HHS – Raised Bed Dye Garden
A high school art teacher utilized a grant to build a raised bed dye garden in front of the HHS art wing to grow plants used for dyeing fabric, paper, and yarn, and to make historic and cultural connections to the process by which dye is processed. The plant beds are also used as pollinator gardens for students to plant wildflowers in the summer months.

BIPOC book drive
The Education Foundation supported the BIPOC Parents of Haverford Township’s community-wide book drive to provide authors and stories written by and featuring racially diverse characters and settings for students to see themselves–and others– in their classroom and library readings. Books were purchased from Harriett’s, a Black-woman owned independent bookstore in Fishtown, and shared with all district schools.

Chestnutwold – Supplemental MTSS books for 3-5th grade students
Reading specialists at Chestnutwold used funds to enhance 3rd to 5th grade classroom libraries for use during a new instructional period.

Chestnutwold – Kidpower presentations
The Chestnutwold PTO sponsored Kidpower– a national organization that educates children with the knowledge and skills to prevent bullying, prejudice, and other unsafe situations– to visit all kindergarten and first grade classrooms.

HMS – Girls Lead program
A parent at HMS connected the school with the Women’s Resource Center to launch Girls Lead, a 12 week afterschool program for middle school girls who are selected as having promising, ‘untapped’ leadership potential.

Fifth Grade Legacy
Chatham Park’s Fifth Grade Legacy Project is a mural. Students collaborated with a professional artist to create a lasting gift to their school.

Freshwater Aquarium at HMS
With this grant, students and staff established a freshwater aquarium to enhance the 8th grade science curriculum through direct exposure to freshwater life. Students will get a first-hand look at what they have read about in science textbooks.

STEAM-Powered Mobile App Design
The HTSDEF funded the purchase of hardware and software to allow students to create digital illustrations within the HHS Mobile App course.

Moving Minds at HMS
Flexible seating options in an HMS classroom increased productivity, physical health, comfort, community, sensory input, and fun.

Chatham Park – Flexible Seating for the ELA classroom
Fifth grade teachers at Chatham Park created communal workspaces with flexible seating for all of their classrooms.

HHS – Pedal Power Charging Station
HHS students from the Applied Physics course created a pedal-powered electronic device charging station as a creative way to solve an everyday problem by applying their classroom knowledge in the real world.

HMS – Mindfulness Center
HMS created a mindfulness center in its counseling suite to provide students with an accessible calming space during the school day.

Chatham Park – Flexible seating for 1st grade classrooms

PAWS for Reading
The PAWS for Reading Program mini-grant at Lynnewood Elementary is a yearlong program designed to help children improve reading skills by reading aloud to a registered therapy dog. Children read for 15 minutes in a relaxed, one-on-one session with a lovable dog. The therapy teams read with the same students when they visit every other week to build a strong reading relationship.

Discover Day
An HTSDEF mini-grant partnership with the Haverford High School Science Academy provided support for the Second Annual Discover Day for elementary age students on November 3, 2018. Hundreds of school district families attended this free and very successful day of hands-on science discovery events, which included an inflatable planetarium, physics and chemistry demonstrations, playtime with robots and drones, painting with maggots, live animals, and more!

Breakout EDU
The Breakout EDU mini-grant awarded to HHS is the educational version of “Escape the Room.” The games require the same high interest ways to get students involved by using critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, and communication skills to solve problems and break out!

Standing Desks

At Chatham Park and Chestnutwold, students who receive supplemental learning support will now have standing desks to accommodate their unique learning needs.

Mindful School
Five Lynnewood teachers attended “Mindful School” with the goal of enhancing their Responsive Classroom initiative.

Active Seating to Enhance Active Learning
The second grade classes at Coopertown got active seating options in their classrooms.

Q-Ball Microphones
HMS purchased Q-Ball microphones to enhance student voices in the classroom and the auditorium.

Shakespeare Artists in Residence
Grant funds provided Shakespeare Theater Artists in Residence at HHS to enhance the study of Shakespeare plays in both senior English and Shakespeare elective classes.

Spiral Wishing Well
A new Spiral Wishing Well was purchased and used at Discover Day and in IPS & AP Physics classrooms as an example of circular motion and rotation dynamics.

Classroom Engineering and Architectural Drafting Tools
Students in the STEM Physics class at HHS use new engineering and architectural drafting supplies to design blueprints of and then create, test, modify, then retest their own prototypes of cars, radios, planes, bridges, and alternative energy sources. Many of these students then use the innovations they have learned from this STEM class in other classes or clubs like Science Olympiad and Robotics.

