The Board of Directors of the Foundation for Pottstown Education recently approved funding requests which will provide assistance to all six of the School District Building Libraries. The funds were made possible through the generosity of the Foundation donors and total more than $3,000.

Each of the Librarians was asked to submit a request to the Foundation explaining the proposed project and how the funds would be used.  After review by the Finance Committee who recommended the approval of the requests to the full Foundation Board, the funds were distributed for the implementation of each plan. 

Nicola Alutius, Librarian at both Barth and Franklin Elementary Schools, requested funding to purchase STEM Literacy Bags. The Literacy Bags will contain quality fiction and non-fiction relating to a STEM topic and contain a challenge activity based upon a Science or Math concept.  Each bag will be available to teachers making them accessible to all students in both of the elementary schools.  Some of the topics will include:  Lego Building Block STEM Challenge, Sorting, Building Bridges, Houses, or Vehicles, Rapunzel STEM Problem Solving Kit, Three Little Pigs STEM Problem Solving Kit, Goldilocks and the Three Bears STEM Problem Solving Kit and Three Billy Goat Gruff STEM Problem Solving Kit.

Ted Freese, Librarian K-4 at both Lincoln and Rupert Elementary Schools, submitted his request to purchase an Ozobot EVO Educator Starter Kit and supplies for both of the elementary schools.  This kit will teach the students how to code, basic STEAM skills, critical thinking and debugging.   This system will provide all students with an opportunity to be exposed to simple coding skills.  It will provide the students a 21^st century skill that is applicable to the use of technology and will benefit all students in both of these elementary schools.

Pottstown Middle School Librarian, Andrea Roberts’s request will establish podcast learning resources for the middle school students.  Podcasting is a great way to invite students to investigate authentic, engaging, complex questions and problems.  It invites the students to share their voices with an audience beyond their teacher.  Not only is podcasting fun, but it can build on important 21^st century skills and competencies including communication, critical thinking, creativity and collaboration.  The students will be able to emulate real journalists and famous podcasters, and they will be engaged in designing their own learning by actively exploring real world issues and problems, developing ideas and theories, and pursuing answers and solutions.  These resources will be available to all of the middle school students.

Pottstown High School Librarian, Kristen Ellis’s funding request is to purchase an iTeach Mobile Power Tower which is a charging hub for electronics.  The High School Library is in the process of creating a media center based on the transition from books to electronic research and the creation of workspace for collaborations between the High School students.  The beginning of the 2019/20 school year saw the implementation of using Chromebooks.  Each Pottstown High School students was issued a Chromebook to use during their educational years at the High School.  With the increase of the electronics, a need to charge these devised is increasing.  This power tower will provide this opportunity for the students while working in collaboration with other students in the media center.

Anyone who is interested in supporting the Foundation’s mission to raise funds to support the students and teachers of the Pottstown School District is encouraged to contact Rusiewicz via email jrusiewicz@pottstownk12.org, send their contribution to Foundation for Pottstown Education Office at 230 Beech Street Pottstown, PA 19464, or donate online at foundationpottstowned.org