25-26 FEF Gala/Grants

Teachers Impacted: Celeste Romell Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: Through many imaginary play games, authentic learning happens when students move beyond simply following instructions and instead engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to achieve a complex, realistic, and relevant goals

A topple of fun

$300

1001

Teachers Impacted: McKenna Giamfortone Grade Levels Impacted: K,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 422 Description: Canvases will enhance authentic art learning experiences at by providing students with professional-quality materials that elevate their work and encourage them to see themselves as true artists. Painting on canvas allows students to engage in deeper exploration of color, brush techniques, and composition, fostering risk-taking and creativity while building long-term confidence in their abilities. This will create lasting artworks that can be proudly displayed in schoolwide exhibitions, strengthening community connections and celebrating student achievement. It also ensures equitable access to high-quality art supplies, giving every child regardless of background the chance to experience art-making at its most authentic. Through these experiences, students will not only grow as artists but also make meaningful cross-curricular connections that enrich their overall learning.

Art Canvases

$1323

1003

Teachers Impacted: Kara Palomo Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 50 Description: This renewal grant seeks funding to continue to implement Breakout EDU, an immersive, challenge-based learning platform, within Westwood's Gifted and Talented (GT) program for our youngest learners. Breakout EDU directly aligns with several key GT tenets: Collaboration, Communication, Problem Solving, and Productive Thinking, all enhanced through the strategic use of Technology. Students will work in teams to solve a series of academic puzzles, riddles, and challenges to open locks, similar to an escape room. These activities are designed to be academically rigorous and highly engaging, strengthening content knowledge across various subjects (e.g., math, literacy, science) while developing critical 21st-century skills. The hands-on, high-engagement format will provide an exciting and impactful way to deepen student engagement and critical thinking within the GT curriculum.

Breakout-side the Box 3.0

$119

1004

Teachers Impacted: Alyssa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: 2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th Students Impacted: All ESL students at FISD. Description: This grant will provide a crucial literacy resource for English Language Learner (ELL) students at all grade levels: "The Zack Files" book series. These books offer high-interest, age-appropriate content with literary elements suitable for classroom instruction, while maintaining accessible vocabulary and sentence structure. This design addresses a common challenge for older ELLs: bridging the gap between chronological age and reading level. By providing captivating stories that are manageable to read, this encourages independent reading, builds fluency and confidence, and allows students to engage with literary concepts without being overwhelmed by inaccessible language. Ultimately, the grant ensures all students have equal access to engaging, grade-level content necessary for academic language development.

Bridging Literacy

$147

1006

Teachers Impacted: Madison Cheatwood Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: Easy to hold and easy to stack, these jumbo-sized bricks make building a breeze! Lightweight plastic bricks have a simple, interlocking design that lets children press them together effortlessly and keeps them in place until kids pull them apart. Perfect way to be creative and imaginative!

Build a Brick House

$379

1007

Teachers Impacted: Amanda Ford, Erin Reifel, Kristy McWater Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 20 Description: This grant will help support the implementation of engaging, hands on literacy most beneficial to Special Education learners in Kindergarten. Through interactive materials focused on word building, sight word recognition, sequencing, and language comprehension, students will strengthen foundational reading skills in a fun, multisensory way.

Building Blocks of Words

$190

1008

Teachers Impacted: Madison Cheatwood Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: The Jumbo Magnetic Tiles aim to enhance hands-on learning, creativity, and spatial reasoning skills among young learners through the use of large, durable magnetic building tiles. This project will provide classrooms and learning centers with high-quality jumbo magnetic tiles to promote interactive play, collaborative problem-solving, and foundational STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) learning experiences.

Building Bright Minds

$949

1009

Teachers Impacted: Karis Nunley Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 460 Description: This grant will fund the writing materials needed to implement the tasks for Building Thinking Classrooms written by Peter Liljedahl. In BTC, students are tasked with solving problems collaboratively on NPVS (non permanent vertical surface). This grant provides each teacher at Westwood a roll of NPVS to cut and place around the classroom for students to use.

Building Thinking Classes

$1634

1010

Teachers Impacted: Pamela Magnuson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 20 Description: Sensory body socks provide deep pressure and tactile input that can help improve sensory regulation, reduce anxiety, and increase focus. They can also boost body awareness, spatial skills, and motor planning by providing resistance for movement. These benefits are particularly useful for individuals with sensory processing challenges, but they can also support anyone seeking a grounding, calming experience.

Calm Bodies, Ready Minds

$98

1011

Teachers Impacted: Olivia Scarcella Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 20 Description: This grant enhances authentic learning experiences by addressing the foundational human need for emotional regulation before cognitive engagement can occur. Authentic learning requires sustained focus, problem-solving, and collaboration-all of which are impossible when a student is in a state of stress or emotional overload. This acts as a bridge, giving students the tools to move from a stressed, reactive state to a calm, receptive state, thereby enabling them to fully participate in meaningful, hands-on learning.

Calming Corner

$330

1012

Climbing to success!

$143

1013

Teachers Impacted: Kara Palomo Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 50 Description: This grant, "Color the Classroom," seeks funding to procure high-quality, specialized art supplies tailored for Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students participating in the Gifted and Talented (GT) classroom. Gifted students often possess an advanced ability to perceive, conceptualize, and execute artistic ideas. This grant will allow us to provide students materials such as professional-grade paint, vibrant oil pastels and modeling clay that match their cognitive and creative level. It will allow them complete masterpieces throughout our various units such as Colors/Famous Artists and Ancient Egypt that we discover more about in class.

Color the Classroom

$264

1014

Teachers Impacted: Pamela Magnuson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st Students Impacted: 20 Description: Adaptive scissors provide the support needed to access cutting tasks successfully. Spring-assist and loop scissors reduce the strength required to open and close the blades, stabilize hand positioning, and allow students to control movement more safely and accurately. With these tools, students are able to complete cutting activities with increased confidence, independence, and endurance.

Cutting With Confidence

$159

1015

Teachers Impacted: Allison Mickler Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 460 (all Westwood students) Description: The Day of Drumming school program is an interactive experience which provides 45 minute drum circle sessions for large groups of students at a time. Each are provided an authentic West African drum to play. The students will work as a team to accomplish the goal of making rhythms together! This experience supports music learning standards and SEL targets and more, in a hands on, meaningful way. Rhythm Path is going to provide a free drumming session for the faculty of Westwood, too!

Day of Drumming-Westwood

$3000

1016

Teachers Impacted: Kristen Smith Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 20 Description: This grant will enhance authentic learning experiences in FISD by providing a high-quality dollhouse that supports meaningful, hands-on play for our Pre-K students. Dramatic play is a powerful tool for early childhood development as it allows children to practice language skills, cooperation, problem-solving, and empathy as they role-play real-life situations. With a dollhouse, students can explore family dynamics, community roles, and social interactions.

Dollhouse for Pre-K

$146

1017

Teachers Impacted: Kara Palomo Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 50 Description: The 3Doodler Start+ Learning Pack is an all-in-one educational tool. These are much more cost effective than a traditional 3D printer and can be in the hands of every student in the classroom. The 3Doodler Learning Pack is recognized as the ideal EdTech for STEM subjects, PBL, tactile learning, problem solving, creative thinking, and much more. The 3Doodler diversifies and personalizes teaching methods, and makes lessons fresh and fun. Students are genuinely excited about the ability to create! Each Learning Pack comes with 12 3D pens, lesson plans, classroom materials, accessories, and filament refills, packaged in a way to help students get started as soon as the box is opened. No complicated software or steep learning curve! If you can hold a marker, you can use a 3Doodler pen.

Draw, Design, 3D Learn

$599

1018

Teachers Impacted: Amber Collins, Patricia Marshall, Jennifer Quigley, Shelbie Millsaps, Dakota Hubbell Grade Levels Impacted: 1st Students Impacted: 150 Description: The first grade teachers want to elevate their instruction by attending a professional development conference. The conference will provide them with the absolute best professional development sessions offered for Pre-k to 2nd grade educators. Every ELEVATE?' conference will include multiple sessions on all core academic strands (including reading, writing, math, science, & social studies), as well as administrative, SEL, school culture, classroom management, and culturally responsive teaching workshops.