Full STEAM Ahead with Ozobot Bit
The Ozobot Bit is a miniature robotic device that encourages student participation in computer science, coding, and STEAM activities. During the after-school robotics club at Chatham Park, students created OzoCodes to facilitate the movement of the robot through user-generated mazes and challenges. After an initial introduction to coding, students begin devising line-based programming with Ozobot and progress to building code commands with the block-like interface of OzoBlockly. Once students have mastered color codes and blocks, they advance to creating their own coding pathways. Ozobot Bit also fosters problem-solving skills and collaborative innovations.

Random Acts of Science
To expand learning even into the hallways, some display cases at HHS received interactive science exhibits with buttons on the outside of the glass that make things happen! Buttons may cause an object to fall and start a chain reaction … or turn on a pump that fills a container with water or ultraviolet light to demonstrate a scientific principal. With each of these events, students can predict an outcome then actually test that prediction. These interactive demonstrations are changed regularly to keep students thinking about science while outside the classroom.

Ready, Set, Program! Learning with Blue-Bots
Lynnewood students learn programming with Blue-Bots – small robots children can program and control from a tablet, a PC, or a TacTile Reader. Blue-Bots teach children sequencing, directionality, problem-solving, counting, and estimation. They are a fantastic way to build the students’ STEM skills while also having fun. The possibilities of how to use these robots to enhance the curriculum are endless.

Full STEAM Ahead at Chestnutwold

Full STEAM Ahead adds science, technology, engineering, art, and math activities at each grade level at the Chestnutwold Elementary School. Staff members choose one, unifying STEAM theme for the year and each grade level participates in four to five projects related to the theme. The themed projects become real with a 3D printer purchased as part of the grant. Full STEAM Ahead is a cooperative grant requested by three teachers at Chestnutwold.

Haverford Jazz Residency
The Jazz Artist-in-Residence visits the school district for eight days from December through March, working closely with the students and directors of the music department’s five jazz ensembles at HMS and HHS. During each visit, the musician works with jazz students in rehearsals, private lessons, and sectionals. The artist also performs at an assembly for the student body at HMS, HHS, and at least one district elementary school. The residency concluded with the Evening of Jazz on March 3, 2017.

How to Build A Storm at Lynnewood
The Franklin Institute brought its “How to Build a Storm” show to Lynnewood at the end of the weather unit for all 98 first graders. They learned and saw the water cycle, thermodynamics, air masses, and fronts in the unit and during this live demonstration of weather concepts in action.

Simple & Powered Machines
Lynnewood Elementary purchased the Simple and Powered Machines Classroom Pack by Lego to allow fourth and fifth graders to participate in an afterschool club to design, engineer, test, and modify more than 14 different simple (and not-so-simple!) machines. Fifth grade students begin the Motion and Design Science unit in the spring (as per the district curriculum) and the club will dovetail nicely with classroom learning activities.  Fourth grade club members are introduced to the work they will do the following year.

“Water” You Good For?
Science teachers and students at HHS found out exactly what a BRS 6-stage Universal Water Saver Plus RO/DI System is good for across the science curriculum. They were able to purify water in school for all experiments. The grant applicant, for example, needs purified water for a reef aquarium being installed in a science classroom at HHS. Just as the residents of Flint, Michigan could not drink the local water due to containments, many organisms will not survive in water containing elevated levels of chlorine and chloramines.

Chestnutwold Classroom Economy
Students learn valuable life and math skills from their own classroom economy. Designed to model real-world economic activity, students earn a weekly salary from classroom jobs, budget money, make spending decisions, and balance personal checking accounts. They use a decision-making model to make consumer decisions and learn the importance of saving money. In addition, the classroom economy will be the basis for lessons on consumer behavior and the effects of supply and demand and inflation on an economy. They also learn to use Excel software to track personal spending and economic trends. The Chestnutwold classroom economy also will be woven into the social studies and math curriculum.

Inquiry-based “Coral-ation”
Science teachers and students at HHS designed, stocked, and maintained a marine-reef aquarium. The marine reef aquarium is not a fish tank of the past but a technically driven, scientific endeavor that will provide limitless opportunities for inquiry-based learning. From engineering the filtration system, water circulation, and lighting in the tank to the chemistry of water quality to the biology of the livestock chosen, students have hands-on opportunities to apply scientific principles to sustain life in the reef for years to come.

