DPS Foundation gives 8 grants to teachers

$500 awards provide materials to make learning more relevant.

Dayton Public Schools Foundation recently awarded eight grants to eight school teachers.

This is the third set of grants that the foundation has given Dayton teachers, according to Nancy Nerny, DPS Foundation co-founder.

“We look for creative, innovative teachers who are asking for things the school district can’t provide,” Nerny said.

The eight grants are for $500 each and are designed to make learning more relevant. Six were from the foundation, and two of the eight were given from partners of the DPS Foundation.

The foundation recipients are: Tammy Brewer, Edison PreK; April Malone, Wogaman Middle School; Kate Meier; Dunbar Early College High; Osir Okumu-Kinywa, Fairview PreK-6; Jennifer Patton-Hoang, Kiser PreK-6; and Leana Staton, Valerie PreK-6.

Staton received a grant to help in rebuilding a library for her gifted students.

“I had taught previously for five years and left education to pursue a career in corporate America and came back this year.” Staton said during a recent board meeting, “Eons ago I got rid of my classroom library. When I returned to Dayton public and found out we do not have library services, I saw that as a need for my gifted students.”

Some programs being funded with the foundation grants include:

providing computers for refugee student homes by Okuma-Kinywa,

offering peace poles in the garden where Brewer’s students will work with their community garden and in food pantries,

increasing student understanding of geometrical concept in Meier’s classes, and

creating eco-columns with different habitats for students to study effects of pollution by Pat-

ton-Hoang.

Malone will create literature circle audio and audiovisual stations for students. This will provide students the opportunity to read books or documentaries and listen to them on audio then work in groups to discuss.

“They (the students) can truly own their own learning experience,” Malone said when presented the grant at the recent board meeting.

Joshita Reza from Westwood PreK-6 was partnered with Crayons to Classrooms to create interactive notebooks for students to learn note-taking strategies, and Katie McCoy from Kemp PreK-6 partnered with an anonymous donor for students to learn how to read music and play music on a recorder. The foundation was started three years ago by Nerny and Shelley Outlaw. Nerny is a retired teacher who wanted to give other teachers a chance to do something in the classrooms.

The grants are given to teachers who are creative with their classroom learning environment but the school is unable to provide the funding for their ideas.

“These are your schools, make them the best they can be,” Nerny said.

The application process is available again in April and reviewed by the panel. Teachers interested can apply through the Dayton Public Schools website and through the Dayton Public Schools Foundation site.