LYNNFIELD — The Lynnfield Educational Trust (LET) has awarded nearly $18,000 in grants to Lynnfield educators this spring.
“This year, through residents’ generous support of our Annual Appeal initiative and our Spelling Bee fundraiser, LET was able to raise $9,800 to give back to the LPS community,” said LET
Co-Presidents Kathryn Price and Erin Howard in a joint statement.
The LET awarded a Huckleberry Hill School a $3,427.21 grant that will be used to create a Chill Zone.
“This grant will help to create a private space for students to regulate their bodies and emotions,” said Price. “This space will be offered to all students at Huckleberry Hill School, and will be particularly useful for students needing private sensory breaks, quiet time, a movement break or a change of scenery to promote learning. This project reflects best practices in place nationwide and, in particular, is similar to a LET-funded ‘Chill Zone’ initiative already successfully in use at Summer Street School.”
The LET awarded Lynnfield Middle School a $750 grant that will be used for a Counselors Corner Mental Health Lending Library.
“This grant will help create a ‘lending library’ of mental health and other resources at Lynnfield Middle School,” said Howard. “This library, comprised of a bookshelf, bulletin board and a resource library, in a location offering some privacy to students, will include literature on many topics of interest to middle schoolers and those who educate them: Mental health and stress management, promoting healthy sleep habits, self-esteem, healthy friendships, etc. Staff members will publicize topics of interest monthly around the school in a collaborative effort in an effort to promote student and staff awareness of the resources that are available to them.”
The LET awarded a Pedals and Pages Grant to Summer Street, totaling $2,022.20.
“This grant will fund the purchase of two youth-sized exercise bikes with workstations attached to them for use in the Summer Street School Media Center,” said Price. “Students self-report that they are finding it difficult to sit still in order to engage in reading their books during media time. Because these bikes are equipped with desks, students will be able to cycle before and during media in order to gain as much as they can from these weekly learning opportunities. If the bikes are not in use by the Media Center students, other SSS students needing some physical activity or movement breaks will also be welcomed to use these bikes.”
The LET awarded a $1,500 grant to Lynnfield High School for a wall oven.
“This grant will fund the replacement of the wall oven at LHS that is used by students in the Differentiated Learning Program, a program that prepares students for independence as adults,” said Howard. “These students use the oven daily in order to utilize the life skills involved with preparing their own meals. In addition to meal preparation, the goal is that DLP students will also be making baked goods to add as a complement to an existing LET-funded grant project: A DLP student-run coffee cart with items for purchase by LHS staff members on Fridays.”
The LET purchased virtual reality headsets for all four schools, totaling $8,998.
“The LET is fondly calling this initiative its first-ever ‘Mega Grant’ — a one-time allocation for an impactful, enriching tool that benefits every student district-wide,” said Price. “Proposed by Lynnfield Public Schools Digital Learning Coordinator Heather Kolezar, this grant will expand upon the current use of ‘virtual reality’ headsets in our district for meaningful, engaging instruction. Through initial funding, LPS purchased 32 VR kits, including headsets and controllers, enough for one classroom to use at once. These headsets have been utilized for everything from a ‘visit to King Richard III’s house’ to a view of trench construction as it would have looked during World War I. Students at all levels and their teachers rave about these instructional tools and how the technology brings them so close to what they’re learning about. This grant will fund the purchase of 16 additional VR kits. This will allow greater access to the kits throughout our district. LET is extremely excited about being able to fund a grant that benefits every student in the district!”
The LET is a volunteer-run, community based, nonprofit which funds new and innovative projects that are outside the operating budget of the Lynnfield Public Schools.
“If you would like to learn more about LET, or donate to help us fund future grants, please check out our website: www.lynnfieldeducationaltrust.org,” said Howard.