The Somerset Foundation recently approved a grant requested by our 5th grade teaching team to purchase the Junior Scholastic news magazine. Junior Scholastic features news debates and articles on current events, geography, American history, and world civilizations. Full color photographs, charts, graphs, maps, and timelines also provide different formats for presenting information and enhance learning. Each issue is used in conjunction with accompanying assessments and worksheets to support the MCPS social studies curriculum. The 5th grade teachers use this news magazine as a tool to help students improve reading and writing skills on informational text, provide interesting discussion topics, increase vocabulary, and expand knowledge about the world around us. Thank you to our donors for making grants like this possible!
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Foundation Funds BrainPOP to Support Math and Science Education
In keeping with our mission to provide a state-of-the-art learning environment at Somerset Elementary School, the Somerset Education Foundation recently approved a grant for an annual subscription for use of BrainPOP® and BrainPOP® Junior.
Founded in 1999, BrainPOP® creates animated, curricular content that engages students, supports educators, and bolsters achievement. BrainPOP® was conceived by Avraham Kadar, M.D., an immunologist and pediatrician, as a creative way to explain difficult concepts to his young patients. Today, it is used in almost 20 percent of U.S. Schools, and is growing internationally. You can learn more about BrainPOP® at http://www.brainpop.com/about/about/.
The Somerset teaching staff believes that use of this service in grades K-5 will increase student engagement and enrich STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. Many videos on the BrainPOP® site support the MCPS science and math curriculum with videos that correspond to MCPS grading indicators. For example, a science indicator for 3rd grade asks students to explain how technology impacts the natural environment and to recognize the relationship between natural resources and technology. The BrainPOP® video, “Dams,” provides important information to the students about how and why dams are built bolstering the classroom discussion.
The service will be used by students in grades K-5 within the classroom. Also, families with students in the school will have 24/7 access at home, making it easier for parents to reinforce what is being learned during the school day. The site is easy to navigate with videos sectioned off by topics and grades making it user-friendly. The Foundation is looking forward to having this resource enrich our children’s education.
2013 Spring Party Raises over $17,000 for Foundation Initiatives
On May 4, 2013 more than 150 Somerset parents, teachers and friends gathered at the beautiful home of Nancy Jardini and Morris Panner for the Somerset Foundation’s Annual Spring Party and Silent Auction. While sipping mint juleps and eating delicious fare donated by RSVP catering, guests at the party helped raise more than $17,000 for the Foundation that will help support grants such as after school programs, enhanced digital learning and new books.
A special note of thanks to Principal Morris, Assistant Principal Turner, Julia Guillen Williams, Travis Truppner, Chana Brisset, Michael Pollak and the amazing Somerset teachers for donating their time toward the auction as well as our guests who were so generous with their donations. The Foundation would also like to thank the wonderful co-chairs of the Spring Party, Liz Smith, Cindy Arkin, Nancy Jardini and Missy Walker. And finally, a special note of gratitude to Nancy and Morris for hosting us in their amazing home. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again next year!
Chevy Chase Patch Features Article on Somerset Foundation
On April 10, 2013, the Chevy Chase Patch featured an article about the Foundation and its grants to fund sixty laptops for student use. The article noted that these grants are the Foundation’s largest in recent years, and that the laptops are enhancing students’ learning in a variety of ways. The article also noted that the Foundation has supported a range of other projects, including after school academic clubs, the school garden, and community outreach to schools with fewer resources. The full article can be found here.