeding Skills Group
Total awarded: $2,500
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Gail Peterson Frey
Grant description: This grant will fund a pre-feeding skills group so parents have the skills they need to help their children safely eat food. The grant will fund several month-long, in-person training sessions for families. Funding will purchase educational materials and mealtime equipment and supplies including placemats, bowls, utensils, cups and puppets and other feeding therapy tools.
Grant title: Representation Matters: Diversity and Inclusion Through Books and Play
Total awarded: $1,500
County: Clatsop County - Seaside School District
Educator: Betsy Mahoney
Grant description: Funding for this grant will help diversify the books on the bookshelves of schools in the Seaside School District. The goal of the project is to develop a classroom environment in which all children see themselves in the books and materials they use each day. The grant will help the district expand the number of books that feature children of color, children with disabilities and LGBTQ children.
In her application, teacher Betsy Mahoney wrote: “We know that representation matters. We know that reading books and working with materials with accurate representations of children’s own cultures and differences can contribute to self-worth while allowing them to connect with themselves and their peers who may have similar or different cultures and differences.”
Grant title: Self-regulation and Executive Function Support
Total awarded: $1,200
County: Clatsop County - Seaside School District
Educator: Kathryn Zacher
Grant description: This grant will provide sensory equipment and executive function games for a special education learning center at Pacific Ridge Elementary School. These items will help children learn how to manage their emotions and develop their executive function skills in a fun and engaging way.
Grant title: Sensory Regulation Tools
Total awarded: $1,125
County: Tillamook County - Neah-Kah-Nie School District
Educator: Jay Woika
Grant description: Funding for this grant will provide various sizes of weighted vests for students who need help regulating their emotions. The vests can be used in general or special education classrooms. The goal of the project is to help children receiving special education services to have fewer behavioral outbursts so they can stay in the general education classroom with their typically developing peers.
Grant title: STEAM Field Trips
Total awarded: $700
County: Washington County - Northwest Regional Education Service District
Educator: Karlyn Weaver
Grant description: This grant will provide two field trips for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Students will have the opportunity to see the “Dragons Love Tacos” play and visit the Oregon Zoo. Students will select a zoo animal to investigate and write about it and then they will have the chance to visit the zoo and view the animal up close.
Grant title: Urban Nature Exploration in Portland (4T Trail & Food Carts)
Total awarded: $2,500
County: Washington County - Tigard-Tualatin School District
Educator: Angela Harkness
Grant description: This grant will fund a project and field trip for an English language development class at Fowler Middle School in Tigard. Students will learn about the 4T Urban Nature Trail in Portland and then will have the chance to hike on it and practice their English as they navigate the nearby aerial tram and street car and order lunch from food carts. Students will play urban nature bingo during their hike and then participate in a follow-up seminar discussion about the importance of accessible urban trails and public transportation.
Northwest Regional Education Service District Foundation enhances and supports learning opportunities for children with disabilities and those who are at risk from birth to age 21 in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties. Visit nwresd.org/foundation to learn more.