The arts-based interdisciplinary approach in Social Studies for fifth grades at the George M. Davis Jr. Elementary School recently received support through a $10,000 grant from the New York State Council of the Arts. The grant will be used to highlight instruction about Latin America and the Amazon Rain Forest. Through the grant fifth grade teachers will participate in training workshops at the school. Participating faculty include Constance Jackic, Jeffrey Longo, Michelle Perdoncin, Jill Cole Walker, Carmelo Bueti, Regina Talbot, Lauren Sinacore, Deirdre Sugrue-Ferrara, Susan Bouchard, and Carol Kelly.

Davis also received a grant of $2,000 from Partners for Arts Education to underwrite a Strategic Foundation Building Retreat, during which faculty will develop long-term planning and grant concepts. Also planned is a culminating activity in March, highlighting activities and student participation.

Jonathan Atlas, a fifth-grade teacher at Trinity Elementary School, was selected to receive a $800 Target Field Trip grant from Target & Scholarship America to enrich science and technology learning among his and Michael Selvaggi's fifth grade students. These two classes will engage in hands-on activities to investigate how energy is transformed through the use of machines. They will also use the process of refining and extending scientific knowledge by comparing and contrasting different types of technological advancements. The grant will also provide for the group to participate in an April 29 exhibit at the Long Island Children's Museum called "Structure & Function."

New Rochelle Public School Students picked up a tennis racquet for the first time this summer at the school districts’ Camp S.H.A.P.E. Camp S.H.A.P.E.: Sharing Healthy Awareness through Physical Education was a program designed to achieve the goals defined by the acronym; provide elementary and middle schools students from the City with an opportunity to increase their physical activity. The camp consisted of three different sports disciplines tennis, basketball or soccer. All emphasizing the importance of making healthy decisions and staying active.
The City of New Rochelle School District as part of the Carole M. White Physical Education Grant is charged with increasing the overall physical activity of the cities children. The camp provided 150 fourth, fifth and sixth grade students an experience in physical activity through this camp. USTA Eastern as part of their partnership with the school district administered the tennis program. Campers were invited to Opening Day of World Team Tennis NY Sportimes, where over 90 children received complementary racquets and watched the Sportimes earn their first home victory. Additionally, each child became official USTA members. M. Gina Allen, Director of Tennis, was impressed with the skill development of the children throughout the 5 week period and believes they are encouraged to continue playing by their new memberships.
The camp began August first with final championships for singles and doubles. The matches were close; a student from Isaac Young Middle School was the overall winner of the singles and a student from William Ward Elementary was apart of the winning doubles team. Afterwards the children had fun playing “Around the World”, victoriously beating out their camp instructors and USTA Eastern staff members. A trophy and awards picnic finished off the day.
The camp may have finished, but the talent the kids developed will certainly continue, as many of them expressed interest in future programs and camp next year.

The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded Jefferson Elementary School its Picturing America collection. The Picturing America program, which is part of NEH’s “We the People” initiative, provides qualifying schools with 40 large reproductions of art masterpieces emblematic of American history and culture. In September, Jefferson School will receive a full set of high-quality 24-by-36 inch laminated reproductions of American art and artifacts, together with a teacher resource book filled with practical ideas for using the images in its curriculum, which will be placed in the school’s library. A kick-off event is planned for the fall.

The school district will receive a $1.5-million Safe Schools grant, which we will use to in conjunction with the established Village Team coalition to provide services to students and programs and activities that promote safe and drug and alcohol-free school environments. The activities will promote positive behavior and move to prevent bullying. Community partners include the Boys & Girls Clubs, Guidance Center, BOCES, Student Assistance Services, Westchester Jewish Community Services, New Rochelle Police Department, Westchester County Departments of Probation and Community Mental Health.

The New Rochelle City School District will receive a $377,314 grant from the U.S. Department of Education to develop and implement alcohol abuse reduction programs geared toward high school students. The school district was able to secure the grant due to the active role and continued support of Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY).