Showered with confetti are, seated from left, teachers Carly Carlough, Meghan Zigmond, Danna Alcorn, Pete Barello, Gay DeMontel and Marilyn Cook; and, standing, from left, Port Aransas Education Foundation board members Melissa Tallent, Mike Garlough and Shannon Vanorman as the foundation awarded grants to teachers on Tuesday, April 12.
H.G. Olsen Elementary School students wave pom-poms while celebrating grant awards to teachers by the Port Aransas Education Foundation. Students and teachers gathered at Doyle Marek Gym at Port Aransas High School for the award announcements on Tuesday, April 12.
“The generosity of our community is simply amazing,” Associate Superintendent Sharon McKinney said. “The grants awarded by PAEF to our teachers and staff members encourages innovation in teaching and learning that benefits all students.”
According to PAEF president Wendy Moore, the foundation gave more grant money to Port Aransas ISD than in any past years. Last year, the foundation awarded $153, 867.68.
“We also appreciate the grants that fund the expansion and enhancement of existing programs such as the Mentoring Marlins program that began in January,” McKinney said. “The PAEF funding of professional development opportunities such as iPadpalooza, coaching clinics and Advanced Placement conferences allows our teachers and coaches to learn the most up-to-date strategies and techniques to help all students learn and excel.”
The money raised by PAEF was primarily collected last year at the foundation’s annual Fiesta in October event where more than $190,000 was raised.
“I look forward to seeing the results of these opportunities afforded to us by PAEF!” McKinney said.
PAHS history teacher Pete Barello had the most grants approved, with eight totaling $9,362.87.
Teachers receiving grants by PAEF included:
BMS teacher Danna Alcorn for a seventh-grade history class field trip to the Alamo in San Antonio, $1,561.
OES teacher Gretchen Baughman for a program called Listening Center for second grade classrooms, $ 623.67, bean bags for second grade classrooms, $281.28, and a rug for a second grade classroom, $409.
PAHS band director Jim Cole and Terry Davidson for high school band formal wear, $5,740.
OES teachers Heather Collins and Merry Canion for software called iStation Diff Math (learning/teaching tools), $672 and software called iStation Diff Reading (learning/teaching tools), $885.
OES te a cher Mar i – lyn Cook for a program called Language Scientists, $2,843.65, and an author visit, $3,006.26.
OES teacher Gay DeMontel for the fifth-grade class to attend the symphony, $1,800.
OES teacher Sharon Dignum for history club items, $2,000.
PAHS tennis coach Vic Dimon for a coach clinic, $325.
PAHS teacher Ginger Jones for high school English books, $1,200.
BMS associate principal and baseball coach James Garrett for Project Purple, $1,250, an iPad, $1,124, and a coach clinic, $250.
PAHS teacher Bob Grosse for a shop revitalization project, $5,000.
PAHS teacher Ter r y Hale for a plasma cutter for shop class, $7,725.74 and a torchmate for shop class, $9,741.98.
PAHS teacher Nona Hendricks for math journals, $700.
Renee Hillis for a double deck oven for the cafeteria, $7,080.
A coaches’ clinic for basketball coaches, $2,117.46.
PAHS basketball coach Kris Jones, for a basketball shooter tool, $5,000.
PAHS teacher Laurie Barello for eighth grade computers, $4,750, and AP review materials, $1,000.
OES pr inc ipal Gina McKeever for a flamenco dancing presentation at OES, $3,300.
OES teacher Cindy Moats for OES spelling bee materials, $239.
PAHS teacher Pete Barello for a PAHS USS Lexington field trip, $959, dual-credit textbooks, $2,514.37, AP world history textbooks for, $1,018.50, software called Learnerator for AP World History, $800, an AP summer seminar, $1,302, a new TV in the PAHS foyer, $1,948, a program called Coin Quest, $700, and a Chrome bit computer, $120.
BMS teacher Michelle Parker for a student council conference, $1,816.
BMS teacher Lia Phillips for a program called Elmo/ Gizmos, $4,451.99 and a scientist in residence program, $2,000.
PAHS teacher Ryan Piwetz a program called It’s In The Game, $1,346, a program called Survey Says!, $2,285, a Maker and AP Supplies, $2,756.
PAHS teachers Ryan Piwetz and Valerie Martinez for a program called Picture This, $4,726.84.
PAISD nurse Melissa Ramsden for a vision-screening tool, $7,800.
PAISD athletic director Steve Reaves for GPS watches for cross country team, $3,725.60, an iPad Pro, $887.99, and a coaches’ clinic for, $688.
PAHS teacher Danny Reyes for makeup mirrors for the theater arts class, $2,101.48.
OES teacher Katy Spofford for an application called Osmo for the kindergarten classes, $297.
OES teacher Amanda Tipps for a grant called Bouncy Bands for a fifth grade classroom, $647.50.
PAHS teacher Maria Truan and counselor Danny Welch for classroom computers, $4,550.
PAHS teacher Valerie Martinez for a program called Creativity Space, $4,300.
PAHS teachers Piwetz and Martinez for a program called Idea Lab, $3,718.24.
PAHS teacher Valerie Martinez and counselors Pam Cartwright and Welch for the Marlin Mentoring program funding, $1,500.
PAISD librarian Pam Voyles for a grant called MakerSpace, $4,860, sewing class supplies, $700, a TCEA (Texas Computer Education Association) conference, $1,927, and Lego Club supplies, $1,480.
PAHS teacher Gregorio Juarez and Welch for Rosetta Stone Spanish software, $998.
OES teachers Meghan Zigmond and Carly Carlough for robots for pre-kindergarten through first grade, $657.59.
Multiple staff members teacher conferences/seminars, $16,000.
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