SEF Awards grants at School Committee meeting

The Smithfield Education Foundation awarded nearly $5,000 in grants to enhance classroom instruction for students in the Smithfield Public Schools.  Grant recipients were recognized at the June 3rd meeting of the Smithfield School Committee.

The awardees are:

Alicia Marques-Jordan, McCabe Elementary School Physical Education Teacher - $572.82 to procure "Play Panels" to create stations in support of sensory-friendly physical education.

Ann Hart - OCRS Occupational Therapist - $152 for yoga cards for K and 1st grade classroms to reduce stress and increase alertness for active learning.

Debra Hegarty and Dawn Clough, LaPerche 2nd Grade Teachers - $412.52 for microphones and sets of folk tales to enhance students' ability to read aloud with fluency and improve public speaking skills.

Jeff Macari, SHS Engineering Teacher - $598 for 3D printers to permit students to explore the design process, advanced manufacturing and rapid prototyping.

Melissa Clapprood, LaPerche Elementary School Library Media Specialist - $1,136.92 to purchase "Maker Space" stations to promote creative thinking.

Samantha Armstrong and Elizabeth Russillo, SHS Science Teachers - $1,432 to fund SeaPerche underwater robotics collaboration.  Students will design and build asubmersible robot htat will be used by students to examine marine ecosystems of narragansett Bay.

Sandra Barrette, McCabe and LaPerche Music Teacher - $495 to purchase 5 keyboards to be used by students in grades 2-4.