MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARDS GRANTS TO MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP SCHOOLS TOTALING $13,591.40

Grant awards included a middle school book room, STEAM pro library mini lab

and an interactive LEGO ^® wall

Millstone TOWNSHIP, NJ, January 16, 2015 – Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) awarded three grants today totaling $13,591.40 to its schools. The grant awards included a book room in the Millstone Township Middle School, STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) pro library mini lab and an interactive LEGO ^® wall. MTFEE is a non-profit organization devoted to funding grants for items that nurture extraordinary educational experiences for every student in Millstone Township Public Schools and are beyond the scope of the general school budget.

Following is a listing of the grants and recipients:

Middle School Book Room ($7,923.88) (Sara Stofik, Middle School Reading Specialist) - The grant consists of the establishment of a school-wide book room to better meet the diverse, independent reading levels of all students in grades 6-8. It will contain 2,628 fiction and nonfiction books ranging in a variety of reading levels. Language Arts teachers will be able to use the book room to supplement their classroom libraries during specific units of study. Additionally, Science and Social Studies teachers will be able to use the book room to supplement and diversify reading materials within their classrooms. As a result, students will have access to more books, which bolsters independent reading and opens the doors to new experiences, time periods and ideas through books. MTFEE awarded a grant last fall to the Elementary School to establish a book room in that building, which has been successful with its staff and students.  

STEAM Pro Library Mini Lab ($3,697) (Jo-Ann Trifiro, Fourth Grade Teacher; Beth Topinka, Fifth Grade Teacher; Michelle Falanga, Gifted and Talented (K-8)) - Mrs. Trifiro recently received a $500 STEAM classroom grant from FirstEnergy, with which she purchased  littleBits ^® deluxe kits for her students to get a hands-on experience learning electronics. MTFEE's grant award will expand the possibilities of that grant and reach more students within the Elementary School. The grant consists of a littleBits ^® Pro Library, which is an expanding collections lab of color-coded, modular electronics that snap together magnetically. This "library" will allow elementary school students the ability to design and build their own electronic inventions using the engineering design process. This will enhance the district's STEAM initiative and further prepare its students to actively engage in shaping the technology of the future. littleBits ^® Pro Library provides an extensive way to learn and prototype with electronics. The electronic modules range from the very simple—such as power sensors—to complex, wireless programmable components that promote hands-on learning and exploring. Students will also have the opportunity to utilize the district's rapid prototyping tools, such as 3D printers and laser cutters, to create realistic prototypes.

Collaboration, Creativity and Learning with LEGO ^® s ($1,970.52) (Marian Peck, First Grade Teacher; Shannon Bell, Art Teacher (K-5)) - The grant consists of a 42'x50" interactive LEGO ^® wall with over 6,000 LEGO ^®  bricks to aid in instruction, creativity and STEAM lessons. The wall will serve as a STEAM lab for teachers and students to use, as well as an indoor recess option and lab for Gifted and Talented. Students can use these bricks in areas including math, STEAM and visual arts to plan, investigate, design, create and revise—all essential skills for problem-solving and creativity.

Since 2002, MTFEE has awarded more than $500,260 to its schools. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE funded grant programs running in the Millstone Township School district. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE funded grant.

For more information about donating to MTFEE, becoming a trustee or its fundraising programs and events, please e-mail info@mtfee.org , visit www.mtfee.org and like us on Facebook.

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About MTFEE

From its initial conception in 1995 to its designation as a 501©3 charitable organization in 2002, the Millstone Township Foundation for Educational Excellence (MTFEE) has remained steadfast in its goal to fund grants for items that nurture extraordinary educational experiences for every student in Millstone Township Public Schools and are beyond the scope of the general school budget. Items include innovative classroom programs, educational opportunities for students, staff development, and state-of-the-art teaching materials. Through the creativity of the teaching staff’s grant applications and the fundraising efforts of MTFEE, the foundation is proud to have awarded more than $500, 260 in grants to Millstone Township schools. MTFEE grants, which have been awarded at every grade level and in every discipline, have included STEAM enrichment programs, book rooms, SMARTBoards ^® , mobile computer and iPad ^™ labs and a rock climbing wall. MTFEE was the first organization in the district to put iPads ^™ into the classroom in the spring of 2011. There are currently more than 60 MTFEE-funded grant programs running. Every child that matriculates through the school district will in some way benefit from an MTFEE-funded grant. MTFEE is a member of New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership and The National Consortium of State and Local Education Foundations (NCEFS). 

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