National Science Honor Society Coming to HHS
To encourage and develop scientific literacy and excitement, HHS started a chapter of the National Science Honor Society. In the first year, this student-run group reached out to area colleges, universities, and professional organizations to invite guest speakers to the high school to speak about science, technology, and engineering. In the future, the society will sponsor events such as a Maker Fair or Invention Convention to work with elementary and middle school students during a day of lectures and demonstrations and workshops to create inventions.

Active Bodies, Active Minds in Primary Learning Support Classroom, Coopertown

HTSDEF helped teachers to provide different seating choices in their classrooms which helped special needs students to better engage in classroom lessons.

These Boots are Made for Learning, HHS
HTSDEF provided 30 pairs of rubber boots allowing students to “comfortably” research the freshwater ecosystems at Karakung Creek. These boots permit students to safely enter the water of the ecosystem and observe the ecological interactions among species first-hand.

Improving the Water Distillation System, HHS
A water distillation station is used by both chemistry and biology departments to prepare for daily classroom experiments. Currently, funds are allocated to purchase distilled water in gallon aliquots. Distillation done on site will not only save money but add a level of convenience for both faculty and students. More than 400 students in these courses will benefit.

Wireless Projector for Visually Supporting Student Engagement, HHS
HTSDEF funded the purchase of a wireless projector for the itinerant Speech and Language teacher to help increase the understanding of language, environmental expectations, and to provide structure and support for individuals with special needs. Students will be engaged in multisensory learning and teamwork – a skill high school students will need as they enter the world of volunteerism or supported employment in a few years.

Visually Supporting Student Engagement using a Document Camera, HHS
A document camera allows groups of students to view each other’s work and comment on it to develop positive thinking as well as self and group editing.

Inclusion of a 3-D Printer in Science Studies
The 3-D printer brings essential topics literally to life in Anatomy & Physiology when students are able to create and hold the life-size bones of middle ear as well the muscles of a human face and arm. With a 3-D printer, the HHS science department is able to maintain five Disarticulated plastic skeletons – an important part of the Skeletal System unit in Anatomy & Physiology.

Chatham Park Elementary School “Outdoor Classroom”
Fourth and fifth-grade seminar students created an enclosed outdoor learning environment that every teacher in the school is able to use for a variety of outdoor teacher and learning opportunities. The project is an extension of the seminar’s architecture unit and offers students an opportunity to reinforce math skills, problem solving, cooperative learning, and teamwork. The grant was used to help cover the costs of landscaping fencing and a stage area.

Magnetic Letters for First Graders
Coopertown School’s first graders receive help with learning their letters and letter sounds and to reinforce word identification and spelling using their new magnetic letters. Students use the letters throughout the entire school year in small group learning centers and will be used by students for many years in the future.

Mentor and Reading Buddy Program
The goal of this program is to improve delivery of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and enhance current Chestnutwold School programs. The grant gave students the opportunity to engage in research-based, team-building activities that includes special materials and a Mindfulness Schools’ trainer from the University of Pennsylvania to cultivate and encourage meaningful connections across the school community as well as positive interactions among students and faculty.

First Grade STEM Learning Centers
Lynnewood first graders were introduced to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) through learning center activities, giving young students an opportunity to develop skills in these four areas while encouraging teamwork, critical thinking, and problem solving. Children learn to think like real scientists and engineers using reusable kits that will continue to be used in the classroom for years to come.

ComicCon at Haverford Middle School
Working in conjunction with the Haverford Township Free Library, the Haverford Middle School was the site of the third annual Comic Con. The goal of this family event centered on graphic arts for students of all ages with the main goal of helping to educate students in the benefits of writing and drawing through the use of comic art. This was achieved by hosting a convention floor where students drew directly with artists. In addition to the more than 20 creators we hosted, there was a range of workshops and panels aimed at discussing self-improvement in art and writing. The grant allowed the event to improve the educational quality of the panels and workshops offered.

Coopertown’s Truly Magic Garden
Students are excited about growing vegetables at Coopertown Elementary School – made possible by a grant from the HTSDEF. Coopertown School’s counselor, Marisa Woodworth was awarded a $1,000 mini-grant that allowed the school to bring an indoor, vertical gardening system into the lobby in March. The garden provides an opportunity for students to become aware of a unique method of food production and the benefits of healthy eating.

