DETAIL BY SCHOOL
2020-2021
District Wide
ViewSonic® myViewBoard™ Virtual Classroom - $63,000
This grant provided technology to help all students in the district by supplying every teacher with cutting edge technology designed for hybrid learning. Whether in the same room, in split classrooms, or at home, the ViewSonic monitors and myViewBoard software work to recreate the experience of a live classroom. Teachers and students in multiple locations are able to interact and collaborate simultaneously. Because these devices are lightweight, portable and easy to use, teachers can use them from any location. This technology will continue to be an essential classroom tool beyond the pandemic.
Shade Sails for Outdoor Spaces - $4,500
The goal of this grant is to offer safe, socially distance space alternatives to indoor classrooms. 21 San Diego Sail Shades will be affixed to Byram Hills buildings to provide shaded outdoor areas for classes. The sail shades will mean that each building will have the following outdoor spaces:
Coman Hill - 6 Shade Sails and 4 additional shaded outdoor areas
Wampus - 6 Shade Sails and 4 additional shaded outdoor areas
HCC - 4 Shade Sails and 4 additional shaded outdoor areas
BHHS - 5 Shade Sails and 5 additional shaded outdoor areas
2018-2019
Wellness for Life - $66,222
The goal of these grants is to create healthy, happy, resilient, engaged and motivated learners and to give our children life-long emotional and social skills to help them succeed at school and future endeavors. Through the continued partnership with Stanford University’s Challenge Success program and other leading experts, this grant funds professional development for faculty and community resources for parents, as well as the following programs at each school:
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Coman Hill* – Assemblies and workshops to assist children in developing emotional and social skills that will help them react, act and interact more mindfully.
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HCC* - A program utilizing Student Voice Circles dedicated to shaping an emotionally healthy school climate.
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BHHS – Continued partnership with Stanford University to provide professional development for teachers and parent education workshops, and to design and implement policies and practices that improve student well-being, academic engagement and success.
*Supported by the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund.
2017-2018
Wellness Initiative - $180,886
This grant provides opportunities for all students to reach their highest potential as they grow academically, socially and emotionally in all four schools, including:
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Coman Hill - an indoor Educational Playspace to be used year-round to enhance skills such as collaboration, creativity and problem solving.
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Wampus - an outdoor Obstacle Course to provide an innovative and fun way for students to boost their physical and mental health.
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HCC and BHHS - the Challenge Success program by Stanford University will assess student needs then utilize this feedback to develop an action plan to support students' emotional and physical wellness, including a new Wellness Lounge at each school where students can decompress, reflect and re-center themselves.
Generously co-funded by the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund
2016-2017
Library 2.0, Coman Hill, Wampus and H.C. Crittenden Middle School - $313,000
The Library 2.0 grant transforms the library experience for all students at Coman Hill, Wampus and H.C. Crittenden. This exciting directed giving grant extends recent 21st Century learning grants and captures the power of media, technology and learning spaces. This grant integrates STEAM and Makers Spaces, updates presentation technology, utilizes active learning spaces, and connects the library and computer labs.
2015-2016
Full STEAM Ahead - $90,495
To expand and accelerate the District’s STEAM Initiative, the BHEF recently approved the Full STEAM Ahead! grant valued at $90,495. This grant gives students of all academic levels in all four buildings exposure to coding, robotics, engineering, electronics and 3D modeling. A portion of this grant includes an investment in professional development to ensure seamless integration with the curriculum. This grant is generously supported by the BHEF and the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund.
STEAM Labs – Rethinking Learning Labs, H.C. Crittenden and BHHS - $156,000
This grant funds the renovation of four (4) technology labs – two at HCC and two at BHHS – that have been made obsolete by the rapidly changing technology. By providing a 21st Century STEAM Lab that can easily be reconfigured to meet the needs of the class, this grant allows teachers to group students in a manner that best suits the instructional modality and application of learning. Each STEAM Lab will have height adjustable tables, ergonomic chairs, four (4) 48” LED TVs mounted around the room for small group work, a projector for large group presentations, shelving for storage and a comfortable soft seating area. The room will be controlled by a central control panel, providing specialized lighting and sound to promote an optimal learning environment. This environment will stimulate the 5C’s – Collaboration, Creativity, Communication, Critical Thinking and Community – by maximizing the use of space, furniture, decor and technology to promote 21st Century learning.
