Check out the Horsemen PTA MINI-GRANTS IN ACTION!
John Paulding School
Pre-K Teacher, Dana Miller – Sand Box
The grant will be used to purchase a sandbox and will benefit all Pre-K students. The sandbox will assist Pre K students with sensory input needs, fine motor and social skill development and promote imaginative play.
Kindergarten Teacher, Yosleydy Reyes – Live bilingual concert by 123Andres
The grant will be used to provide students with a cultural learning and engaging experience. It will enhance language development and deepen the students curiosity about culture, geography and the world for all students. Grant will benefit all students in Pre-K and K.
Kindergarten Teachers, Xiomara Kluge, Kiera Astacio-Rojas, Yosleydy Reyes, Regine Revilloza – Play centers for dramatic play
This grant will be used to purchase 4-in-1 play centers for three kindergarten and one Pre-K class. The centers can be used to grow oral language skills through dramatic and thematic play.
John Paulding School & W. L. Morse School
1st Grade Teacher, Jessica Ore, & Special Education Teacher Nicole Costa – Teatro SEA Play
Teatro SEA will be invited to play “The true story of Little Red”. This performance will help differentiate language in the curriculum to support bilingual learners and make cultural connections to execute in the classroom. Grant will benefit all students in kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grade.
W. L. Morse School
1st Grade Teachers, Jacqueline Ford, Tara Bryden – Duck hatching experience
Duck eggs will be bred and hatched with all 1st grade students. Students will learn and observe the growth and development of organisms.
ENL Teacher, Benita De Sousa Afonso – Decodable books for ENL Students
The grant will be used to purchase decodable books for ENL students in 1st and 2nd grade to support the school/home connection.
Psychologist, Ivette Lebenberg – Flexible Seating
The grant will be used to purchase multiple flexible seating options for 1st and 2nd grade students. The seating options will include standing desks, wobble stools, wiggle seat cushions, chair bands, scoop rockers and ball chairs.
Washington Irving School
Special Education Teacher, Kelly Kampana – Swing/Chair for Special Needs Class
The grant will be used to purchase a swing/chair for the special needs students and will help students to access input during their school day. Grant will benefit 8 students in the special needs class
5th Grade Teachers, Christine Greiner & Eileen Horan – 5th Grade class library books
The grant will be used to purchase books that meet 5th grade students at their reading level.
4th & 5th Grade Special Ed. Teacher, Kathy Mannion – Graphic novels for Reading support Classes
Multiple graphic novel series to help struggling 3rd, 4th and 5th grade readers strengthen vocabulary, build reading confidence and stamina and develop a deeper appreciation of storytelling.
3rd Grade Teachers, Christine Calvert, Robin Suarez – Earth Dome presentation
Grant will be used to bring the Earth Dome presentation to all 3rd grade students. Earth Dome is a huge inflatable earth balloon which will support e.g. the “weather and climate” unit in science as well as the “geography” and “continents” units in social studies.
Sleepy Hollow Middle School
Science Teacher, Mike Garguilo – TeaTown Wildlife Visit
TeaTown will visit to do a life presentation with animals for all 7th grade students. This will help kids understand concepts such as adaptations, biodiversity, population dynamics, habitat fragmentation and conservation.
Science Teacher, Mike Garguilo – Newcomer Spirit wear t-shirts
Students who arrive new to the district will receive a Spirit Wear t-shirt to be welcomed into the community. Grant will benefit 20 incoming students
Special Education Teacher, Kelly Whelan – Lunch Buddies
Lunch buddies is a program to support special education students to work on social skills with their peers. Volunteer students and special education students socialize every other day during lunch and play together. The grant will be used to buy specific toys for this time. Grant will benefit all 7th graders that participate in lunch buddies
Library Media Specialist, Joan Mullin – STEM Robot kits for the library
Two robots for the library of things.
Science Teacher, Mike Garguilo – Nintendo Switch for Fun Friday
Fun Friday is an opportunity for all 7th Graders to come together, appreciate each others backgrounds and life experiences while engaged in shared activities. The grant will be used to purchase one Nintendo Switch for the kids to play together. Fun Friday is happening in 1st period.
Co-teacher, Mark Lerro – Yearbook Club
The middle school yearbook will be created through a club. The grant will be used to purchase cameras for that club.
8th Grade ELA Teacher, Melissa Aragona – Digital Journalism Class
Digital Journalism is a class that teaches students the creative and artistic aspect of putting together a digital magazine. The purchase of a better computer will help them to edit film clips and complete the graphic design of the magazine itself. Grant will benefit 8th Graders enrolled in digital journalism.
Reading Specialists, Jennifer DalCeredo, Alyssa Roher – Cushioned seating for Reading Teachers
Comfortable reading solutions to encourage students to read for pleasure. Grant will benefit all students enrolled in reading support in 6th, 7th and 8th grade.
Matthew LaBonia – Legos for architecture
6th grade social studies encompasses architecture and ancient technology. Legos will be used to recreate ancient structure and train problem solving skills.
Kathleen Lynch – Personal Hygiene products for special needs class
Grant will be used to buy personal hygiene products for special needs classrooms.
Sleepy Hollow High School
Special Education Teacher, Chris Starace – Special Education Reward
Special education kids get rewarded for not being tardy 95 % of the time and completing 95% of their work per quarter. The grant was rewarded partially for a field trip and a breakfast as a reward to benefit about 20 Special Needs Students.
Science Teacher, Leana Peltier – Tea Time
Supplies for a little tea corner where AP biology, anatomy and physiology students can get themselves tea during class which adds an element of comfort to the students in these challenging classes. The grant will benefit about 80 Students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade.
Library Media Specialist, Joan Mullin – Tablets to Operate Library Robots
Four amazon fire tablets to operate and program robots in the library.
Special Education Teacher, Kristina Sarr and English Teacher, Katherine Donahue – Yoga Club
Supplies for Yoga Club (yoga mats, blocks and blankets) for at least 10 students.
Science Department Chair, Jason Choi and Science Teachers, Carlos Franco, David Erenberg – In-Class science demos
Supplies for In-Class science demos (Liquid Nitrogen and U.S. solid 10l cryogenic Container). The grant will benefit all Students in 10th, 11th and 12th grade and also at Family science night in the future
Science Teacher, Kevin Doherty – Physics sets of masses
Class set of Masses to study acceleration, Newton’s 2nd law, weight, friction and momentum. Grant will benefit all Physics Students in 9th, 11th and 12th grade.
Art Educator, Kristen Dreher – New Museum Visual Arts Trip
Students enrolled in the Drawing and Painting class will take a field trip to the New Museum and the New Museum of Street Art in NYC. They will also work on an Implementation of a museum visitor experience with teens. The students will afterwards create pieces inspired from the ideas and materials at either of the museums. Grant will benefit 20 students in the Drawing and Painting class in 10th, 11th and 12th grade.
School Psychologist, Jean Kuhn – Pre Exam Anxiety project
Materials for creating either stress balls or thinking putty to ease anxiety and stress before midterms or other tests for all high school students.
English Teacher, Sarina McGough Choi – NYC Broadway Experience
Field trip for the English 12 Honors Class to experience a Broadway show. Students will tie in the experience in the city into the curriculum of literature and social studies. Grant will benefit all students in 12th Grade English Honors.
Horsemen PTA 