Sudbury Budget Update: Make Your Voice Heard!
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 The budget process for fiscal year 2010 is in
full-swing, and the town and schools are facing substantial cuts in services
and staff under a non-override budget. In February, the Board of Selectmen will
decide whether to put an override on the ballot in the spring. If the selectmen choose not to put an override
on the ballot, residents will not have
the opportunity to vote on an override this year.
To find out more about the issue the Finance Committee will hold budget hearings and discussions at Town
Hall on January 26 and 29, at 7:30 PM. For more
information about the budget, including frequently asked questions visit www.sudbury.k12.ma.us (Sudbury Public Schools), www.lsrhs.net (Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School), and www.supportsudbury.org (Support
Sudbury).
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SERF Distributes Over $28,000 in Grants
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 This past fall SERF awarded over $28,670 in educational enrichment
grants, while receiving 60% more grant requests than last year during the same time period. The increase in requests hearkens how the town of Sudbury relies more and more on outside funding sources to enable teachers to continue
serving our students to the best of their ability. These grants are funded entirely from contributions from
individuals, corporations, and special events, including Not Just Desserts and an upcoming
college fair.
Enrichment grants approved this fall include:
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
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Cooking Up a Madrigal Dinner From Scratch
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Wellness Day
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Renewed Vigor for Addressing Substance Abuse at
Lincoln-Sudbury
Curtis Middle School
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Preventing Violence Through Educational Theater
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Supporting Cello/Bass Learning in Orchestra
Haynes Elementary
- Tools for Self-Regulation
Nixon Elementary
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Portable Document Camera Teaching Station
Loring Elementary
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Wilson
Foundations Student Durable Kits for K-3 Classrooms
All Elementary
Schools
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Response to Intervention Professional
Development
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Digital Video as a Teaching Tool
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Innovative
Grants Bring Technology, Educational Theater and More to Sudbury Schools |
Innovation and creativity have always been the hallmarks of the grant requests SERF receives, and SERF funds most technology pilots in the Sudbury Public
Schools, such as the ActivBoard technology that was later
expanded with both district and PTO funding.
One of the most exciting
technology enrichment grants recently awarded by SERF this fall is a pilot program called Digital Video as a
Teaching Tool. Seventeen
teachers from the
four elementary schools and Curtis Middle School volunteered to pioneer this
new technology that can be used with the ActivBoard systems. The video cameras
enable teachers to share lessons, ideas, and best practices across the district.
Students will also have the opportunity to use the video cameras in group
projects, making this a truly comprehensive grant that reaches more
teachers and students than we can begin to count.
"This school year, besides the many requests for student educational
programs and equipment, SERF is also seeing an increasing number of
requests for professional development... "
This past fall SERF also funded a new program at Curtis called Preventing Violence through Educational Theater, which emphasizes relationship building and bullying prevention.
The content will be tailored
to each grade level, filling the need recognized by the media to
make schools a safer place.
At Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, SERF funded two programs, Wellness Day, previously been funded by the state, and Renewed
Vigor for Addressing Substance Abuse, which aim to provide students with the tools to live a good life by promoting ongoing health and
wellness awareness.
This school year, besides the many requests for student educational
programs and equipment, SERF is also seeing an increasing number of
requests for professional development, a program that was virtually
eliminated when the
override failed to pass. Professional development programs provide
teachers with new instructional techniques and
approaches that make learning more interesting and effective for
students.
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Teacher Spotlight:
Thomas Grandprey, Instrumental Music Director at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
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 Thomas Grandprey, a multiple SERF grant recipient, has taught instrumental music at L-S since 2004. In addition to
leading Orchestra, Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Combos, and Chamber
Groups, he teaches a jazz improvisation course, a guitar course, and a
songwriting course. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Minnesota and a
Masters of Music in Jazz Pedagogy from the Boston Conservatory/Berklee College of Music Collaborative Jazz Masters Program.
Here, he shares how students at LSRHS have been impacted by projects funded by SERF.
In
the Spring of 2008, SERF funded grants for a portable electronic piano and a midi guitar synthesizer for use in the classroom and performances both at L-S and off campus.
The synthesizer not only enables songwriting students to generate a host of
musical instrument sounds on their main instrument, but also provided a
guitarist the opportunity to contribute to a concert band performance by simulating a
bassoon sound. The keyboard on the portable electronic piano feels and sounds like an acoustic piano, which is more comfortable to them and translates into a higher level of
performance
"[A few years ago,] when
I proposed a course where students could learn basic piano and guitar
skills, my goal was to get a greater diversity of students involved in
making music at L-S," says Grandprey. "I felt that while we provided instruction for
traditional band, vocal, and orchestral students there was a large
segment of the student population that, if given the right environment
and encouragement, could personally benefit from making music at L-S in
a group setting. I was exhilarated when SERF funded the guitars as it meant that not only would these students have this
experience, but they could also do so with quality instruments that would help them achieve success
quicker and learn that much faster."
