Two Spring Gripp Grants totaling $8,705 were awarded to 12 teachers, library professionals, and administrators, which will positively impact every student in the District by addressing needs encompassing those resulting from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Madeline Elman, 2nd grade teacher (Romona), along with library professionals Linda Diekman (Central), Lynn Mestanas (Harper), Kate Johnston-Legg (McKenzie), Elizabeth Ceisel (HMS), Daphna... <more>
Kristin Johnson, Early Childhood LBS teacher, Elizabeth Foley, Early Childhood LBS teacher, Stacy Levine, Kindergarten teacher (Romona), Kristen Olsen, Comprehensive LBS (Romona), Stephanie Boron, Early Childhood SLP, Cindy Anderson, Principal (Romona), Lisa Anderson, Assistant Principal (Romona), and Amanda Barton, Early Childhood Coordinator, received a grant to build an all-seasons outdoor classroom to be used by... <more>
Five Spring 2020 Gripp Grants totaling $17,104 were awarded to 12 teachers, positively impacting students and inspiring learners at each of the District 39’s six schools. Bonny Skutch, Differentiation Specialist Teacher at Central, received a grant to bring Tang Math ‘Math Mania Days’ to each of the District 39 schools, which will be co-funded by the... <more>
Congratulations to Paula Lundell, McKenzie School OT, for the Encore Gripp Grant awarded to her for a hallway sensory path. Encore Grants are awarded for Foundation-funded projects that have previously been successful within D39 schools. In this case, sensory paths were awarded to each D39 elementary school last spring and are being used by students... <more>
Cheri Bridge and Jill Forti, Technology Specialists at WJHS, were awarded a grant to purchase 29 MERGE cubes to support the initiation of the D39 Augmented Reality program, which builds upon the existing Virtual Reality program. MERGE cubes allow students to visualize complex systems by turning 3D models into a virtual object that students can... <more>
Four Gripp Grants were awarded on November 14th for the Fall 2018 grant season. Jeneane Pence, Highcrest PE teacher, was awarded a grant for 30 Zone watches to assist students with heart rate monitoring during PE activities. Students will get accurate, real time feedback while still active to help them make a connection between their intensity... <more>
The District 39 Educational Foundation announced that three Gripp Grant's were awarded this spring, totaling a gift of $14,031 to District 39. The Gripp Grants will impact students at Highcrest, Wilmette Junior High and those in the comprehensive needs classrooms throughout the district. Overall the District 39 Educational Foundation had a very robust year awarding 9 grants and... <more>
Six Gripp Grants were funded for the 2017 Fall grant cycle: Mayaan Sloane and Samantha Sutton, Highcrest Technology Innovation Specialists, were granted the purchase of video and recording equipment to transition the weekly WHMS News into a live student written, directed and executed broadcast. Currently only two students per homeroom participate in the broadcast creation and... <more>
The Foundation approved three Gripp Grants for the Spring 2017 grant cycle. Highcrest teacher Meghan Espinoza was awarded a Gripp Grant for a pedal desk test in her classroom. Pedal desks are a combination of an exercise bike with a desk. These desks have been shown to increase concentration and productivity for students with sensory... <more>
The Foundation approved two Gripp Grants for the Fall 2016 grant cycle. Breakout EDU boxes (All four elementary schools): This grant will provide Breakout EDU boxes which are designed to teach critical thinking, teamwork, and complex problem solving. Similar to the popular live-experience Escape Rooms that are popping up all over the country, students will... <more>