Elevate Learning

$1200

1020

Teachers Impacted: Kristy McWater Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 10 Description: Help me get my students excited about coding, without knowing they are coding. With these cute little robotic cars, students have to design a track for their car to travel on. The tricky part is figuring out which mat to put where to make the path. Each mat does something different.

Engaging STEM Learning

$2159

1021

Teachers Impacted: Pamela Magnuson Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 10 Description: Students benefit from access to movement and sensory tools to help them stay focused and engaged during learning tasks. Many students demonstrate difficulty remaining seated, fidgeting with materials, or frequently leaving their work area. Bouncy Bands provide a quiet, unobtrusive way for students to receive movement input by pushing their feet against a flexible band attached to the legs of their chair. This movement helps regulate sensory needs, improves attention, and reduces disruptive behavior without interfering with instruction.

Fidget to Focus

$160

1022

Find, Read, and Write It

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 7 Description: This interactive literacy tool will help students be more encouraged to build on their reading, writing, and fine motor skills. Using tweezers, children find word tiles, match them to pictures, and write the words reinforcing phonics, spelling-sound patterns, and decoding of CVC and one-syllable words.

1023

Fine Tuning Kinder #2

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1024

Fine Tuning Kinder #3

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1025

Fine Tuning Kinder #4

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1026

Fine Tuning Kinder #5

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1027

Fine Tuning Kinder #6

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1028

Fine Tuning Kinder #7

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1029

Fine Tuning Kindergarten

Teachers Impacted: Abby Williams, Laurie Montesino, Paula Owens, Ariana Hart, Maegan Millet, Kelli Rye, Tiffany Theobald Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 140 Description: Fine motor skills are crucial in kindergarten because they form the foundation for many everyday tasks and academic learning. These fun and exciting tools will help keep students engaged while fine tuning their Fine Motor Skills

1030

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel, Kristy McWater Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 15 Description: This mobile clover write & wipe table and flexible seating stools are ideal for use during both writing and math stations, encouraging collaborative learning and interactive engagement among students. To complement the table, the flexible seating stools, offer a comfortable and student-friendly alternative to traditional chairs. These stools are covered in rugged, easy-to-clean vinyl, making them practical for daily classroom use and helping maintain a clean learning environment.

Flexible Seating #1

$1340

1031

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel, Kristy McWater Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 15 Description: This mobile clover write & wipe table and flexible seating stools are ideal for use during both writing and math stations, encouraging collaborative learning and interactive engagement among students. To complement the table, the flexible seating stools, offer a comfortable and student-friendly alternative to traditional chairs. These stools are covered in rugged, easy-to-clean vinyl, making them practical for daily classroom use and helping maintain a clean learning environment.

Flexible Seating #2

$1340

1032

Teachers Impacted: Olivia Scarcella, Kristen Smith, Laura Trevino Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 60 Description: Frog Street Curriculum is designed to enhance and support new authentic learning experiences by creating a research-based, integrated, and emotionally supportive environment that encourages children to actively explore and connect learning to their real world. Frog Street is built on the philosophy that young children learn best through active engagement and play. The curriculum provides resources and plans for learning centers that encourage children to explore concepts through manipulatives, stories, and social interaction. This helps children develop receptive and expressive vocabulary needed to articulate their ideas and processes during complex investigations.

Frogstreet Curriculum#1

$4600

1033

Teachers Impacted: Olivia Scarcella, Kristen Smith, Laura Trevino Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 60 Description: Frog Street Curriculum is designed to enhance and support new authentic learning experiences by creating a research-based, integrated, and emotionally supportive environment that encourages children to actively explore and connect learning to their real world. Frog Street is built on the philosophy that young children learn best through active engagement and play. The curriculum provides resources and plans for learning centers that encourage children to explore concepts through manipulatives, stories, and social interaction. This helps children develop receptive and expressive vocabulary needed to articulate their ideas and processes during complex investigations.

Frogstreet Curriculum#2

$4600

1035

Teachers Impacted: Alyssa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th Students Impacted: All ESL students FISD. Description: This grant requests funding to integrate three engaging games-Words are Hard, SkillEase story clues cards, and the QnA card game for learning english-into our ESL curriculum. These interactive tools are vital for enhancing vocabulary acquisition, improving conversational fluency, and fostering critical thinking among students at various proficiency levels. The playful, low-anxiety environment these games create will transform rote learning into an enjoyable, collaborative experience, directly increasing student engagement and motivation. Implementing these reusable resources represents a highly sustainable and long-term investment that will significantly boost students' confidence and practical English skills for real-world use.

Game On, Words Up!

$87

1036

Teachers Impacted: Kara Palomo Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 50 Description: This grant requests funding to attend the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented (TAGT) giftED26 Annual Conference that will be in Houston next year. Attendance is vital for staying current with best practices, research-based curriculum models, and specialized instructional strategies necessary to meet the unique intellectual and social-emotional needs of our identified GT students. Funds will cover registration. There is no need for funds this year for lodging and travel since it is taking place in Houston. If I attend, I will return with directly applicable, differentiated strategies to immediately implement within the GT classroom, ensuring our program maintains high-quality services and aligns with state standards for advanced learners. I will also be able to share key takeaways and new resources with the campus and/or district staff.

giftED26 Conference

$499

1037

Teachers Impacted: Kristy McWater Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 10 Description: This activity chart will help my special education students visualize math concepts?and give them hands-on practice, too! The double-sided number cards will allow me to create a customized number line showing any sequence of numbers from 1 to 120. My students will be able to count by ones, practice skip-counting by fives?and so much more!

Interactive Math

$57

1038

JUMBO MAGNATILES

$949

Teachers Impacted: Maegan Millet

Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten

Students Impacted: 150

Description: Our gigantic translucent tiles invite kids to build structures as big as they can imagine! The pieces have super-strong magnets safely built right in, so they stick together on every side and from any angles for limitless building possibilities. Plus, as children construct colossal structures with the see-through tiles, they get an early introduction to magnetism.

1039

Teachers Impacted: Alysa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th Students Impacted: This grant can be used with all ESL students at all campuses and during ESL summer school. This is a tool we will use repeatedly for years and years. Description: These three multi-sensory tools are highly effective for English Language Learners, offering concrete, hands-on support to navigate the English language. The Alphabet Magnets build essential phonemic awareness by establishing a visual link between sounds and corresponding vocabulary, which directly supports comprehension. The Touch & Read cards use tactile dots and simple sentences to help students physically segment and blend sounds, accelerating their ability to decode CVC words and build sentence fluency. This systematic progression from isolated sounds to structural language skills ensures a clear, scaffolded path to reading proficiency.

Language Foundations

$86

1040

Teachers Impacted: Michelle Eby Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 550 Description: This grant will provide colorful, recordable buttons to transform independent learning in PK-2 classrooms. The buttons are essential for differentiating instruction at centers by delivering color-coded, tiered auditory directions (simplified, core, or advanced) tailored to each student's specific needs. This system support emerging readers and prevents interruptions during small-group time, strengthening student independence and ensuring every learner is engaged in a task appropriate for their growth level.

Learning at a Push

$516

1041

Teachers Impacted: Olivia Scarcella Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 42 Description: Scholastic's Let's Find Out subscription is designed to support Pre-Kindergarten students by building a foundational base across several key learning areas. It uses engaging, seasonal nonfiction themes to make learning exciting and align with classroom curriculum and standards. The program is structured to help students grow from pre-readers into successful learners by focusing on a "whole child" approach. The subscription generally includes both print and digital resources to support the lessons. This combination of the printed magazine and the interactive digital components helps to build knowledge and vocabulary, which is essential for language comprehension and early reading success in Pre-K.

Let's Find Out with Pre K

$69

1043

Teachers Impacted: Laurie Montesinos Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten Students Impacted: 160 Description: These hands on activities will capture student's interest and support learning at a variety of levels. Student's will gain exposure to shapes and colors, number recognition, sequencing, and all the way up to addition! Math concepts are sure to stick with students as they learn with this math bundle!

