By Dorothy Krob

Austin Public Education Foundation

Our column this month is dedicated to Joanne Huntting who passed away on Jan. 7. Joanne and her husband, Jim, created the Huntting Endowment for the Austin Public Education Foundation. Because of their generosity and additional donations, grants from the endowment’s interest have enriched the education of thousands of students. We will always be grateful for Jim and Joanne’s vision for the students in our Austin Public Schools.

Some upcoming events are: Educator Grant applications for the 2014-2015 school year are due is March 1. Contact Erin Schoen for details at erin.schoen@austin.k12.mn.us. Distinguished Alumni Award nominations are due by June 1.  Contact Jeni Lindberg for a nomination form.

The Tedrow scholarship is available for those who will be college freshmen in the fall with a major of music education. Also, contact Jeni for this form.

Her email is jeni.lindberg@austin.k12.mn.us The Packer Classic golf event will be July 14. Please consider being a part of this fun event. Contact Jayna Heimark at heimarkjayna@gmail.com  to participate or work at this event.

Southgate Elementary is our featured school for February. Sherri Pike, a second-grade teacher, received a grant for a Light Speed Infrared Cat System.

This is a wireless microphone. Each second grade in the school is now equipped with this system. It allows the teacher’s voice to reach every student during direct instruction daily. It is also used for student presentations, readers’ theater, and testing. It allows for improved academic achievement, increased seating options for hearing impaired students, better behavior management, increased mobility for the teacher while reducing vocal strain and fatigue, and increased student attention span. I witnessed the use of the microphone for three student play presentations. It was very effective.

My next classroom visit was with Cassie LaRock’s fourth-grade. Her grant was for four classrooms to share Lakeshore’s read along listening centers to complement their new Mondo leveled reading series.

This provides the students with listening materials at a variety of reading levels. The students were engaged and enjoying the center. Jim Trelease said, “The best way to have a good reader is to be read to.” Many parents don’t have time to do that. This provides some important listening time.

My last classroom visit was to Lisa Deyo’s room. Her students were building basic math facts skills with Math Sharks. The electronic Math Shark allows students to practice randomly or sequentially addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, fractions, decimals and percentages at eight different skill levels. It gives the students instant feedback for self-directed practice. Thirty Math Sharks were funded by APEF. These students wrote thank you notes to the foundation.

I enjoyed my time in the classrooms of Southgate School. I witnessed hard working, dedicated teachers, a “can do” attitude by all, and students who were focused and excited about their school day. Education is more than the teaching of numbers and words. It is a teacher’s ability to foster creativity, where every learner can imagine a life of purpose. Jayna Heimark will take over this column in March as our new Austin Public Education Foundation Director.