In this world of digital everything, sometimes curling up with a good book makes life feel more normal, opens the imagination, and soothes the soul.  Funds will be used to purchase class copies of stellar examples of quality fiction and nonfiction and recommended reading by the Common Core Standards.  Students will have the opportunity to compare terminology in the texts, understand the mechanics of creating those visual and photographic images, and incorporate visual imagery and figurative language in their own writing.

This project will support strategies to diversify materials in a kindergarten classroom.  Books on topics such as self-esteem, recognizing and accepting differences in others, understanding various cultures in the world, and gender identity will be purchased.  These books will strengthen the social emotional learning of the students by encouraging them to show empathy for and accept others regardless of their differences.  In addition, new dolls for the doll house and block play area will ensure that all students "see" themselves in all the learning materials in the classroom.  

Wordly Wise i3000 is direct academic vocabulary instruction online.  It is an online program that enhances critical thinking and reading comprehension, while allowing teachers to adjust reading assignments to meet individual students’ needs.  Wordly Wise i3000 automatically scores practices and assessments, provides materials to use, and engages students with a plethora of games and activities.  The vocabulary learning of fourth and fifth graders will be supported through this project.

Normally a teacher would be able to show students how to hold bows and make their first sounds, but that is currently impossible.  Bow Buddies is a product that will allow students to start learning to play violin, viola, and cello from home.  This product fits onto a violin or cello bow and helps students to create a proper bow hold.  Teachers will deliver instruments pre-prepared with Bow Buddies to families and arrange zoom lessons for students. They will also create video lessons for parents to help walk their children through the process of getting started with an instrument. Supporting instruction with Bow Buddies will particularly impact those students who do not have the financial means for private lessons.

This project will provide a Foldscope (https://www.foldscope.com/) to each 7th grader at Blue Heron, and they will take them home at the end of the year. These microscopes are made of paper, but quite durable, work easily with most smartphones, and open up a whole new world to students. They inspire curiosity and enable students to investigate scientific questions. They also lend themselves to remote instruction since each student will have their own instrument.

YEA Music!
Normally a teacher would be able to show students how to hold bows and make their first sounds, but that is currently impossible.  Bow Buddies is a product that will allow students to start learning to play violin, viola, and cello from home.  This product fits onto a violin or cello bow and helps students to create a proper bow hold.  Teachers will deliver instruments pre-prepared with Bow Buddies to families and arrange zoom lessons for students. They will also create video lessons for parents to help walk their children through the process of getting started with an instrument. Supporting instruction with Bow Buddies will particularly impact those students who do not have the financial means for private lessons.

This project will expand the library of adult non-fiction books available for PTHS Social Studies students.  The books will provide an essential way for students to go deeper and explore interests in the social sciences. This year, Civics is being added to the curriculum, and with students at home the need to get current, engaging texts into students' hands is more important than ever.  This project supports acquisition of Common Core/WA State standards requiring students to read and synthesize nonfiction texts.

Forensic Science is an exciting and varied field. This grant funds books covering subjects such as anthropology, autopsy, counterfeiting and fraud, DNA, entomology, trace evidence, and toxicology that are not available in school or local libraries. Students can explore these books based on interest, and can create a book "report" in an alternative format such as Google Slides, video, poster, pamphlet, or 3D model to share what they have learned.  The goal is to spark students' interest to learn more about forensic science subjects that they care about or that they see as potential career paths and to provide alternative assessment opportunities, which is particularly important now during remote teaching and learning.

Students will have the opportunity to virtually attend writing workshops led by a professional writer who will model writing practices.  Students will write, revise, present and publish for each other and in the larger Puget Sound region in partnership with Seattle Arts and Lectures.  Objectives are to write for a wide variety of audiences with appropriate voice, message, tone, organization. Results will include public (virtual) readings, classroom publications, and authors chosen to read in Seattle.  This project will encourage Student VOICES in our community and beyond.

Currently when art students need to research visuals or a topic, they leave the art room and head to the library for approximately 10-20 minutes. iPads available for their use in the art room will allow students to remain in their art learning circles and increase their productivity.  Students who engage in digital arts and have their eyes set on such a career benefit from having reference material available in the art room, through an iPad, and with the teacher nearby to facilitate discussion. iPads would also promote research within the classroom for art history, social studies in art, or visuals to work from. For example, virtual tours are available of most museums now, worldwide, which empower students to see work that was once more difficult to access.  

With this funding, Port Townsend High School will increase college access for all students by providing all Juniors the opportunity to take the Practice SAT during the school day. This project will allow equity in access for the entire class of 2022 to practice for the 4-year college admissions test. Upon receipt of their PSAT scores, students will be granted access to free personalized practice for the SAT through the College Board website. In addition, qualifying PSAT scores will allow students to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program.

New equipment in the weight room facility will provide immediate health benefits to the students at PTHS.  Improved conditions of the weight room facility would not only increase physical activity before, during, and after school, it would also increase the interest of students seeking to improve their physical and mental health through strength training. For many of our students, the only opportunity to improve their physical and mental well-being is through the facilities at PTHS.  Weight training can not only improve our students physical and mental well- being for the present, but also for the rest of their lives. Improving the quality and safety of the current weight room facility could reduce health disparities now and in the future.

Today, most production CNC machines run on some form of CAM software and part of that production process is the ability to exchange tooling as quickly and safely as possible to minimize production time.  When students continue their education in the manufacturing trades, they will be using machines that either automatically tool change (ATC) or use power drawbars to accomplish this task. This grant will put the necessary parts on the CNC milling machines at PTHS so students can change tooling more quickly and more safely.  It will also give students additional real-world experience when using our CNC milling machines.