grants awarded in 2015-2016

Performance Sound System

Payne was awarded a grant to purchase a Sound System that would be used for Spirit Assemblies when the entire student body is gathered and student acheivement and accomplishments are celebrated. It would also be used during the Starting Arts performances, PBL projects and other school events.

Design Thinking through Sewing in Kindergarten

This grant was used to provide a permanent Maker Kit which could be used for all students in the future. The students learned the process and skills involved in sewing a three-dimensional object. The project addressed the Kindergarten Life Science Standard. This project was conducted through their STEAM Lab.

grants awarded in 2014-2015

Bilingual Library

A grant of $3000 was awarded to establish a Bilingual Book Library that will allow parents to come-in and check-out a bilingual book to read to and with their child. The goal is to increase parent engagement in their child’s education. It will help children reinforce their reading, speaking and comprehension skills. It will give parents the opportunity to be able to read in Spanish and English with their child. Because many of our parents don’t read English, they will be able to look at the Spanish text in the book to support and encourage their child’s English reading.

This grant won the most innovative grant submitted to MEF for the school year 2014-15.

grants awarded in 2013-2014

Support to implement Scholastic Reading Counts

Scholastic Reading Counts(SRC) is an integral part of the language arts program at Payne, and is especially important in supporting learners with challenges. Through this program, struggling students have a Lexile-based independent reading program that tracks their successes, and creates an individualized and engaging reading environment.

  Currently, students access the SRC program on computers. With the grant, Payne will be able to add additional points of student access to the SRC program through the use of iPads.  Increased accessibility to the program will enable students to make better progress on individual reading goals. Both administrators and teachers would be able to use current data to better inform instruction.

 MEF is proud to support Payne Elementary with the SRC program and has awarded $1935 towards their license fees.

Growing the Payne Community Garden

Growing Plants, Fun, and Knowledge in the Payne Community Garden! 

The first and second grade students, with help from community members, will build and maintain garden boxes in a central location at the front of the Payne School campus.

The first graders will work together to plan the garden by asking and answering the Project Based Learning's (PBL) driving question “What makes our garden grow?”  In the following year (2014-2015), the first and second graders will continue the PBL unit through their study of plants, the water cycle, and habitats.  

MEF supports their growth of knowledge by awarding $1000 in helping them with their Community Garden.