2017 Make It Happen FundraiserAs promised, 100% of all funds raised were used to directly impact our students' educations.
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2017 Make It Happen Fundraiser Impacted Our Students This Year.
As promised, 100% of the 2017 Make It Happen for Education's Campaign's $40,600 was used to directly benefit our students.
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We kept our promise and allocated the funds as described in the materials distributed at the beginning of the 2017 Make It Happen Fundraiser (see image to the right). Each teacher and each grade level submitted formal requests to use their $500/teacher and $1,000/grade level funds. The requests were carefully reviewed by the 7 member PTO Executive Board plus the principal and assistant principal.
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Some grade levels combined their funds for larger items like the 6th Grade Hover Craft Project (~$2,000) and the 1st Grade Chromebooks. Other teachers requested educational items and subscriptions for their classrooms while other teachers used their Make It Happen funds for continuing education programs that enhance their abilities to educate our students in even more effective and engaging manners.
$10,600 Surplus Allocation
Our magnificent community beat the original $30,000 goal by a whopping 25% which gave us a surplus of $10,600 to allocate to other educational resources.
The additional $10,600 was used to give our Special Area teachers and Exceptional Children educators (7 total) access to $500 for their classrooms and students. Our creative music teacher purchased ukuleles for all our students to learn while at SFES. We also purchased a new laminator machine ($1,600) after the school's broke for it's final time this year. Our student council gave the PTO a formal presentation and requested new soccer goals and solar lights for the Spirit Rock which we granted.
If you would like any additional details of how the funds were used, please email our treasurer.
The additional $10,600 was used to give our Special Area teachers and Exceptional Children educators (7 total) access to $500 for their classrooms and students. Our creative music teacher purchased ukuleles for all our students to learn while at SFES. We also purchased a new laminator machine ($1,600) after the school's broke for it's final time this year. Our student council gave the PTO a formal presentation and requested new soccer goals and solar lights for the Spirit Rock which we granted.
If you would like any additional details of how the funds were used, please email our treasurer.
School-Wide Subscriptions
Reading A to Z/RAZ Kids - Utilized by all K-3 teachers as well as our Reading teachers in 4th and 5th grade. Utilized on a daily basis for guided reading. It provides resources that parents/students can access at home and at school.
Pebble Go - Valuable research tool used by teachers and students alike. It is a great way for students to use non-fiction text for research projects.
BrainPop/BrainPopJr. - Allows teachers to show short video clips of academic processes and concepts that are inviting, engaging, & entertaining for students
Grade Level Subscriptions include: Kidblog, Story Board, Flip Grid, Scholastic, Google Fractions, Brain Pop Junior
Pebble Go - Valuable research tool used by teachers and students alike. It is a great way for students to use non-fiction text for research projects.
BrainPop/BrainPopJr. - Allows teachers to show short video clips of academic processes and concepts that are inviting, engaging, & entertaining for students
Grade Level Subscriptions include: Kidblog, Story Board, Flip Grid, Scholastic, Google Fractions, Brain Pop Junior
Expenditures - By Grade Level
Below, you will find a short write-up of how each grade level used their allocated funds and a gallery of photos. If you would like any additional details of how the funds were used at a grade-level basis, please email our treasurer.
Kindergarten
"Our 2017-18 kindergarten classes and teachers are grateful for the many things that Make It Happen gave to our classrooms. Each classroom received a sensory table where the teachers switch out materials periodically for learning play. One of our pictures shows a sensory table filled with soil and bottlecaps with alphabet letters on them. Friends dig in the soil to find letters to make sight words. We received science and stem materials that are always first picks at choice time. Fish molds help us learn about local aquatic life. A microscopic viewer has brought tiny things into BIG focus. Marble runs allow us to engineer and problem solve. STEM fairy tale sets have given us challenges to build new ways to help characters solve their problems, too. Bug cages give us ways to observe creatures before we free them back to the wild. And a robot bee has enabled us to learn coding. We have expanded our minds with all of these and other materials. We could not have had these hand-on experiences without the generosity of parents and our PTO. THANK YOU!" --Kindergarten Teachers
1st Grade
"We were very fortunate to be able to purchase 3 Chromebooks for each of our classrooms. Our students have been very busy all year learning how to access Google Classroom for assigned projects as well as use the Chromebooks for research projects and centers during math and reading. It was difficult to have access to these resources when we had to rely on available Chromebooks from the media center. Having access to these in our rooms was invaluable. Our students were able to use the Chromebooks throughout the day. We saw great growth in skills that will help our students become better versed in learning in our ever changing digital world." --1st Grade Teachers
2nd Grade
"Second Grade Teachers requested and received numerous items with the funds raised during Make It Happen 2017. We received several types of flexible seating that students have used daily. Each teacher got bean bag chairs, scoop chairs, stability balance disks, and lap desks. Exercise balls with stability feet were also purchased. Flexible seating has benefited students by allowing them choice in where they work and with whom they work and the freedom to move more which keeps minds more alert and focused. Another resource that we were able to secure with the funds was a year subscription to BrainPOP Jr, a computer website. The site is aligned to education standards for science, social studies, reading, writing, and math. The site includes videos, games, and quizzes. In addition, students were given the opportunity to learn with Catawba Science Center. A science educator came to Sherrills Ford and taught students about matter using hands-on activities. The students loved creating slime during the program! Finally, second grade teachers were given the opportunity to travel to Charlotte for a day long workshop presented by Marcy Cook on April 12, 2018. The workshop was titled Math Centers to Maximize Math Minutes. The workshop focused on the use of manipulatives, math reasoning, communicating math, and differentiating to meet the needs of all students. Students have enjoyed several math lessons using math tiles. Make It Happen funds paid for the workshop and for a substitute for all three second grade teachers. Thank you for supporting the students and teachers at Sherrills Ford Elementary School!" --2nd Grade Teachers
3rd Grade
"We were thrilled to use our MIH funds to pay for a long-desired Professional Development Program with the Ron Clark Academy in Atlanta, Georgia.