By operating on a timed grow light and water pump system, the hydroponic garden produces a bounty of fresh, high-quality produce, growing right before the students’ eyes! Currently kale, basil, sage, dill, chives, scallions, arugula, cilantro, spinach, and variety of lettuces are growing at the school.

This project has increased students’ interest in eating healthy food and vegetables. As students watch delicious produce grow right inside their school, they gain a greater awareness of the elements of a healthy diet. The garden will continue to be incorporated into the learning environment by helping students identify the need for healthy food choices, the importance of eating “living food” to stay healthy and grow strong, and the global necessity to reduce the carbon footprint.

Lynnewood Begins New Project & Enhances Technology
The Lynnewood Elementary School has been awarded a $30,000 empowerment grant to increase the number of iPads available for student use and to provide stimulating and educational after-school programming for almost all its 585 students at no charge. After soliciting ideas from nearly every Lynnewood family and all Lynnewood teachers, the committee recognized most respondents focused on these two ways to improve school life.

According to the winning application, the study of math, language arts, science, and social studies will be enhanced by the cutting-edge technology that iPads bring. The iPads also will be used by music, art, and physical education teachers.

When the after-school clubs get underway, the variety will include Learning Lab, Crafty Kids, Readers Theater Club, Coding Club, Get Movin’ (an exercise program), and Drama Club. Most importantly, these after-school clubs will be offered at no charge so all students can participate regardless of a family’s financial situation.

They’ve Got Power! Empowerment Grant Funds HHS Solar Power Project
Haverford High School’s first solar-energy learning project will shine thanks to a grant from the HTSDEF. This solar project will also generate kilowatts to offset a bit of the high school’s electrical costs. Reducing the school’s carbon footprint will become an important part of the science curriculum along with hands-on scientific research into renewable energy. The $30,000 Empowerment Grant will cover the purchase and installation costs of two arrays of solar panels.

This learning project will be integrated in the science curriculum across all grade levels. A live readout, which can be viewed from any computer in the building, will give students real-time display of energy generated from the sun all day long. Almost every science class in the school’s curriculum from the ninth-grade introductory classes to environmental science classes and Advanced Placement Physics and Biology, will use the renewable energy project.

iPads in the World Language Classroom

HMS added iPads and apps to world language classes.

Increasing Hydration and Reducing Waste
Funding for the Interact and AWARE clubs at the high school to purchase and install a water bottle refilling station.

Wireless Presenters for Sixth Grade

HMS bought technology to allows teachers to move more freely about the classroom.

Books: The Magic is Real

Manoa provided an assembly program performed by magician Joe Romano promoting literacy by making it fun and interactive.

Don’t Scrub the Inquiry … just the Dishes!

Funding to purchase and install a shared department dishwasher to safely clean scientific glassware and equipment used in science labs.

Growth of the Environmental Club
Funding aided in the growth and development of the student-run environmental club at Manoa.

The Little Listening Library
Provided Manoa and Chatham Park with digital audiobooks.

Technology in the Mathematics Classroom

HMS bought 20 additional TI-34 Multi View calculators for use in 7th grade math classes as well as an iPad for classroom use.

Tools for A STEM Classroom

The high school purchased tools required for real world projects in the new STEM class (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

Update HMS Production Studio

HMS replaced failing and inadequate equipment currently in use to improve the quality of broadcasts.

3D Printing

HMS purchased one of the first 3D printers in the district. Students will design small items that will be printed in a 3D format.

iPad in the Science Classroom

Additional iPads allowed students to engage in hands-on activities such as Project Noah for cataloging and sharing data and images on ecosystems.

TI-Nspire and Enhancing Student Learning

Enabled the teachers of the HHS’ AP Calculus BC to purchase a set of TI-Nspire calculators.

