2020-2021
CARRIE E. TOMPKINS ELEMENTARY School
Unity Dome - $10,000
The Unity Dome at CET
In collaboration with CHEF, the CET PTA, and student-led fundraising, CET purchased a Unity Dome for the playground. The Unity Dome is a versatile piece of playground equipment designed to be accessible to all students, and includes sensory connections. The grant supports CET’s overall approach to a welcoming and inclusive environment and aligns with the social emotional curriculum.
Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School
Golf Simulator - $9,200
Golf is a fun and lifelong sport, but given the cost, just how accessible is it? Thanks to technological innovations and CHEF support, the PVC Middle School athletics program will now be offering a golf unit for all students. This grants funds all necessary equipment, including monitors, two simulation machines, clubs, and nets, for this multi-week program. PVC physical education Kevin Brunelle says, “the golf unit will be a very unique approach for our classes and the strategy will allow us to consider using simulators in the future to help train our student athletes.”
CROTON-HARMON HIGH SCHOOL
Reconnecting High School Math Students and Teachers - $4,320
To improve communication with all high school students, this grant enables the CHHS math department to purchase iPads for teacher feedback. In the past, math homework was usually carried out and turned in on paper, enabling teachers to write on the paper itself, which in turn served as a conversation starter between student and teacher. Because work is now submitted digitally, this system is no longer possible. In addition, current systems for providing feedback were very time consuming for teachers and students are often unaware of the feedback teachers are leaving on their work. The new equipment will effectively reconnect learners and educators, because feedback will be written directly on each assignment and visible where the student would expect to see it.
District Wide
Online Tools for Remote Learning - $36,750
This grant allows the district to purchase portable document cameras for teachers and staff across all three district schools. Educators will be able to engage with all students in real time, making the remote learning experience as close to “hands on” as possible. CHUFSD Director of Technology Deborah August explained, “this device would allow teachers to demonstrate for students how to solve equations in real time, read and write with students, bring science labs to life, among other uses.”
A document camera allows teachers to read a book out loud and show the pages to all students. This is a scene from Pierre Van Cortlandt Middle School.
Remote and in-person students at Croton-Harmon High School can view the teacher’s screen (right) and white board (left), thanks to a document camera.
Students can watch teachers solve math equations in real time, such as this one at Croton-Harmon High School.