As the year comes to a close, we want to thank you for your
commitment to the Arlington Schools Foundation and the Arlington Public
Schools. Whether you attended the ASF
annual fundraiser, wrote a check in support of our
programs, put paper in our Abitibi recycling bin, or simply appreciated our
work, we are deeply grateful. In these
uncertain times, our children remain our most precious investment. ASF is dedicated to helping Arlington's
schools provide our children with the best education possible, and we are only able to move toward that goal because of you.
2008 has been an exciting year for ASF. After completing our four-year High School Improvement Grant, we began our next initiative, Enriching Elementary Education. Enriching Elementary Education is designed to
support elementary school teachers in integrating reading, math, social
studies, science, art, and other subjects into challenging and engaging curricula
and lessons that will enhance learning for all students. This year, in the grant's pilot phase, we are
focusing on two efforts: enhancing the
social studies curriculum, and bringing
teachers together for joint planning and sharing of ideas, projects, and
lessons.
Last summer, ASF funds enabled teachers from
three different grades to come together for two-day workshops to develop
curricula, lessons and resources on folktales
from Africa and Mexico (first grade), Japan
(second grade), and Early American
history (fifth grade). The resulting
curriculum maps, which include everything from essential questions and book lists to art integration
and literacy activities, are being implemented across the
district this year.
On the October early release day, ASF helped
sponsor a workshop for all second grade teachers on Teaching
About Japan in the Elementary Grades. Twenty classroom teachers,
one music teacher, Dallin School Principal Wallis Raemer, and Social Studies
Director Kerry Dunne participated. The
workshop included presentations by museum educators from the Children's Museum
and the education specialist from the Japanese consulate in Boston, as well as
a demonstration lesson on building model Japanese gardens by Brookline teacher
Marci Prager.
Along with our own work, ASF has been pleased to
partner with other organizations and
individuals devoted to the Arlington Public Schools.
* Our last newsletter detailed our new collaboration with the Arlington Educational Enrichment Fund
which this year is enabling 34 K-12 teachers and
administrators to attend professional development courses and workshops
at social studies resource center Primary Source.
* We
have partnered with an anonymous donor who has stepped forward to ensure
that any child who wants to participate in school music programs can do so, regardless of their ability
to pay. One consequence of the
current budget crisis has been increased fees for activities such as
sports and music, and we are proud that our community is committed to keeping
these opportunities available to all children, even as we face financial
realities.
* The Department of Public Works and
the Arlington Recycling Committee
have generously donated the proceeds from the Abitibi mixed paper
recycling bin at the DPW parking lot on Grove Street to ASF.
The budget challenges faced by the Arlington Public Schools make
ASF's efforts all the more important. So at this time of thanksgiving and
hope, we thank you once again for your support and wish you well in the coming
year.
Sincerely,
Nora Mann
Board President
P.S. To make a donation to the Arlington Schools Foundation,
go here.
As the year comes to a close, we want to thank you for your
commitment to the