Math Minds

$209

1044

Teachers Impacted: Lacey Fulkerson Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: The Step Into Numbers project brings math learning to life with a by encouraging students to physically engage with numbers, operations, and spatial reasoning. By incorporating movement into daily math lessons, students strengthen their number sense, understand mathematical relationships, and build confidence in problem-solving. This kinesthetic approach supports diverse learners by combining physical activity with hands-on exploration, transforming abstract concepts into meaningful, memorable learning experiences.

Math on the Move!

$1166

1045

Teachers Impacted: Allison Mickler Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: The purchase of an additional xylophone for Westwood music students would allow them to continue making musical learning experiences by replacing aging instruments and balancing the ratio of instruments with wooden bars versus metal bars.

Music - Alto Xylophone

$475

1046

Music - Bass Xylophone

$760

1047

Teachers Impacted: Allison Mickler Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: Westwood students need more drums, and a variety of them! These LP floor toms are a great way for students to practice basic drumming skills as a class. This grant is requesting 3 new drums(a 10", 14", and 16").

Music - Drums

$158

1048

Teachers Impacted: Allison Mickler Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: The purchase of an additional xylophone for Westwood music students would allow them to continue making musical learning experiences by replacing aging instruments and balancing the ratio of instruments with wooden bars versus metal bars.

Music- Soprano Xylophone

$416

1049

Teachers Impacted: Alyssa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th Students Impacted: This grant can be used with all ESL students at all campuses and during ESL summer school. This is a tool we will use repeatedly for years and years. Description: This versatile, durable box has large hand openings at both ends covered by soft vinyl, so kids can feel, match and compare the objects inside by touch alone. The grant also includes an assortment of interesting objects and cards to be used in a variety of ways.

Mystery Box 1

$76

1050

Teachers Impacted: Alyssa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th Students Impacted: This grant can be used with all ESL students at all campuses and during ESL summer school. This is a tool we will use repeatedly for years and years. Description: This versatile, durable box has large hand openings at both ends covered by soft vinyl, so kids can feel, match and compare the objects inside by touch alone. The grant also includes an assortment of interesting objects and cards to be used in a variety of ways.

Mystery Box 2

$76

1051

Number World

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 7 Description: Number World is a hands-on, play-based math learning initiative designed to help young learners develop foundational number recognition and counting skills. Using magnetic tiles and rocket-themed manipulatives, children explore numbers through interactive building, matching, and sequencing activities that make abstract math concepts tangible and fun.

1052

Obstacle course fun

Teachers Impacted: Celeste Romell Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: Through many imaginary play games, authentic learning happens when students move beyond simply following instructions and instead engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to achieve a complex, realistic, and relevant goals

1053

Obstacle course fun #2

Teachers Impacted: Celeste Romell Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: Through many imaginary play games, authentic learning happens when students move beyond simply following instructions and instead engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to achieve a complex, realistic, and relevant goals

1054

Obstacle course fun #3

Teachers Impacted: Celeste Romell Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: Through many imaginary play games, authentic learning happens when students move beyond simply following instructions and instead engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to achieve a complex, realistic, and relevant goals

1055

Pre-K Home Center Play

Teachers Impacted: Kristen Smith Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 20 Description: This grant will enhance authentic learning experiences in my Pre-K classroom by providing materials that encourage real-world play and social-emotional growth. The items requested (a birthday cake set, cleaning set, laundry set, and baby high chair) will enrich our home center, allowing students to engage in meaningful, imaginative play that mirrors everyday family experiences. Through these activities, children will develop language skills, cooperation, problem-solving, and responsibility as they act out familiar routines such as celebrating birthdays, caring for babies, or helping with household chores.

1056

Teachers Impacted: Kristen Smith Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK Students Impacted: 20 Description: This grant will enhance authentic learning experiences in my Pre-K classroom by providing materials that promote hands-on, real-world exploration through play. The cash register, sandwich-making set, ice cream set, and pizza parlor set will allow students to engage in meaningful role-play experiences that mirror community interactions such as shopping, ordering food, and working together to serve others. Through these experiences, children will develop early math and literacy skills as they count money, recognize numbers, read labels, and communicate with peers. They'll also practice cooperation, problem-solving, and turn-taking as they work together to run their pretend restaurant or shop.