3D Printing & Video Presentations – HHS

2nd Grade Published Writers – Chatham

Girls R.U.L.E. – HMS

Haverford Jazz Residency Campaign – HHS

5th Grade -Document Camera – Chatham

Ready, Set, Parent! – Chestnutwold

Getting Up Close and Personal… – HHS

White Boards in the Classroom – HHS

Sea-ing is Believing – HHS

StoryBook Gardens – Lynnewood

First Grade Literacy Centers – Lynnewood

Social Emotional Development through iPad – Coopertown

Learning Labowitz – Chestnutwold

Interactive learning with a smartboard – Manoa

Technology Focus – HHS

Using IPad to promote Literacy for at-risk kids – Coopertown

Digital Learners:The Next Generation – Coopertown

Second Grade Book Club – Coopertown

Have you filled your bucket? – Lynnewood

Interactive Learning with a Smart Board – Manoa

Middle School Robotics Club – HMS

Accomodating Written Expression – Manoa

Sensory Management – Manoa

Literacy Centers-Interactive & Differential – Manoa & Chestnutwold

Literacy Centers-Providing Hands on Learning – Chestnutwold

Using iPad to Improve Communcations Skills – HHS & Coopertown

Book Band – HMS

Manoa Garden – Manoa

One Book, One Class – HHS

Native Garden – HHS

One System Assessment – Lynnewood

Artist in Residence-Mural – Chestnutwold

Books for Everyday Math – Chestnutwold

MP3’s for Reluctant readers – Lynnewood

Audio Books for Reluctant Readers – Lynnewood

Science Olympiad – HHS

Using Real Literature – Lynnewood

Read 180 Audio Books – HMS

Reading Olympics – Manoa

Elementary School Musical – Manoa

Haverford Aware – HHS

Literacy Backpacks – Lynnewood

Fit2Learn – Coopertown

Best Buddies – HHS

Practice makes Perfect – HHS

Supplemental Vocal Library – HHS

WHHS Radio link to H-Vision /community – HHS

ELMO – HMS

Artist in Residence–Labyrinth – Lynnewood

Phonological Awareness – Lynnewood

Manoa Morning News – Manoa

Author Visit by Julianna Baggot – HMS

Chestnutwold TV Station – Chestnutwold

Read Naturally Summer Reader Kits – Chestnutwold

Making Math Meaningful with Picture Books – Lynnewood

Author Visit by Dan Gutman – Chestnutwold, Lynnewood, Manoa, Coopertown, Chatham

Healthy Times – Chestnutwold

NASA Science Club – Chatham

Yoga-Kids – Lynnewood

Artist in Residence-Fabric Art – Lynnewood

Art in Classroom – Lynnewood

Club Isis – HMS

Bone Boxes – HHS

Mosaic Mural: “Spirit of Chestnutwold” – Chestnutwold

“Let the Sun Shine In!”: Composting & Solar Production – HHS

Funnersize for Kindergarten – Chestnutwold

Celebrities Read – Lynnewood/Manoa

Integrating Digital Media – HHS

Evening of Jazz – HHS

Robotics – HMS

Community Garden – Chestnutwold

How Far Did You Walk? – Chestnutwold

It IS Easy Being Green – Coopertown

Artist in Res, Photography – Lynnewood

Science Week – Manoa

Fordian—Photography instruction – HHS

Interact—Plastic recycling – HHS

Funnersize – Lynnewood, Coopertown

Life Cycle of a Plant – Lynnewood

How Plants Grow – Coopertown

Plant Propagation – Chestnutwold

Art Careers! Zoom! – HHS

Biggs and Littles – Lynnewood

Heritage Festival – HHS

Career Ed with Visiting Artists – HHS

Kindergarten Audiences – Chestnutwold,Lynnewood

Motion and Design – Coopertown

Poetry Workshop – Coopertown

Read It Forward – Lynnewood

Why Numbers Count – Coopertown

Women in History – Coopertown

Yellow Ribbon – HHS

You, too, have an absolutely true story to share – Chestnutwold

Cultural Exploration – HHS

Artist in Residence – Lynnewood

Funnersize – Chatham

Environmental Education – HHS

Reading Comprehension, 9th Grade Academy – HHS

Author Visit – HMS

I-Photo Book – Chestnutwold

Lenape Tribe Assembly & Activities – Coopertown

Spanish Assembly – HHS

Adopt a Soldier – HHS

A Picture Says 1,000 words – Coopertown/highschool

Recess Improved – Manoa

King Tut Audio Tour – Coopertown

Quiet Riot perform on conflict resolution – Coopertown

One School/One Book – Lynnewood

Author Program/Artist in Residency – Lynnewood

Family Resource Center – Lynnewood

Weather Project – Lynnewood

Recess Monitors – Chestnutwold/Oakmont

Flex Workshop-Classroom Management – HHS

French/ Philadelphia Cultural Connection – HHS

Reading Mentor – HHS

Etiquette/Manners Program – Coopertown/IU

Reading Instruction – Lynnewood

Integrated Pest Management project – HHS