BLOOMINGTON - Fourth-grade students at Fox Creek ElementarySchool step in determined rhythm to music for 15 minutes before theystart class, because teacher Amy Schumacher learned students retainmore if they exercise first.
They use "Dance Revolution" mats, based on a popular video game,that tie their footsteps to music and dance shown on a videotape.Schumacher was able to buy the mats with money from a nonprofitorganization that fosters creative and innovative ideas of teachersin Unit 5 and District 87 schools.
Beyond the Books Foundation marks its 15th anniversary this year.
"They (students) are engaged," said Jason Nourie, a third-gradeteacher at Towanda Elementary who bought a variety of new resourcesto teach about Route 66 in geography classes. He set up a displaywith a variety of items, instead of just telling the stories. "Assoon as they came in, they oohed and ahhed."
Beyond the Books paid for DVDs about how the road was built, CDswith songs about the character of the nation's Mother Road, a flag,books and other memorabilia.
Beyond the Books got its start in 1989 when District 87 schoolboard member Janella Cooley learned about education foundations at aconference. The foundation got its formal start in 1992.
"We wanted to encourage and support teachers' innovative andcreative ideas for programs to benefit our children (by makingfunding available) which might not be in a school district'sbudget," Cooley said. "The quality of a community depends on thequality of education in our public schools."
To date, Beyond the Books has given 347 grants totaling nearly aquarter million dollars, said Gail Ann Briggs, Unit 5's boardrepresentative since the foundation started.
Although the awards are made through a "blind" applicationprocess, every school in Unit 5 and District 87 has benefited fromthe awards, and there has been a good mix with arts, science, music,math and all parts of the curriculum, Briggs said.
Donations feed an endowment and the interest is used to issue thegrants. The endowment reached $750,000 this year and has a goal of$1 million in 2010, said Foundation President Alex Horvath.
Grants can be as little as $39 for stamps or as big as thousandsof dollars for technology.
The scope of ideas is vast. Amy Oberts created a Wild About Mathevent at Washington Elementary School, buying math equipment, gamesand items for a jungle-themed family activity. Parents told her theevent helped families "consider math in a new way, was enjoyable,and helped strengthen home and school ties," she said.
Bringing districts together
The program has brought the two districts together when teachersshare common goals.
Spanish teachers Dave Hirst of Normal Community West High Schooland Melissa Brown of Bloomington High School both benefited from agrant that bought an iPod.
Hirsh said students can hear from a Venezuelan journalist orlisten to a family in Spain cooking dinner, or he can teach themabout grammar as they listen to popular Spanish songs.
The teachers share ideas in how to teach a subject they bothlove, Hirsh said.
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What An educational foundation that funds innovativeprojectsproposed by Bloomington District 87 and Normal-based Unit 5teachers for theirstudents
History Janella Cooley, a District 87 school board member, bringsthe idea of an education foundation back to the school board from aChicago convention (1988); District 87 donates $3,000 for a fund toget things rolling (1989); District 87 Education Foundation isofficial (1990); Beyond the Books Foundation is created to assistboth District 87 and Unit members with Gail Ann Briggs joining asthe Unit 5 representative (1992); Beyond the Books celebrates 15thanniversary with an endowment of $750,000 (2007); foundation hopesto reach the goal of $1 million endowment (2010).
So far Beyond the Books has given 347 grants totaling nearly$250,000; every school in both District 87 and Unit 5 has received agrant.
How to help Donations can be sent to Beyond the Books Foundation,P.O. Box 908, Bloomington, IL 61702-0908. Information is availablefrom District 87 at (309) 827-6031 or www.district87.org; and Unit 5at (309) 452-4476or www.unit5.org.
Going Beyond BooksBLOOMINGTON - Fourth-grade students at Fox Creek ElementarySchool step in determined rhythm to music for 15 minutes before theystart class, because teacher Amy Schumacher learned students retainmore if they exercise first.
They use "Dance Revolution" mats, based on a popular video game,that tie their footsteps to music and dance shown on a videotape.Schumacher was able to buy the mats with money from a nonprofitorganization that fosters creative and innovative ideas of teachersin Unit 5 and District 87 schools.
Beyond the Books Foundation marks its 15th anniversary this year.
"They (students) are engaged," said Jason Nourie, a third-gradeteacher at Towanda Elementary who bought a variety of new resourcesto teach about Route 66 in geography classes. He set up a displaywith a variety of items, instead of just telling the stories. "Assoon as they came in, they oohed and ahhed."
Beyond the Books paid for DVDs about how the road was built, CDswith songs about the character of the nation's Mother Road, a flag,books and other memorabilia.
Beyond the Books got its start in 1989 when District 87 schoolboard member Janella Cooley learned about education foundations at aconference. The foundation got its formal start in 1992.
"We wanted to encourage and support teachers' innovative andcreative ideas for programs to benefit our children (by makingfunding available) which might not be in a school district'sbudget," Cooley said. "The quality of a community depends on thequality of education in our public schools."
To date, Beyond the Books has given 347 grants totaling nearly aquarter million dollars, said Gail Ann Briggs, Unit 5's boardrepresentative since the foundation started.
Although the awards are made through a "blind" applicationprocess, every school in Unit 5 and District 87 has benefited fromthe awards, and there has been a good mix with arts, science, music,math and all parts of the curriculum, Briggs said.
Donations feed an endowment and the interest is used to issue thegrants. The endowment reached $750,000 this year and has a goal of$1 million in 2010, said Foundation President Alex Horvath.
Grants can be as little as $39 for stamps or as big as thousandsof dollars for technology.
The scope of ideas is vast. Amy Oberts created a Wild About Mathevent at Washington Elementary School, buying math equipment, gamesand items for a jungle-themed family activity. Parents told her theevent helped families "consider math in a new way, was enjoyable,and helped strengthen home and school ties," she said.
Bringing districts together
The program has brought the two districts together when teachersshare common goals.
Spanish teachers Dave Hirst of Normal Community West High Schooland Melissa Brown of Bloomington High School both benefited from agrant that bought an iPod.
Hirsh said students can hear from a Venezuelan journalist orlisten to a family in Spain cooking dinner, or he can teach themabout grammar as they listen to popular Spanish songs.
The teachers share ideas in how to teach a subject they bothlove, Hirsh said.
--
What An educational foundation that funds innovativeprojectsproposed by Bloomington District 87 and Normal-based Unit 5teachers for theirstudents
History Janella Cooley, a District 87 school board member, bringsthe idea of an education foundation back to the school board from aChicago convention (1988); District 87 donates $3,000 for a fund toget things rolling (1989); District 87 Education Foundation isofficial (1990); Beyond the Books Foundation is created to assistboth District 87 and Unit members with Gail Ann Briggs joining asthe Unit 5 representative (1992); Beyond the Books celebrates 15thanniversary with an endowment of $750,000 (2007); foundation hopesto reach the goal of $1 million endowment (2010).
So far Beyond the Books has given 347 grants totaling nearly$250,000; every school in both District 87 and Unit 5 has received agrant.
How to help Donations can be sent to Beyond the Books Foundation,P.O. Box 908, Bloomington, IL 61702-0908. Information is availablefrom District 87 at (309) 827-6031 or www.district87.org; and Unit 5at (309) 452-4476or www.unit5.org.
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