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GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Social Emotional Learning at The Elementary Level

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Problem-solving. Empathy. Relationship skills. Emotional management. Social emotional learning (SEL) skills equip students of all ages with strategies and tools to help them regulate their emotions and responses. Numerous research studies have shown that SEL can have a positive impact on students’ academic performance. Additionally, it can help reduce misconduct in students. Many students across the United States are finding themselves feeling anxious, depressed, sad or stressed. As a result, an increased focus on SEL tools and concepts, particularly at the elementary level, can help SDW students feel more at ease, learn coping skills they’ll use into the future, and reduce conflicts in the classroom. In 2021, Prairie, Bethesda, Rose Glen and Summit View elementary schools received grants from the Waukesha Education Foundation to help enhance and increase SEL programs at their schools to positively impact and support students. “The use of social emotional books is helpful for teachers

No Fooling! 7 Days Left to Apply for a Grant!

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It’s the eve of April Fools Day, but we’re not joking - the WEF grant window will be closing in 1 week and you could get free money to bring your ideas to life! Visit our website for everything you need to know about applying for a grant and for useful resources.  Have questions as you work on finishing up your request? Reach out to Janaka, our Grants & Allocations Chair, at WEFOutreach@waukeshaeducationfoundation.org . All applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on April 7 in order to be considered.

A Pot of Gold--For Grants!

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Happy St. Patrick's Day! If you're looking for gold, you could earn some by applying for a WEF grant. Did you hear the LUCKY news? In honor of our 20th anniversary and because of the amazing success we've had with our events and donations, this year, we're awarding !!! $50,000 !!! Once applications are submitted, they are reviewed and evaluated by a committee to determine which ones will receive funding from WEF. If your request is one that we will fulfill, you will receive funds to implement your project, program or initiative to benefit your students. Want to learn more about grants? Click here to access the application form, a sample budget template, helpful tips and more.  But don't forget....the deadline to submit your request is April 7 at 11:59 p.m.

GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Breaking Out of Chaos at Hillcrest

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Who doesn’t love a good escape room? Breakout EDU came to Hillcrest Elementary thanks to a 2020 WEF grant, providing students and staff with a unique and fun team building and problem solving activity.  In addition to fostering collaboration and communication, Breakout EDU also promotes discourse. Students who may be hesitant to share their ideas in a classroom are less reserved in this fun setting and less fearful of sharing a wrong answer. Grant winner Andrea Weber reported that it has been positively received by students. “We saw student engagement increase and they learned how to work as a team. They were so excited when they knew we had breakouts planned.” #WEFGrantsWork

GRANT SPOTLIGHT: Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium Interactive Displays

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For most SDW students, and their parents, a trip to the Horwitz-DeRemer Planetarium was absolutely part of their school experience.  For the first time since it opened in 2005, the lobby of the planetarium was remodeled, allowing an update to technology and the addition of more interchangeable displays. A 2020 WEF grant supported this remodel, and helped get the lobby ready for the more than 9,000 Waukesha students that visit each year. #WEFGrantsWork Check out some of the new displays!

2023 Grant Application Window is Officially Open!

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Today marks the opening of the 2023 WEF grant window! You can submit your request from now until April 7. We’re glad to offer this opportunity to SDW teachers, staff and administrators and we hope to see an application from you this year. All of the information related to our grant process, including the link to the application form, can be found on our website . This page also contains helpful resources such as a budget template and a copy of the reviewer rubric that is used to evaluate the proposals. If you have applied for a grant in the past, you are eligible to apply again this year. There is no limit to the amount of grants a teacher or staff member can receive. If you aren’t sure what request to submit and need some inspiration, there a few ways to figure out a potential grant proposal: Conduct some online research - see if there are any trends or new technologies for your subject area that you would like to try with your students and implement in your classroom. Check out our p

The 2023 Grant Application Will Open Next Week!

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The Waukesha Education Foundation (WEF) 2023 Grant Application will open one week from today. To prepare to submit your request, visit our website to learn about our grant process and access helpful resources. Grant writing tips, a copy of the rubric our reviewers use and a sample budget template you can use to outline the monetary aspect of your request are all available. Also, we have documents listing all of the grants that we have funded since 2004. These might provide some inspiration or thought starters as you consider a request that you could submit for your school or classroom. When the application goes live next week, the link to it will be on our website on the grants page. SDW teachers, staff and administrators are eligible to apply for a WEF grant. If you have a project, program or educational tool in mind that would enhance student learning, we encourage you to submit a request. If you have any questions about the grant process, eligibility, etc., please contact Janaka Su