2012-2013
BHEF Fast Path: Enabling Next Generation Technology - $136,579
This grant significantly expands network resources available throughout the District to support advancements in learning and technology innovations. This project broadens the capability of the District network infrastructure and exponentially increases bandwidth and connectivity to provide improved reliability and accessibility, and it prepares the District for future technological innovations. This grant provides students with reliable access to expanded learning opportunities, and supports opportunities to explore new technology resources and services.
eBooks for Byram Hills Libraries - $45,000
This grant funds the acquisition of a starter collection of Common Core and curriculum-aligned eBooks for all four school libraries. These eBooks are accessible through the BHEF-funded Byram Hills BobCat-alog for check-out by students from home, in school, or on the move. The books may be read online on any computer, netbook or laptop, or they may be downloaded to some other mobile reading devices. eBook collections provide 24/7 access to valuable curriculum resources for all Byram Hills students in unlimited quantity. (eBooks for H.C. Crittenden is funded by the Debra Leipman Yale Memorial Fund.)
Safe Multimedia for Students (Insta-Grant) - $2,000
This grant provides Byram Hills faculty, staff and students with access to a database of historical photos as well as images, photos and clipart that can be used with any presentation or project.
2011-2012
Fun CPR Instruction - $1,600
This grant introduces approximately 1,500 students in grades one through eight to the cognitive information and skills necessary to perform this vital, life saving skill. The instruction will take place through the physical education department and will be conducted by certified instructors from Fun CPR Training®.
2010-2011
Social Skills Development - $5,553
This grant supports a program focused on improving problem-solving skills for Special Education students who have been identified as having deficits in social and emotional functioning. The grant provides books, videos, games and other materials for psychologists to use in supplementing the Second Step curriculum already in use. The materials from this grant will enhance direct instruction of student empathy, emotional regulation skills, and social problem skills.
2009-2010
Classroom Action Research Course - $19,800
This grant will fund an in-service course for 12 teachers and administrators on Classroom Action Research.
2008-2009
Senteo Interactive Response System
This grant provides $61,995 for the initiation of a K – 12 pilot to implement the SenteoTM Interactive Response System.
Byram Hills High School
2023-2024
Enhancing Activities of Daily Living & OT Training Instruction (Insta-Grant) - $3,100.43
This insta-grant transforms a room at BHHS into 'Apartment 317,' a dedicated room for vocational training, daily living activities, and recreation used by the Language, Communication, and Careers (LCC) Program! This versatile space offers students a comprehensive platform to enhance their soft skills, job training, and daily living tasks including laundry, financial literacy, cooking, and cleaning. Additionally, students will engage in recreational activities such as mentor games, crafts with our Big Brother/Sister program, Lunch Bunch, and general social gatherings.
Harrow Education-Investment Simulation (Insta-Grant) - $2,925
This insta-grant funds access to a 10 week economics simulation program tha helps students understand the importance of investment decisions. The simulation provides each student with a budget and introduces the concept of imposing a "self-tax" before any discretionary spending. After making investment decisions, students review their porfolios and discuss the impact of their decisions using real data. A "what if" analysis page promotes a deeper understanding of the long and short term impact of making different financial choices.
DBT Skills Group (Insta-Grant) - $2,000
This insta-grant provides materials to support the creation of a Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) Skills group at BHHS. The main purpose of the group is to teach practical skills for regulating emotions, reducing impulsive behaviors, solving problems and building and repairing interpersonal relationships.
Solar Eclipse Event (Insta-Grant) - $1,095
This insta-grant funds 1000 specialized solar eclipse glasses to use during the 2024 solar eclipse. These glasses will allow the community to safely and directly observe the eclipse as it passes over Byram Hills.
Sam Mihara Japanese Internment Camp Guest Speaker (Insta-Grant) - $3,000
This insta-grant funds the speaker fee for Sam Mihara to present to 11th and 12th grade U.S. History students about his experience as a prisoner of a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. Mr. Mihara speaks to students about the topic of mass imprisonment in the U.S. both historically and today. Students will hear a first hand account of the decision to create Japanese American camps and examine the reasons and impact of that decision.
2022-2023
All-District Music Festival 2023 Sponsorship (Insta-Grant) - $3,500
This insta-grant funded the All-District Music Festival - a program designed to connect music students across grades and buil. Approximately 400 students across Wampus, HCC and BHHS gathered for a 3-day festival to make music together and share in a magical day of community building. This grant also facilitated the purchase of Loop Pedal equipment that supports teachers and students in creating music in a new and contemporary way.
StartUp Funding - $25,000
This grant funds further development of the Byram Hills StartUp program which provides an authentic entrepreneurship experience where students develop their own businesses and services. This grant also provided support for the first ever StartUp Final Pitch event where students showcased their work and "pitched" their ideas in front of an audience and judges.
Science Sensors and Lab Equipment - $12,500
This grant revamps science equipment at BHHS in order that our students can study the world around them in a more authentic way. Modern sensors, probes and other equipment designed for experiential learning, will allow students to capture and investigate data in a way not available before. By providing tools that support a more current approach to investigative sciences, this grant will help students develop science mindsets that are more resilient and innovative.