Education foundation helps public schools

Fairfield teachers can?t say enough good things about the support they receive from the Education Foundation of Fairfield Public Schools Inc.

?We love the foundation,? said Suzanne Kurth, a fourth-grade teacher at Washington Elementary School. ?We are so fortunate to have it.?

The 13-year-old foundation promotes excellence in education by distributing private funds through grants to teachers. The teachers use the money to purchase items that help enhance students? learning opportunities, encourage creative and innovative educational programs.

Shawna Dickey, a first-grade teacher at Washington school, said the Fairfield school district is good at providing the classroom necessities, but an education today is not just paper and pencil.

?There?s a lot of things that can help enhance what you?re teaching,? she said.

Dickey and fellow first-grade teacher Jamie Riefsteck said they have purchased science tubs with foundation grant funds.

The eight tubs each focus on a different subject, like weather, and are hands-on, self-searching learning activities that also require reading and writing.

?They are a ton of fun,? said Dickey, adding that curriculum director Marci Dunlap is researching the tubs as a pilot program for the district?s curriculum.

?We just did without when I first started teaching,? said Julie Hanshaw, a fourth-grade teacher at Washington Elementary School. But now, with the help of the foundation, she has been able to purchase items that will benefit students for years to come.

?I?m still using things I received from the foundation 10 years ago,? Hanshaw said.

Kurth is anxious to put the new MimioVote system purchased by the education foundation to use in her classroom.

The handheld devise, which looks similar to a game controller, has many uses, including quick assessments. Kurth explained if students are working on a lesson, she can have them answer questions by pushing buttons on the devise. Their responses immediately show up on her computer so she can see if students really understand or if she needs to re-enforce the lesson.

?I?m excited to see what else we can use them for ? like voting,? said Kurth. ?They?re a nice edition to my classroom.?

?The education foundation gives teachers a chance to dream a bit,? she continued.

For the complete article, see the Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2010, printed edition of The Fairfield Ledger.