The Friends of Confluence, a non-profit foundation that provides support to Confluence Charter Schools, awarded more than $75,000 in grants to teachers and staff to impact student experiences. Teachers and staff submitted grant applications in the spring to fund projects and opportunities in 2016-2017.
The grant program encourages teachers to think of project ideas that provide an education opportunity not covered within the general school budget; integrate technology into curriculum; promote parent involvement initiatives; foster collaborations; and demonstrate creative approaches to boosting student achievement.
In its first year for the Friends of Confluence grant, 39 applications were submitted; 26 were funded. Entries were reviewed based on criteria and a scoring guide; the grants were awarded on a merit basis. Projects and opportunities range from creating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) classrooms to bilingual libraries to books for staff professional development and more.
Congratulations to the 2016-2017 Friends of Confluence grant recipients:
John Titsworth, Old North                 STEM Classroom                               $5,351
Yelena Juracsik
John Titsworth, Old North                 Technology Software,                         $3,894
                                                          Math Curriculum
Michelle Oyola, GCAA                       Flipping the Expected                        $1,603
Sara Schmittgens, South City            Bringing Books Alive!                         $1,065
Deborah Meng, South City                Bilingual Mini-Library, PreK-2             $577
James Young, Old North                    Gymnasium Sound System               $8,519
Scott Mitchell
Jan Antrim, South City                       Leveled Literacy Intervention             $7,936
Theresa Bates
Matthew Naes, GCAA                       Assessing Assumptions                       $12,000
                                                         Industry Standard Software
James Edmond, Elite Academy        PBIS Reward Day                              $5,000
Maria Casaleggi, South City             Elementary Book Battle                     $393
Andrew Goodin, GCAA Caine’s Arcade: Circuitry $1,000
Annette Chamberlain, CPA Project-Based Learning $873
7 Habits Highly Effective Families $263
Highly Effective Teens $1,898
New Teacher Orientation $335
Schools that Deliver $369
Reflective Practice $351
Schools, Districts & Systems $94
Nez Savala, Resource Office             Confluence in the Community            $1,500
Beth Cunningham, Old North             Primary Math Lab                               $1,500
Deborah Bertish, South City               3-D Printer                                          $1,200
Gloria Willis, Elite                              Supplemental Books                           $1,358
Shaire Duncan                        
Leslie Muhammad, Aspire Therapeutic Expression $1,969
Debra Bahr, Aspire                             Lego’s Technology, Math, Science     $5,132
                                                           Eureka Math, Science                        $6,364                           
Matt Gandolfo, Aspire Makerspace, Design Thinking $4,485