Pre-K Store Dramatic Play

$149

1057

Teachers Impacted: Madison Cheatwood Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: This grant will provide a large collection of puppets-including fairytale characters, community helpers, animals, and more-to enrich the library's makerspace. The puppet bundle will serve as a creative tool for students to explore storytelling, communication, and collaboration in a hands-on, imaginative way. By designing skits, building simple puppet theaters, and bringing stories to life, students will strengthen literacy, social-emotional learning, and problem-solving skills.The puppets will invite learners of all ages to step into different roles, connect with diverse characters, and express their ideas through play-based learning. This interactive approach to learning promotes confidence, collaboration, and curiosity-key goals of the library's makerspace.

Puppets with Purpose

$540

1058

Ready, Set, Action

Teachers Impacted: Jennifer L Quigley Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: Potentially could impact 300 students(grades K,1,2) Description: Ready, Set, Action These reader's theater decodable scripts will enhance authentic learning by allowing students to be creative, work together to build reading fluency, prosody, comprehension, communication, and confidence. Young kids love to perform and having these scripts will allow them to perform and to become better readers.

1059

Teachers Impacted: Jennifer Quigley Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: Potentially up to 300 students(K,1,2) Description: Ready, Set, Read! These reader's theater multi leveled, folk and fairy tale scripts will enhance authentic learning by allowing students to be creative, work together to build reading fluency, prosody, comprehension, communication, and confidence. Young kids love to perform and having these scripts will allow them to perform and to become better readers.

READY, SET, READ!

$64

1060

Roll & Read Game

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 7 Description: This roll and read game will provide hands-on, collaborative play that students can practice real reading strategies, such as decoding, blending, and recognizing word patterns in meaningful, interactive ways. The game promotes peer interaction and skill application that extends beyond worksheets, making phonics learning both fun and effective.

1061

Teachers Impacted: Alyssa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th Students Impacted: This grant can be used with all ESL students at all campuses and during ESL summer school. This is a tool we will use repeatedly for years and years. Description: Mastering CVC (consonant - vowel - consonant) words is a snap-with hands-on picture boards and letter clips kids can't resist! Students just grab a board, then snap the clips right on it to build the word that matches the picture. And with enough letter clips to build all the words at once, the set is perfect for multiple children to use at the same time!

Snap and Build Language

$57

1062

Splash into Reading

$69

Teachers Impacted: Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson, Alyssa Dillon

Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd,3rd,4th,5th,6th,7th,8th

Students Impacted: This grant can be used with all ESL students at all campuses and during ESL summer school.

Description: A quick, easy way to introduce CVC words, sight-words, and more-these super-fun pool-themed games are sure to make a "splash!" Students just draw an inner-tube card, read the word aloud and keep the card if they read it correctly...or start again if they draw a "Splash!" The first player to collect 10 cards wins!

1063

Teachers Impacted: Pamela Magnuson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 20 Description: This sensory seat provides comforting pressure resulting in greater concentration & focus. This seat is ideal for kids who have trouble sitting still. The soft squeeze seat provides a sensory relief that is beneficial to all children who need to decompress and relax. This seat is very versatile and allows kids to rock back and forth on the sensory seat by sitting across it like a rocking horse, unwind with both feet on the same side, or lay on it as a support while reading.

Squeeze Chair

$510

1064

Teachers Impacted: Pamela Magnuson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 20 Description: This sensory seat provides comforting pressure resulting in greater concentration & focus. This seat is ideal for kids who have trouble sitting still. The soft squeeze seat provides a sensory relief that is beneficial to all children who need to decompress and relax. This seat is very versatile and allows kids to rock back and forth on the sensory seat by sitting across it like a rocking horse, unwind with both feet on the same side, or lay on it as a support while reading.

