ICCSD Foundation: Ensuring the Future
Congratulations to our 2014-2015 Grant Recipients!
Visiting Author Program
A nationally renowned author or illustrator will meet with all 1st and 2nd graders during the 2014-15 school year. Meeting and interacting with an author/illustrator is exciting for any reader and tremendously encourages and promotes reading and writing.
Reading at “Summer Camp”
Kindergarten through 3rd graders who are not proficient readers will learn to read aloud and silently and can earn incentives for attendance, reading consistency, reading progress and parent attendance. The goal is to increase academic proficiency for inconsistent students.
The Symphony Goes to School
4th grade students attend a special youth-oriented concert by Orchestra Iowa. Curricular connections to the program are made prior to the performance in addition to post production discussions.
School of the Wild
5th and 6th graders attend multiple-day outdoor enrichment activities at MacBride Nature Center to learn about nature and conservation issues.
Ecology Field Experience
Junior high students will evaluate the question “Is Hickory Hill Park a healthy ecosystem”? Focus on water quality testing, wildlife and plant surveys, soil sampling, and observation will serve as the foundation to make recommendations to maintain and/or restore Hickory Hill’s ecosystem.
2nd Chance Reading Classroom Library Books
This collaboration between high schools is a program to improve the rigor and relevance of literal skills and comprehension by updating classroom libraries. Added books are chosen with student input that invites students into conversations that helps transform them into thoughtful and lifelong readers.
Academic and Cultural Enrichmet Field Trips
Moderately disabled high school students travel to art, science and animal attractions. These enrichment activities serve to enhance content rigor and the instructional relevance of curriculum, in addition to motivating and inspiring students.
Kindergarten Kickstart
This program is designed to build strong partnerships with parents including those with diverse cultures and/or parents with English as a 2nd language – and to support the state’s initiative for Kindergarten readiness.
Artists on Display
This gra
nt provides art supplies for high school at-risk students to display their works of art on library walls. This helps build a sense of pride and feelings of accomplishment into their identities.
Digital Recorded Books
Elementary students that are struggling/less motivated readers can listen to the recorded book while
following along with the same books that are popular with their classmates. This technology is very popular with upper grades and serves to develop a child’s love of literature while supporting the district’s goal of improving literacy.
Physical Education Assessment Technology
High school students will be able to monitor and evaluate the difference between moderate and vigorous activity and its effect on their bodies through the use of heart rate monitors. Every student will be objectively assessed every day that helps meet the district and building expectations for physical education.
Bag of Books
All junior high and high schools collaborate to provide a “travelling” library. Reusable tote bags are used to carry library books back and forth between home and school – with a goal to ensure equitable access to reading materials for all students all year round and especially during the summer.
Maximizing the Use of iPads in the Classroom
High school teachers and students will maximize the use of every iPad with this “sync and secure” system. While safely charging, the iPads will sync and configure all relevant apps being used in the classroom allowing iPads to be used almost continuously throughout the school year.
Integrating Literacy and Art
High school at-risk students use reading and painting as a way to become engaged at every level of learning. Students choose a book to read and then paint the cover of the book on a skateboard to be displayed as a work of art.
APPLE Grants (Annually Providing a Positive Learning Environment)
Five schools with 50% or greater free and reduced lunch eligible students will each receive $1,000. These funds are used to supplement projects normally supported through PTO/PTA/PSTO fundraising efforts. Each building will determine how to use these funds depending on the needs of their students.