The Keller ISD Education Foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $48,928 to 24 educators across the District on December 9 and 12. These grants provide funding for projects not covered by the normal operating budget that stimulate students’ creativity and expand the existing curriculum.

Teachers, counselors, librarians and nurses were eligible to submit grant proposals that offered innovative and creative approaches to identified classroom needs or special student-based projects.

Along with Education Foundation board members, district officials, sponsors and the high schools’ drum lines, the KISD Education Foundation’s “Grant Patrol” traveled from campus to campus, surprising educators with grants. Through donations, contributions and the annual Gala in the Spring, the Foundation is able to distribute and award these grants.

Congratulations to the following grant recipients:

• Matthew Houk, Fossil Ridge High – “Wacom Drawing Tables for Inspired Digital Artists”
• Joy Nettleton, Fossil Ridge High – “Sizzlin’ ‘n’ Special Ed”
• Terri Levy, Heritage Elementary – “On with the Show!”
• Jamie Fieldhouse, Chisholm Trail Intermediate – “Dashing through the Code”
• Heather Baldwin, North Riverside Elementary – “Expanding our Knowledge with Virtual Reality”
• Cheri Baxter, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Art in 3D”
• Cheri Baxter, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Art-Tee Fun!”
• Cheri Baxter, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Cultures on Stage”
• Cheri Baxter, Sunset Valley Elementary – “ROCKin’ IT!”
• Tracie Bennett, Sunset Valley Elementary – “We Do 2.0 Robotics”
• Tracie Bennett, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Makerspace”
• Tammy Mack, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Collaboration + Creativity + Reader’s Theater = Fluent, Engaged Readers!”
• Laurie Perkins, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Yakety Yak… Book Talk is Back”
• Rebecca Puckett, Sunset Valley Elementary – “Outdoor Soundscape for Experiential Learning in Music and Science”
• Courtney Surface, Ridgeview Elementary – “Folk Music for Everyone”
• KHES Kindergarten and 1st grade, Keller-Harvel Elementary – “STEAM Museum: Bring a Hands-On Museum to our School”
• Sandra McCorkle, Keller Middle – “Let’s Go with Legos”
• Stiina Dokken, Independence Elementary – “3-D Learning Through Virtual Reality”
• Krisanne Stewart, Trinity Springs Middle – “Bring and Borrow Books to Build Your Brain!”
• Krisanne Stewart, Trinity Springs Middle – “Bored No More – Building Vocabulary with Board Games”
• John Magbuhat. Trinity Meadows Intermediate – “S.T.E.M. Robotics Expansion”
• Cassie Sullivan, Bette Perot Elementary – “Making Sense with Number Sense in Kindergarten”
• Ginger Goodman, Central High – “What Does Water Look Like?”
• Jeanne Vrij, Central High – “Protein Folding”
• Philip Youngblood, Central High – “Sea Perch Underwater Remote Operated Vehicle Challenge”
• Christy Goff, Parkwood Hill Intermediate – “Welcome to Wonderland!”
• Susan Whittle, Parkwood Hill Intermediate – “Picture Books in the Social Studies Curriculum”
• Suzanne Ross, Park Glen Elementary – “Education Breakout”
• Suzanne Ross, Park Glen Elementary – “Quiet on the Set!”
• Ann Lallande, Florence Elementary – “Using Authentic Technology Integration in ‘LAMP'”