"SERF has provided a great service to the L-S music students, and as a
school community, we are fortunate that they are in existence and so
willing to provide funding for [such] opportunities."
Since
the guitars are acoustic electric they can be played with or without
amplification throughout the school, including a songwriting course where the students
record their compositions onto a computer program called GarageBand.
The guitars have been used in numerous settings--one was even used in a performance aspect of a
student's individual project for an English course.
"I
enjoy seeing how the students react when they open the guitar case for
the first time and see the Epiphone acoustic-electric guitars purchased with SERF funds. They are surprised and
excited, which relates
directly to their learning experience." added Grandprey. "SERF has provided a great service to the L-S music students, and as a
school community, we are fortunate that they are in existence and so
willing to provide funding for [such] opportunities," |
Education Strategies for Parents & Children
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Fostering Creativity in Children
by Judy Hansen, childcare expert and administrator of www.child-central.com
- Provide your children with an environment that will enable them to discover and play without unnecessary restraints. Encourage them to explore every possible solution to a problem.
- Acknowledge your children's unique ideas, instead of framing their
ideas to fit yours.
- Think of creative
solutions. Involve your child in brainstorming
solutions, feasible,
practical or not. What matters most is the fact that there are many
ways to "bathe a dog."
- Give your children ample time to explore many possibilities, from the more popular solutions
to the more original ones, without pressure. Inspire your children by asking
questions that will drive them to think unconventionally.
- Introduce creative hobbies, like storytelling and painting. Emphasize the importance of self-expression with an open mind to ideas. (Leaves need not always be
colored green. The prince and princess in a fairytale story need not
always appear good-looking, and cakes need not always be round in shape).
Standardized Test Study Tips
by Stephanie Lapat
SAT and Academic Tutor, former LS Teacher & current SERF board member
- Take the time to familiarize
yourself with the test. Reviewing the
SAT (or ACT) in advance will save you valuable time on the test. Even if you don't have time to take a
practice test, at least read the directions. If you're familiar with the instructions
for each section, you can go directly to answering the problems the day of the
test.
- Answer all of the questions in your own words first. So many multiple choice tests provide attractive answers they know students will like. Take
a minute to think about how you would answer the question and that will help you
go directly to the right answer, instead of being tempted to select a
smart-sounding wrong answer.
- Understand the test you are taking and how it is
scored. For example, on the SAT, you
probably don't want to guess if you can't narrow down the answer
choices. That strategy is not true of
all tests, so be sure to understand how the test you're taking works!
- Try to relax as you take the test. Over-thinking your answers can often lead to crossing out
the right choice and selecting an incorrect answer. There are some easy problems on each of these
standardized tests, so don't be afraid to pick the obvious choice because
you're worried it was "too easy!"
- While it sounds like a cliché, a good night's
sleep the night before the test is the best strategy! Being well rested enables you to stay calm,
cool and collected during the test. If
you're too tired, you may make silly mistakes.
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Past SERF-Funded
Grant Recipients
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Saturday. May 2. 2009
 6:30-8:30 PM
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School
Don't miss our 11th annual popular fundraiser!
A great community event for all ages featuring a sampling of food and beverages from the area's best restaurants, bakers, and caterers, musical performances by student groups, a "Food for Thought" silent auction, and more!For information about sponsorship, food vendor participation or volunteer opportunities contact
njd@sudburyEdResource.org |
Donate Now!
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If every
family in Sudbury donates together, imagine what a difference it will
make in our children's education!
Mail check payable to SERF and mail to:
P.O. Box 891
Sudbury, MA 01776
or donate
online by clicking on one of the two logos below
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Thank you: we appreciate your support!
________________________
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| SERF Board of Directors 2008-2009 |
Debbie Pullen,
Co-President
Karen Volo,
Co-President
Susan Goswami,
Treasurer
Karen Morgan, Clerk
Liz Blicher
Mary Brauer
Faith Chen
Karen Darmer
Maria Dawson
Mandy Familiar
Susan Ganio
Ellen Gitelman
Marisa Helgeson
Stephanie Stein
Lapat
Dawn Law
Michele MacDonald
Ruth Miller
Karen Morgan
Elizabeth Shealy
Laura Tyrrell
Kellie Watson
Lisa Weil
Beth Winograd
Carol Zais
Teresa Zuckerman
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