Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence Awards Over $48K in Grants to Local Schools



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BittnerMoriartyMillstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) awarded three grants totaling $26,670 to Millstone Township Schools. In January, MTFEE awarded five grants totaling $22,215.60. Between its two grant cycles this school year, MTFEE awarded a total of $48,885.60. Since 2002, MTFEE has awarded more than $486,670 to its schools. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE-funded grant programs running in the Millstone Township School district. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE funded grant.

This grant cycle awards included Chromebooks™ to enhance the Writer’s Workshop curriculum; MakerBot Replicator®2 3D printers and SketchUp® 3D modeling software to support the rapid prototyping program; and a “Dinosaurs Rock: A Journey Through Earth’s Prehistoric History” assembly.Following is a listing of the grants and recipients:

Crafting with Chromebooks™ ($18,950 to Edward A. Bittner, Seventh Grade Language Arts Teacher and Rachael Moriarty, Seventh Grade Language Arts Teacher). The grant consists of 50 Chromebooks™ (25 each class) that will enable all seventh grade students to have access, on a daily basis, to the Internet—where they can access up-
to-date materials, interactive planning tools and Google Docs™—to enhance the Writer’s Workshop curriculum. Google Docs™ will improve the students’ ability to draft, revise, edit, share, create and store information. With Google Docs™ immediate feedback in real time will be provided to students, without interrupting their writing process, for truly responsive 
teaching. Students will also have the opportunity to create multimedia products with the Chromebooks™ using apps such as Prezi™ and GoAnimate™.

Rapid Prototyping: Bringing Our Ideas to Life! ($6,600 to Thomas Semko, Middle School Assistant Principal and Ellen Osborne, Middle School Technology Teacher). The grant consists of two MakerBot Replicator®2 3D printers and SketchUp® 3D modeling software, for Applied Technology students, to enhance STEM education and provide those students with real-world design applications. Teaching 3D modeling and providing exposure to fabrication equipment will allow technology education classes to take a crucial step towards becoming the home for student creativity and scientific exploration. 3D printing is a rapidly developing technology that allows users, with no fabrication experience, to easily produce computer-designed parts, which would be impossible to make with conventional tools. Through the use of 3D modeling software, SketchUp®, students will gain a deeper understanding of spatial relationships as they are challenged to create new products. Students will be given design challenges, which will promote the use of skills acquired throughout their academic day, in mathematics, science and even language arts.

Dinosaurs Rock, A Journey Through the Earth’s Prehistoric History Assembly ($1,120 to Valerie Gunsalus, Second Grade Teacher). The grant consists of an interactive assembly to all second grade students where a “Dinosaurs Rock” instructor will bring an exhibit of museum quality pieces, including genuine fossils. During the assembly, students will engage in a hands-on fossil dig, which will enable them to increase their knowledge about dinosaur extinction theory, different types of dinosaurs, how fossils formed, as well as scientific clues. By viewing actual fossils, students will gain an understanding of the size of dinosaurs and increase their knowledge about prehistoric life. Students will also learn about how museums build exhibits of dinosaurs and their fossils.

For more information about donating to MTFEE, becoming a trustee or its fundraising programs and events, please e-mail info@mtfee.org, visit www.mtfee.org and like us on Facebook.

Pictured: Edward A. Bittner, Seventh Grade Language Arts Teacher and Rachael Moriarty, Seventh Grade Language Arts Teacher