While we attended RCA, we learned about engaging classroom strategies that included transforming your classroom into a unique learning environment. We applied what we learned as we each transformed our classrooms into a different experience for students to make end of year review fun and engaging. We built a campsite, football stadium, Nascar racetrack, and Mario World. Students traveled to our transformed classrooms for a week.
In addition to learning about classroom transformations, we learned about empowering our students to be pushed to new levels all while keeping students engaged with songs and movement. While at RCA, we observed other educators in action with their students and saw how to apply these engaging strategies. Our math instruction has been transformed as students work to music, gesture math strategies, and push our students to even higher standards." --3rd Grade Teachers
While we attended RCA, we learned about engaging classroom strategies that included transforming your classroom into a unique learning environment. We applied what we learned as we each transformed our classrooms into a different experience for students to make end of year review fun and engaging. We built a campsite, football stadium, Nascar racetrack, and Mario World. Students traveled to our transformed classrooms for a week.
In addition to learning about classroom transformations, we learned about empowering our students to be pushed to new levels all while keeping students engaged with songs and movement. While at RCA, we observed other educators in action with their students and saw how to apply these engaging strategies. Our math instruction has been transformed as students work to music, gesture math strategies, and push our students to even higher standards." --3rd Grade Teachers
4th Grade
Check back soon for 4th Grade's explanation of how they used their MIH funds! Click here for a few photos we took of their Catawba Science Center visit.
5th Grade - ELA
- Flexible Seating - Bungee chairs, bean bag chairs, and stools were purchased for students to have a comfortable place to sit and read!
- Books - MANY books were purchased.
- Small group sets of books were purchased for book clubs so students have CHOICE in what they read and can discuss and collaborate with others.
- Individual books were purchased for my classroom library for students to check out or read in class.
- Headphones - Headphones were purchased so that students that do not have their own can use them for listening to audio text, watching videos, or anything else with sound.
- Book Lights and Batteries - Students love to read in the dark! These book lights change things up every now and then in class.
- Large Drawing Paper - This allows groups to collaborate on skills we are working on in class.
- Blogging Subscription - Online blogging subscription was posted so students can write blog posts to share their writing or to work on reading skills such as point of view. Other students in the class (or even around the world on public posts) can read their writing and leave comments!
6th Grade
"MIH Funds were used to bring in The Hovercraft Project to Sherrills Ford Elementary's 6th Grade. Please click here to learn about this awesome STEM project.
Students used problem based learning and worked in cooperative groups to develop a hovercraft. After creating the hovercraft, they were able to ride it and make modifications to make the hovercraft perform better." --6th Grade Teachers
Students used problem based learning and worked in cooperative groups to develop a hovercraft. After creating the hovercraft, they were able to ride it and make modifications to make the hovercraft perform better." --6th Grade Teachers
Students loved this project! Here are just a few comments:
“I liked that it included Math and Science” Kayley A.
“It increased our teamwork with others” Peighton R.
“I was amazed that it actually floated” - Baine B.
“It taught us about force and motion” Kage H.
“Next year 6th grade students will love it!” Levi M.
“I liked that it included Math and Science” Kayley A.
“It increased our teamwork with others” Peighton R.
“I was amazed that it actually floated” - Baine B.
“It taught us about force and motion” Kage H.
“Next year 6th grade students will love it!” Levi M.