The Lyme Old Lyme Education Foundation (LOLEF) has announced three Fall 2014 grant awards.
The Education Foundation is awarding $5,800 to Michelle DeSarbo, Children’s Librarian at the Old Lyme Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, and Karen Pasiuk, K-5 Math Specialist in the Region 18 Schools to fund a three-year pilot project: a math learning center, or “Number Nook”, within the children’s section of the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library. The math learning center will serve to support both the summer and year-round math programming for Lyme/Old Lyme students in K to 5th grade.
The foundation also gave $3,390 to Thelma Halloran, art teacher at the Lyme Old Lyme Middle School, for “Spring Into Arts”, a school-wide event held every three years at the middle school. On Friday, April 10, 2015, each student in grades 6 through 8 will be able to choose from over 20 workshops presented by professional and amateur artists from around the state. The students will be actively engaged in creating, viewing, and talking about art. The program’s goal is to inspire a lifelong interest in and appreciation for all kind of art.
Finally, Patty Cournoyer, Olivia Hersant, and Wendy Wilke, will receive $3,695 to pilot a program to reinforce the academic benefits of movement. These funds will allow them to purchase five different alternate-movement-based classroom furniture prototypes for two classrooms (one health classroom and one academic classroom). Compelling research suggests that this type of seating will increase the students’ capacity to focus and learn in a fairly sedentary environment.
The LOLEF is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization established in 2006 to support and enhance public education in our community. The Foundation is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors and supported by an advisory group of members of the community. The Foundation seeks to raise and distribute