2015-2016 Innovative Educator Award Recipients

Picture
The Cheltenham School District Foundation is proud of its multi-faceted grant initiative that provides diverse support to programs, integrating and supplementing the regular instructional programs of the Cheltenham School District. Many of these programs provide unique approaches to learning. Some are even offered outside of school hours and are separate from the curriculum and academic program. Most utilize specialized instructional materials not included in a public budget.
Cheltenham High School
GRANT: Digitize the TV Studio!

Alison Ferriola

CSDF  has impacted our programming positively by allowing us the means to purchase new video equipment. 
Myers Elementary School
GRANT: Alert for Learning

Cindy Blank 

The students that use the Alert seats have reported that they are most comfortable and they are more attentive and engaged during daily lessons.
Cheltenham High School
GRANT: Acoustical Shell for Stretton Hall Stage

Jenny Hutton 

The grant we received from the Foundation has exponentially improved the quality of musical performance possible on the Stretton Hall stage at Cheltenham High School. With an acoustical shell, the volume, clarity, and quality of sound heard both on the stage and in the audience has increased immensely.
Elkins Park School
GRANT: "Elkins Park Fitness Laboratory"

 James Chadwin and
​Doug Johnson 

Our goal is to grow the number of opportunities available to students, and staff, to learn about and improve upon their health. The grant we received from the Foundation has enabled us to excite more students and staff with the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
Cheltenham Elementary School
GRANT: Level My Library!

Rebekah Taboada 

Thanks to the leveled books provided by my CSDF Grant, my students have had great success in learning to read in first grade.  Our classroom library has transformed from a random selection of books on the shelf to a set of organized baskets that students know just how to choose from.
Elkins Park School
GRANT: Leadership Academy

Cyd Smith 

Leadership Academy has had an amazing year.  This year the program served 26 young men providing activities with an emphasis on enrichment, empowerment, and entrepreneurship.
Elkins Park School
GRANT: Black History Program 

 Dayna Gibbs-Bowser 

Cultural Awareness Club at Elkins Park School is an annual after school club/activity on African Americans and minorities in America, slavery, segregation, integration, and the Civil Rights Movement, through various venues; videos, Power Points, handouts, speeches and interactive lessons. New initiatives include Women's History facts for March, Autism Awareness facts for April and Earth Day announcements.  Women's Wax Museum to acknowledge a variety of women, diverse backgrounds and professions.
Cheltenham Elementary School
GRANT: Light Table Learning Center

Wendy Quinn 

​It is my continuous goal to reach every student with a variety of experiences through a multi-sensory approach to learning. Young students learn best with concrete tools which this project provided both concrete tools and a multi-sensory experience.
Cheltenham High School
GRANT: Bring Yoga into the classroom

Eva Kaplan 

Wyncote Elementary School
GRANT: "WE" TV

Crystal Clark 

Wyncote TV’s purpose is to creatively explore the student writing process and speaking skills with a unique twist.  We’ve primarily worked on developing a student familiarity and comfort with on camera segments and producing footage on personal stories and interest topics. ​
Cheltenham Elementary School
GRANT: D.R.U.M. - Discipline, Respect And Unity Through Music

Michelle Przybylowski 

The grant I/we received from the Foundation offered our community a powerful tool to build teamwork, discipline, and excitement. The sight, the sound, the power, and the feel of drums are tremendous motivators for many students.  It has been a wonderful opportunity for our students to have the opportunity to explore DRUMMING!  
Glenside Elementary School
GRANT: Fluent Friends = Successful Second Graders

Cindy Goldberg and
​Helen Ward 

Thanks to the generous contribution of books on CD, students in our second grade classes have had the opportunity to improve their reading fluency by listening to stories read with expression, inflection and proper pacing.
Cheltenham High School
GRANT: Marching Panthers Trailer

 Matthew Berntsen 

The trailer will benefit hundreds of students in the Marching Band, Color Guard, and Indoor Percussion Ensemble as they travel the country to compete and showcase Cheltenham's talented musicians."
Wyncote Elementary School
GRANT: Making Cents at Wyncote 

Stacey Neal 
Elkins Park School
GRANT: Legos in the Cafeteria 

 Christine Zubairu 
Wyncote Elementary School
GRANT: Building Stamina and Brain Power with the Right Tools  

Lisa Landolfi 
Glenside Elementary School
GRANT: ACTION for Literacy

Susan Nathan, Teri Benelli, and Liz Trush 

The grant we received from the Foundation was used to purchase equipment for the Action Based Learning Lab  stations according to the “Action Based Learning Program” for the benefit of the children’s development in balance, cross-lateral movement, vestibular activation and spatial awareness, sensory integration, and motor skill development. 
Elkins Park School
GRANT: Mini Golf Math
​Therese Rothenbach 

Therese Rothenbach 

In addition to the anticipated math benefits, I was surprised by the sense of community that was created in my math classes.  Each time we ran into a problem, they worked as a team to come up with workable solutions.
I used golf connections to strengthen skills -- from measurement all the way to statistics.  Students were completing price comparisons and creating data charts as well as providing rationales to prove why we should purchase clubs from one company over another.
Cheltenham High School
GRANT: Organic Farm Club Garden Restoration
​and Service Learning/Community Service Projects

Ana Salazar Di Giulio 

The grant we received from the Foundation has enabled us to run several service learning projects, which are more fully explained below.  The grant has also enabled us to start the organic garden in our greenhouse.  We plan to move all of the seedlings to our courtyard garden as soon as the weather permits.