Grants in Action

Take a look at some of the 2015 grants in action at Reading Public Schools!

Parker Middle School Balcony Stage Screens

Ms. Quackenbush and the “Google Geek Squad” received a $4000 grant from REF as partial payment for two auditorium TV screens that give balcony seats visual access to the stage. With additional donations from the Young Women’s League of Reading, the Drama Club, and many other contributors, Parker was able to complete the project.

The Google Geek Squad includes Julian Wise, Luke Hollenbeck, Shaina Fusco, Sarah Bacci, Mathew Newman, Hailey Wadell, Aidan Hereoux, Shaun McKee, William Xia, Paddy Atwell, Kenneth Froment, Charlotte Lee, Luke Kilduff, Cam Breslin and Tess Rhodes.  

Grant Applicant: Connie Quackenbush, Physical Science Teacher, Grade 6, Parker Middle School

Reading Help Desk is Back!

The new school year has brought many new things to Reading Help Desk (RHD), including new people, new technology , a new teacher, and now a new class! The REF grant provided RHD with new MacBooks, iPads, and much more for development and class use.

RHD Team— From right to left:  Lauren Fiore: Senior, Mrs. Dee: Teacher, Kyle Mungenast: Junior, Anson Huang: Junior, Sabrina Caruso: Junior, Julia Donohue: Senior, Megan Catalano: Junior, Moriah Greeno: Junior, Ilyas Saheb: Senior, Kathleen Walsh: Sophmore

Some RHD projects include:

• The Common Sense Media Teen Panel, Connecting Families — RHD is putting together a panel of high school students to share their digital life experiences with elementary and middle school parents
• Implementing Digital Bytes from Common Sense Media  in 9th grade Advisory classes — RHD will be facilitating the lessons with technology advisory teachers about how to make smart decisions later this semester.

To connect with RHD more you can follow them on our social media websites, or contact us via email.

Twitter: @RocketsHelpDesk

Instagram: @rocketshelpdesk
Email: rocketshelpdesk@gmail.com
YouTube Vlog Channel: RMHS Rockets Help Desk

Reading’s First Science Expo Day a Huge Success!

REF co-sponsored this first-time event with the high school robotics team, The Robockets, and the Reading Public Schools to celebrate enthusiasm for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math study.  The day-long event consisted of hands-on experiments for kids, robot demonstrations by The Robockets and other local teams, and a science fair poster exhibit by any child who wanted to participate.  Hundreds of kids and their families attended the fun-filled day! Check out some of the great poster experiments presented!

Parker’s Go Pro Cameras allow Students to Capture and Share School Events

A REF grant awarded two Go Pro cameras and cool wearable accessories that have been a huge success and have become extremely popular at Parker Middle School.

Currently, an 8th grade group is working on a long-range project to analyze footage during lunch and recess over several days and weeks to create a mini-documentary.   They are acting as anthropologists, studying human patterns and non-verbal communication.  This group has also successfully used an app on their phones through the school’s wi-fi to connect the camera, so they could watch the filming in real time.

Check out a video for Parker Open House!

Here are links to other fun footage they have created!

Science Expo, May 2015 

Morning Routines

6th Grade Project Adventure, October 20155

Band Day 2015

Open House 2015

Grant Applicant: Robyn Ferrazzani, Library Media Teacher, Parker Middle School