Simpson Foundation Educational Grants

Program Overview 2014-2015

Purpose
Educational Grants enable the Foundation to make a direct impact to students by
fulfilling needs identified by Simpson Middle School faculty and staff.
Description
Each year the Simpson Foundation Board of Directors will budget a specific dollar
amount for Faculty and Staff grants. Grant applications will be accepted and
evaluated three times per year: May 30th, Sept. 12th, and Jan. 9th.
The Board will designate an evaluation committee comprised of Board members,
including one member of the school administration and up to three at-large
foundation members. Grant applications will be reviewed, evaluated and prioritized
according to the criteria that follows. Grants may be declined or approved in whole
or in part.
In the unlikely case that no applications are received or no applications are deemed
to have sufficiently met the evaluation criteria, then it is appropriate that the Board
award no grants for the year.
Application Guidelines

All grant requests must be submitted on an official grant request form.

Faculty and Staff requesting a grant must be current members of the Simpson
Foundation.

Grant forms may be returned in hardcopy to the Foundation mailbox in the

Media Center (to the attention of the Foundation President) or by email to
president@simpsonfoundation.net.

Faculty or Staff requesting grants may expect a response from the committee
within approximately 30 days following the application deadline.

Grants must be redeemed in the school year in which they are approved or
are considered to be forfeited.

Faculty or Staff members who are awarded a grant shall agree to provide
input to Foundation communications showcasing the purpose and benefits of
educational grants.

Evaluation Criteria
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Successful grant requests will be considered to have reasonably addressed the

following criteria.

Alignment with Foundation mission: The request must fall within the mission
of the Foundation; to ensure a world-class education through enhanced
educational opportunities that cannot be funded through existing avenues of
district support. This includes, but is not limited to, educational software,
technical equipment, curriculum materials and continuing education.

Scholastic Impact: If the request is fulfilled, in what ways will it help students
achieve and exceed established standards?

Innovation: How does the request allow for innovative approaches to learning
and preparing students for a more dynamic world?

Scope of benefits: Who and how many will benefit from the project? Can it
serve as a model for others in the future? How will other teachers be
informed about the use or availability of the requested item?

Duration of benefits: How will the request, if fulfilled, provide a sustainable or

recurring benefit in future years?

Direct benefit: To what extent does the project directly impact students and
student learning?

Other Means: Can the requestor meet the goal or objective through other
means?

Commitment by grant requestor: Does the requestor agree to train and

share his/her knowledge with other staff?

Foundation Resources: Can the request be funded in whole, or logically in

part, by approved Foundation resources?

Educational Grant Application Form

For School Year 2014-2015
Instructions:
The deadlines for grant applications are May 30, 2014, Sept. 12, 2014, and Jan. 9,
2015 respectively.
Your application may be returned in hardcopy to the Foundation mailbox in the
Media Center (to the attention of the Foundation President) or by email to
president@simpsonfoundation.net.
Requestor's
Name
Date

Austin Smith

Please provide a
brief description
of your request.
Total amount
requested
(including sales tax,
shipping, etc as
appropriate)

I would like to purchase two GOPRO HERO3+ Silver

Edition camera bundles for use with students in the
STEM technology program.
$641.98 (free shipping via BestBuy.com)

July 30, 2014

To assist the Foundation committee in reviewing your request, please

provide your supporting comments for each criterion as set forth in the
program overview.
Alignment with Foundation mission: How does this request support the
Foundation's mission to ensure a world-class education through enhanced
educational opportunities that cannot be funded through existing avenues of district
support. (This includes, but is not limited to, educational software, technical
equipment, curriculum materials and continuing education.)
This request will allow for students in the STEM Technology and
Engineering class to have ready access to both a digital and a still camera
for use when completing projects and presentations. The ability to
incorporate their original photographs and video in presentations to the
class will allow for students to increase the levels of creativity in their
projects and presentations.
Scholastic Impact: If the request is fulfilled, in what ways will it help students
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achieve and exceed established standards?

Fulfillment of the request will allow for students to access higher order
thinking skills through creativity, analysis and judgment. Students will be
able to practice evaluating the photos or videos that are required to
enhance their products and presentations. Additionally, the unique
capabilities of the GoPro camera will allow for technology teachers to use
the camera to create first person point of view videos for flipped
classroom instruction.
Innovation: How does the request allow for innovative approaches to learning and
preparing students for a more dynamic world?
In a world of 21st century skills, students will be expected to create
projects, products, and presentations that include and incorporate
multimedia such as photographs and videos. This camera will allow
students to practice completing those products, projects, and
presentations. The first person point of view capabilities of the camera
would also allow students to create first-person videos explaining
processes to their peers. This ability would allow for students to practice
skills in technical thinking, technical writing, and communication. Such
skills are at a premium in the modern business and work environment.
Scope of benefits: Who and how many will benefit from the project? Can it serve as
a model for others in the future? How will other teachers be informed about the use
or availability of the requested item?
The project will mainly benefit students in the STEM Technology and
Engineering classes. These classes include approximately 180 students
each in the seventh and eighth grades and up to 300 students in the sixth
grade. Students in the Technology and Engineering classes encompass all
demographics in the school including African American, Asian, Multiethnic, students with disabilities, and students from low socio-economic
backgrounds. The project can also serve as a model to other teachers and
administrators through using the camera to create and share professional
development videos with other members of the staff. Additionally, other
teachers would be encouraged to come into the technology classes and
observe the use of the camera to encourage them to use similar
technologies in their classrooms as well. Teachers will be informed of the
availability of the camera through faculty meetings and through informal
interactions at the school.
Duration of benefits: How will the request, if fulfilled, provide a sustainable or
recurring benefit in future years?
Due to the active design and nature of the GoPro camera, the request will
provide a sustainable benefit for several years. Students will have the
opportunity to use a camera that represents one of the most popular
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advances in camera technology. The waterproof and shockproof aspects of

the camera will also help to guard against accidental drops and spills that
might occur during its use.

Direct benefit: To what extent does the project directly impact students and student
learning?
The project directly impacts students and student learning through direct
student use of the camera. While the camera will be used to create point
of view videos for use in classroom and flipped classroom lessons, the
main use of the camera will be for students to take photos and create
videos for use in projects, products, and presentations. Through those
processes, they will develop skills in the arts, in assessment of visual and
multimedia products, and in presenting information to their peers and to
adults.

Commitment by grant requestor: If appropriate, do you agree to train and share

your knowledge with other staff?
I agree, and look forward to sharing the project and the knowledge that
comes from it with my colleagues and other members of the staff. I plan to
utilize the camera to create professional development videos for other
staff members. I also plan to provide guidance to other staff on the use of
the camera in their own classrooms as well as lesson plan ideas for the
use of the camera.