MtV, Creekside, SHS – Through this project, English Language Learners in every school will receive additional academic support. Currently, it will serve the above three schools. It will occur in the regular classroom as interpretation/translation of content area lessons. The goals of this project are an increase in content knowledge and an increase in English language proficiency.

Creekside, Title 1 – Barton Reading System is designed to explicitly and systematically teach dyslexic students to read. Many students, even those who have not yet been diagnosed as dyslexic, will benefit from this Orton-Gillingham based approach to reading.

SMS – Focus of this package is an after school program at SMS. Tynker curriculum is used to teach students computational thinking and core computer science concepts. Students learn the fundamentals of programming found in object-oriented programming languages. Students will understand concepts such as loops and variables, repetition, conditional logic, functions, computer drawing, and music. Students will also be able to solve problems, recognize patterns, apply algorithmic thinking, and understand automation. Students will be able to understand and code using the language Javascript.

MtV, West – With this grant, headphones for computers for two elementary schools are funded. These are used both in the labs and dispersed to classrooms to replace non-working headphones. Web based learning usually requires students to use headphones, without them, online academic learning is impossible. Headphones are also required for online testing.

SHS – Spearfish High School is proud of its very successful debate team. Team members are annually chosen for the National Debate Tournament. Funding will cover partial travel expenses per student to the National Competition.

SMS – This is an annual trip for interested middle school boys to promote careers and interest in science. Middle school boys are selected to attend the Engineering Conference at the School of Mines.

SMS – This project involves the use of a research based, innovative Expanding Expression Tool (EET). The EET provides a visual and tactile link to facilitate improved language organization. Students will learn to use the EET, a color coded symbol tool, to organize vocabulary meanings in detail to describe these meanings both orally and in writing tasks. The EET will be used during speech therapy sessions as well as in the classroom when needed.

SMS – This package phases in the 3rd STEM option, Energy and Environment, and allows our STEM offerings to include all three middle school grade levels. It partners with CAMSE at BHSU, Sanford Underground Research Facility, and provides opportunity for continued and enriched exploration of career direction and potential. The Project Lead the Way middle school curriculum, Gateway to Technology, is a robust and innovative opportunity for students to experience a cutting-edge, comprehensive STEM education program. This translates to high paying, in-demand jobs, fostering and facilitating 21st century skills necessary to aggressively compete in a changing world.

SMS – In conjunction with the social studies unit on ancient Greece, Clay Dykstra, local potter, teaches a lesson on pottery and how it was used in ancient Greece as a method of storytelling, trade and for daily use. Each student is given a pound of clay to create a pottery piece; these are glazed and fired for each to keep.

MtV – This program provides leveled reading though guided reading books for FISH bags. These books are taken home overnight for shared reading time with family. This year’s FISH grant purchased books for the Mountain View kindergarten students.

SHS – Spearfish High School Knowledge Bowl Team has qualified for national competition in Chicago, IL scheduled June 6th through 8th. This grant will help cover expenses incurred for national competition.

SHS – This is a newly formed club whose purpose is to draw students from all backgrounds who are interested in music, live sound, audio and video recording, advertising and promotion, management of events. Funds will cover start up expenses and purchase of recording/live mixer and basic microphones.

SMS – This program provides a day of interaction and presentations by wildlife biologists, geologists, fisheries personal and other scientists for seventh grade students. It is a hands-on culmination of the year’s study in life science class. McNenny Fish Hatchery hosts the Science Day Camp in May.

West – Some children have difficulties regulating sensory input and can easily become distracted and disrupt classroom learning. This grant would build a sensory toolbox for two classrooms. Children will learn to self-regulate their bodies to improve academics.

SMS – Spartan Media is a flex course at SMS where students create radio broadcasts, record the daily announcements, produce original videos related to school events, and prepare audio recordings of school events for broadcast. Student created products are shared on Spartan Radio (SMS online radio station) or Spartan Media YouTube channel. This digital media provides students with hands-on practice with 21st Century Skills. Funds will allow expansion of program into an after school activity that supports the flex course.

SMS – Funds will purchase materials that would further enrich and facilitate two STEM courses at the middle school. They are, Automation & Robotics and Design & Modeling. These materials would support the classes currently taught, which occur every trimester.

SMS – This grant covers the purchase of a Lego Mindstorm robot which will allow students to practice computer programming and building. The students will have the opportunity to use the robot for their science fair projects and for FLEX time classes.

West – Reading support will target students who are not performing at grade level benchmarks. Students are selected based on screening results. These are students who are not eligible for and will not receive Title/SPED instruction, but with this program, a variety of reading opportunities will be offered to this small portion of lower achieving students not otherwise receiving these services, yet identified as grade level deficient.

SMS – The 8th grade math standards state that students will work with 3 dimensional figures. In particular, these properties extend to 3D figures such as prisms, pyramids, cylinders, spheres and cones. Mr. Termes, a internationally recognized artist, utilizes these figures in the creation of “termespheres”; his presentation reveals practical applications.

Creekside – Timez Attack is a powerful multiplication game that presents multiplication challenges to children in an environment that features rich computer graphics, quality sound effects and a fascinating adventure gaming experience which keeps kids enthralled with the game, while learning math along the way. Both pre and post tests are provided, as well as individual student progress reports to show a more detailed look into the mastery of multiplication facts. Additionally, Timez Attack contains a powerful retention component to ensure students retain their learned facts.

MtV – The TumbleBooks Deluxe package is a core collection of online e-books which includes 550 titles. Some features are animated talking picture books and books in many other languages. Books are used for reading enhancements, usage number or “book views” for the past 3 years are 13,492.

SMS – “When Clay Sings” is a FLEX mini course which will be offered in the fall and in the spring. Students will create clay pots and a story.

SMS – This is an annual trip for interested 7th grade girls to promote careers in science to young women. Girls are selected to attend the Women in Science Day presentations at the School of Mines in Rapid City.

SMS – There will be one presentation, The Rain Forest, which will visually and verbally emphasize the following Common Core Curriculum areas: social studies, science, geography, culture, history, reading and writing, art and healthy lifestyle choices. Students will be exposed to the bigger picture; a global look at society and the potential available to all of us. Presenters Junek and Thacker are natives of the Black Hills. They have bicycled and traveled through 52 countries over the last 34 years. Since 1987 more than 1.5 million students have seen their assembly programs.