Squeeze Chair #2

$510

1065

Stop Regulate & Learn #1

Teachers Impacted: Emily Prosch Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 550 Description: Research supports that self-regulation abilities have a stronger correlation with school readiness than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills. The Regulation Station Kit is a toolbox filled with regulation tools and visuals designed to create an accessible space where learners can actively practice their regulation skills. By having a kit available in each classroom, students will become more independent, engaged, and reflective in their learning. They will be better prepared to connect classroom experiences to real-world applications, enriching both personal and academic growth. The kits are directly aligned with the tools and strategies presented in the Zones of Regulation Curriculum already in use across the campus.

1066

Stop Regulate & Learn #2

Teachers Impacted: Emily Prosch Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 550 Description: Research supports that self-regulation abilities have a stronger correlation with school readiness than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills. The Regulation Station Kit is a toolbox filled with regulation tools and visuals designed to create an accessible space where learners can actively practice their regulation skills. By having a kit available in each classroom, students will become more independent, engaged, and reflective in their learning. They will be better prepared to connect classroom experiences to real-world applications, enriching both personal and academic growth. The kits are directly aligned with the tools and strategies presented in the Zones of Regulation Curriculum already in use across the campus.

1067

Stop Regulate & Learn #3

Teachers Impacted: Emily Prosch Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 550 Description: Research supports that self-regulation abilities have a stronger correlation with school readiness than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills. The Regulation Station Kit is a toolbox filled with regulation tools and visuals designed to create an accessible space where learners can actively practice their regulation skills. By having a kit available in each classroom, students will become more independent, engaged, and reflective in their learning. They will be better prepared to connect classroom experiences to real-world applications, enriching both personal and academic growth. The kits are directly aligned with the tools and strategies presented in the Zones of Regulation Curriculum already in use across the campus.

1068

Stop Regulate & Learn #4

Teachers Impacted: Emily Prosch Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 550 Description: Research supports that self-regulation abilities have a stronger correlation with school readiness than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills. The Regulation Station Kit is a toolbox filled with regulation tools and visuals designed to create an accessible space where learners can actively practice their regulation skills. By having a kit available in each classroom, students will become more independent, engaged, and reflective in their learning. They will be better prepared to connect classroom experiences to real-world applications, enriching both personal and academic growth. The kits are directly aligned with the tools and strategies presented in the Zones of Regulation Curriculum already in use across the campus.

1069

Stop Regulate & Learn #5

Teachers Impacted: Emily Prosch Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 550 Description: Research supports that self-regulation abilities have a stronger correlation with school readiness than IQ or entry-level reading or math skills. The Regulation Station Kit is a toolbox filled with regulation tools and visuals designed to create an accessible space where learners can actively practice their regulation skills. By having a kit available in each classroom, students will become more independent, engaged, and reflective in their learning. They will be better prepared to connect classroom experiences to real-world applications, enriching both personal and academic growth. The kits are directly aligned with the tools and strategies presented in the Zones of Regulation Curriculum already in use across the campus.

1070

Teachers Impacted: Madison Cheatwood Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 500 Description: The Story Tree Puppet Holder and Theater will be used to spark imagination, creativity, and communication skills in children through interactive puppet performances and storytelling. This grant will create a unique "puppet tree holder theater,? a whimsical, tree-shaped performance space where students and educators can bring stories to life using puppets they design and build themselves.

Stories Come Alive

$190

1071

Teachers Impacted: Kara Palomo Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 50 Description: This grant seeks funding to purchase logic and strategy games for our Gifted and Talented (GT) program. Gifted learners require consistent exposure to complex problem-solving activities that foster critical thinking, abstract reasoning, and long-term strategic planning. These games provide an engaging, collaborative, and non-traditional medium for developing these crucial cognitive skills. The materials will enable me to effectively differentiate instruction, cultivate perseverance, and promote complex decision-making in a highly motivating environment, directly supporting the intellectual needs of our brightest students.

Strategy for Success

$214

1072

Teachers Impacted: McKenna Giamfortone Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 422 Description: Providing table easels for the art classroom will create more authentic and engaging learning experiences for students. Easels allow young artists to work in the same upright position used by professional artists, helping them understand the connection between classroom practice and real-world artistic processes. By elevating their work surface, students gain better perspective, posture, and control, which encourages focus and deeper investment in their creations. It promotes collaboration and dialogue, as artwork is more visible during the creative process, fosters peer-to-peer feedback, student-led critiques, and classroom discussions. This authentic learning equips them with confidence, creativity, and critical thinking skills that extend beyond the art room and into lifelong learning.

