Dear Parishioners,
Announcing to you that the GAR Foundation has awarded three financial grants to Immaculate Heart of Mary School, totaling $39,000.00! We are so very blessed.
The GAR Foundation, established in 1967 by Galen and Ruth Roush, began because of their desire to support the needs of those in the Greater Akron area community. They believed that every child gets a great start in life and benefits from the best education, preparing for lifelong success, meaningful employment, and career advancement. Through the Educator Initiative Grant program, Immaculate Heart of Mary was awarded three separate grants.
Mrs. Friess asked her faculty to request grant money for certain academic needs. The first grant of $14,700 was awarded for “The Martha A. Meadows MakerSpace” and this space in our school building is “More Than Just a Room”. The point of this grant is to elevate IHM’s “Martha A. Meadows MakerSpace” Room beyond typical school and craft supplies to include class sets of common hand and power tools and consumable MakerSpace materials. The 2018-2019 MakerSpace classes will focus much to include lessons on proper tool use. Children will receive guidance with soldering irons, rivet guns, palm sanders and more. They will be given problem-based learning challenges and long-term projects, and will incorporate a wide variety of Ohio Learning Standards into their project assignments. These include Science, Mathematics, Technology, Engineering and Sciences Technologies, Construction Technologies, Manufacturing and Visual Arts. Congratulations to IHM School and David Hall, technology teacher, and the writer of the grant!
Secondly, a $14,400 grant was awarded for “What’s On Your Mind?” The focus of the grant is encouraging growth mindset in students and teachers. Growth Mindset is the idea that anyone can learn any material. Through literature based instruction as well as a 20-week online session students will learn how to grow from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. The idea is that by shifting the mindset, students can experience more success in the classroom. In order to utilize the online component of the program, students will also have a brand new set of Chromebooks and a Chromebook cart to house them. Again, congratulations IHM School and to Jennifer Conti and Kathy Friess who together wrote for this grant!
The third award was a $9,900 grant for “Coming to America?” This grant will allow fifth grade students to explore 18th Century colonization, and compare/contrast with current immigration issues using various print/digital resources, guest speakers, field trips, including a virtual reality trip to Ellis Island, and a one-day workshop with Kent State’s Traveling Stanzas. This is all designed to increase student knowledge, critical thinking skills, and develop relationships within the community to enhance student learning. Congratulations IHM School and to Kelley Armour, fifth grade teacher, and writer of the grant!
The staff and students are very excited for these new and exciting opportunities coming to Immaculate Heart of Mary School. You are welcome to tour our fine school by calling 330-923-1220.
Many blessings,
Father Jim