SEPTA Announces Grant Awards
The Huntington School Board has accepted a donation of $6,793 from the Special Education PTA to be used in funding 11 grants in six different school buildings this year.
SEPTA awards grants annually based upon faculty generated proposals. The group raises the monies through various fundraising events.
"We are thrilled that so many teachers took the time to submit grant applications this year," SEPTA President Christine Biernacki said. "Technology seems to be the focus and we are excited that the faculty is using technology to further the goals of our special education students and continue to include more students in the general education setting whenever possible."
"Many thanks go out to Huntington SEPTA members for their ongoing support," Huntington Superintendent James W. Polansky said. "They are so genuinely invested in the success of our students and continue to provide resources that help teachers to offer students authentic, technology-driven learning experiences in the classroom."
SEPTA's main fundraiser is the annual Sunset and Sounds on the Bay event at the Bay Club in Huntington. This year's festivities are scheduled for May 18. Details and ticket information will be released soon.
"We would like to thank the community in our district for all of their support during our fund raising events," Mrs. Biernacki said.
This year's grant recipients include:
• Kim Cotler – Huntington High School - SMART document camera
• Ashley Williams – Woodhull Intermediate School - SMART document camera
• Evelyn D'Andraia – Jefferson Primary School - Cube chairs
• Colleen Lanigan-Simko – Southdown Primary School - Apple TV
• Veronica Quinlan/Danielle Nolan – Flower Hill Primary School - 2 iPad mini devices
• Megan Scannevin – Flower Hill Primary School - 2 iPad 2 devices
• Lisa Baldanza – Flower Hill Primary School - SMART Response PE
• Kathleen Mallen-Ozimkowski – Washington Primary School - Positive behavior store
• Debra Lawrence – Washington Primary School - Covers and headphones
• Christyn Roseto – Washington Primary School - SMART document camera
• Susan Llanes – Washington Primary School - 2 iPad 2 devices
Teachers say the equipment will be put to good use. For example, a Smart document camera is used to convert text into a digital format for projection onto a SMART board. SMART Response is an interactive student response system that works as an interactive classroom assessment device. By utilizing it, teachers can immediately track quiz their students' quiz results and understanding of the concepts being taught.