Naugatuck Education Foundation Improves Schools Through Grants

Second graders at Salem Elementary School are using iPads to make movies and write reports based upon stories they’ve read.

City Hill Middle School students are using high-tech Apple MacBook Pro laptops to create an online news site.

Andrew Avenue School is creating a community garden and outdoor classroom to expand learning throughout the summer months.

These are among the ways in which the Naugatuck Education Foundation is helping to enhance learning opportunities for children in the community. Last week, the foundation awarded  $10,000 in grants – five times as much as it did last year – to five school programs throughout the district.

“Last year, we gave five, $500 grants, and this year we were able to raise a significant amount more to fund great programs,” said Matt Fortney, one of the NEF directors. “We’re trying to find a way to empower teachers to do more for the students in town without raising taxes.” 

The following grants were awarded this year:

• $4,500 to Andrew Avenue Elementary School for community garden and outdoor classroom
• $3,140 to City Hill Middle School to upgrade and maintain school’s online news site
• $700 to Hillside Intermediate School for Epic Tales After School Program in which students create stores in teams
• $1,000 to Western Elementary School for early success for school which allows incoming kindergarten students to go to the school, interact with other students and teachers, and give parents information on literacy
• $650 to Salem Elementary School for iPad for Book Tales Book Club

See Patch video and photos above.

Read more on the Naugatuck Citizen's News website.