Table Easels for Art

$792

1073

Teachers Impacted: Celeste Romell Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 480 Description: Through many imaginary play games, authentic learning happens when students move beyond simply following instructions and instead engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to achieve a complex, realistic, and relevant goals

The Step Stones of Fun #1

$60

1074

Teachers Impacted: Celeste Romell Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 480 Description: Through many imaginary play games, authentic learning happens when students move beyond simply following instructions and instead engage in critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem-solving to achieve a complex, realistic, and relevant goals

The Step Stones of Fun #2

$60

1075

Tools for Independence

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 7 Description: This grant will help fund the purchase of plastic clipboards and pencil bags to support students in special education with carrying their visual schedules and communication supports throughout the school day. These tools will help promote student independence, support transitions, and empower learners to express wants, needs, and choices across settings.

1076

Teachers Impacted: Erin Reifel Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 7 Description: These therapeutic tools offer students a comforting sense of security through their gentle weight and softness. The weighted animals can help promote a calming effect, offering a soft embrace that supports emotional regulation when a student is feeling overwhelmed or overstimulated. Students can hold or place them in their laps during circle time or independent work, allowing them to remain engaged while feeling grounded. Additionally, these animals can be used as part of classroom calming strategies, helping students reset their mindset and rejoin learning with focus and ease.

Weighted Animals

$105

1077

Teachers Impacted: Dakota Hubbell, Lacey Fulkerson, Amber Collins, Shelbie Millsaps, Jennifer Quigley, Patricia Marshall Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 430 Description: This grant will give teachers and students access to engaging math and science videos! These are highly educational and explain concepts using real world, relatable scenarios; as well as catchy songs that students absolutely love.

Westwood is Genius

$1995

1078

Teachers Impacted: Alyssa Dillon, Margo Hoskins, Connie Anderson Grade Levels Impacted: ECSE or PreK,Kindergarten,1st Students Impacted: This grant can be used with all young ESL students at all campuses, but especially during ESL summer school. This is a tool we will use repeatedly for years and years. Description: This is an easy to assemble, collapsible, portable puppet theater that can also be used as a lemonade stand.

Word Play with Puppets

$55

1079

Teachers Impacted: Pamela Magnuson Grade Levels Impacted: Kindergarten,1st,2nd Students Impacted: 10 Description: Students benefit from access to movement and sensory tools to help them stay focused and engaged during learning tasks. Many students demonstrate difficulty remaining seated, fidgeting with materials, or frequently leaving their work area. Bouncy Bands provide a quiet, unobtrusive way for students to receive movement input by pushing their feet against a flexible band attached to the legs of their chair. This movement helps regulate sensory needs, improves attention, and reduces disruptive behavior without interfering with instruction.

Fidget to Focus #2

$160

1080

Code-ing the Future Mustangs 1

$3790

Code-ing the Future" brings foundational robotics to every PK-2 student. Equipping each grade level with VEX 123
technology builds a "Legacy in Logic" preparing our Mustangs for a digital world.
This grant addresses Technology Applications TEKS-notably computational thinking and innovative design.
Screen-free VEX 123 lets students master sequences and debugging through tactile touch and Coder Cards. Technology becomes an active catalyst for learning, not passive screen time. Key Pillars of the Project:
Interdisciplinary Integration: These subject-agnostic robots "drive" to vowel sounds, number lines, or migrations,
bringing abstract concepts to life across all curricula. Problem-Solving & SEL: Robotics builds Social Emotional Learning. Students practice self-regulation when a code
fails, turning "failure" into a "bug" to solve. This fosters a growth mindset.
Collaborative PBIS Goals: "Dev Teams" practice active listening and empathy. These activities provide a structured
environment to reward cooperation and respectful communication.
By investing in this toolkit, we create a STEM pipeline, ensuring students have the logic-based foundation to lead
and continue Code-ing the Future of Friendswood.

1081