DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
USAA Grant
SUMMARY:
This item requests Board approval to apply for a grant from USAA.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In 2016, the Board approved for Pre-K 4 SA to accept a grant from The USAA Foundation in an amount not to exceed $50,000 to be utilized for work with Wolf Trap. The existing contract with The Arts Fund to obtain training for Wolf Trap is set to conclude in 2018. Twenty total Pre-K 4 SA teachers, five at each of the four Education Centers, were trained and are implementing the Wolf Trap model.
The Wolf Trap Institute is a proven national model for utilizing the performing arts to support young children’s cognitive, emotional, and physical development, while enhancing academic skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) content through developmentally appropriate arts-integrated professional development and coaching for teachers, while providing engaging learning for children in content that is infrequently taught to young children. Wolf Trap addresses two primary concerns: first, the school readiness of children, many of whom live in educationally disadvantaged circumstances, and second, access to effective professional development and coaching for teachers who work with these children.
The Wolf Trap Institute’s art-based teaching method taps into children’s innate desire for active, multisensory learning and utilizes these methods to teach challenging content. Pre-K 4 SA would like to provide each of our four education centers with five Wolf Trap teaching residency artists. The Wolf Trap classroom artist residencies provide an opportunity for the resident and classroom teacher to work together to (1) demonstrate how to use performing art experiences to get children more engaged; (2) improve learning in areas specified by the required curriculum; (3) ensure the performing arts become integrated into the teacher's daily routine.
ISSUE:
The next step in this process is for Pre-K 4 SA to support school districts who are integrating Wolf Trap into their educational programs. Although Pre-K 4 SA does not directly need this funding to maintain classes within our program, staff is requesting to apply for this grant in order to support training and implementing in school districts.
ALTERNATIVES:
If Pre-K 4 SA is not approved to apply for this grant, the ability to train other school districts on the material will be limited.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If selected for this grant, funding in the amount of $50,000 will be deposited into a Pre-K 4 SA Contribution Fund with the specific purpose of funding the Wolf Trap collaboration.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the Board approve for Pre-K 4 SA to accept the funds from The USAA Foundation to do additional Wolf Trap work with school districts.