Innovative Learning Grants 2019-20

The Mountain View Los Altos High School Foundation awarded over $100,000 toward Innovative Learning Grants for the 2019-20 school year.

The Innovative Learning Grants are a competitive application process, and grant recipients are required to submit a written evaluation of their project’s outcome within two weeks of completion of the project. “These grants are intended to foster innovation while cultivating exciting new collaborations among students. The projects may also serve as pilot programs which, if successful, could become part of the curriculum in the future,” said Brigitte Sarraf, retired Assistant Superintendent of Education Services and current Director of Assessment & Accountability, who oversees the grant selection and evaluation process. Congratulations to the following grant recipients and projects approved in Round 1 and 2 for the 2019-20 school year.

• scaling potential, such as incorporation into the curriculum, shared future use by others in the course team, and potential for replication across the district,
• impact on student learning, such as enhancing depth of knowledge, applicability to addressing real-world problems, and interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving, and
• effectiveness in challenging students to make connections and discover alternative problem solving.

Los Altos High Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 1 approved 4-10-19

• Carrie Abel Shaffer: AP Headstart, teacher-run support sessions for underserved students in AP.
• Lisa Bonanno & Caitlin Hannon: Norman Zelaya Creative Writing Workshops for English classes.
• Lisa Cardellini: New tools to improve data collection for “student generated research on climate change using Coral as a model organism.” (expansion of previous project).
• Jacob Russo: Tools to foster an inquiry based and quantitative approach to teaching and learning genetics.
• Greg Stoehr: Density Flow Models to create learning experiences that are relevant to real-world, global challenges
• Tory Johnson: NanoDrop Lite for students to experience the use of technological interventions that impact how scientific knowledge is formed.

Round 2 approved 10/9/19

• Jeanne Yu: students to attend TEALS Computer Science Fair.
• Robert Barker, Michael Moul: New equipment for school announcements and reporting

Mountain View High Grant Recipients and Projects

Round 1 approved 4-10-19

• Brendan Dilloughery: Arduinos (an open-source platform used for building electronics projects) and drawing tablets to support cross departmental collaboration and inspire students to become “digital makers”.
• Kristine Bautista: Blue Ocean field trip for students with disabilities.
• Shawn Rosales: Game Play for mathematical sense-making — builds student engagement and promotes developing number sense, pattern recognition and increases persistence in solving multi-step problems.
• Wei Lu and Judie Lee: AP Chinese Language and culture class subscription.  Chinese movie making project. Supports collaboration and interaction with native speakers.     

Round 2 approved 10/9/19

• Anna Linde: Area microphones for Performing Arts Department allows technical theater students the opportunity  to learn the operation and tuning required to produce high quality performances.
• Ann Nguyen: Body World Decoded field trip to the Tech Museum of Innovation for students in Anatomy and Physiology.
• Bill Dunbar, Jyoti Reid, Pablo Alvarez: Concrete Applications for Math concepts. Wave Generator, Brackens demo spinner, trajectory apparatus, helical spring set, sonic demo tube, Torque feeler. Connecting math to real world applications in science and the environment.
• Ly Nguyen, Lydia Conoway: A machine learning dedicated computer to help students get ready for jobs in the Artificial Intelligence field.
• Nicole Higley, Rachael Roach, Kate Strasser, Marcey Winawer: ELD and Spanish 1 students will work together to create flags (banderas) that represent their own cultures and values. The project will combine language learning, building leadership capacity, cultural awareness and community.  These flags will be prominently displayed in the quad and/or downtown as public art.
• Carson Rietveld, Christine Yow, Ly Nguyen: Interactive student recognition/celebration display to improve school culture by communicating in a new way.

Freestyle Academy Grant Recipient and Project

Round 2 approved 10/9/19

• Leo Florendo: Instructional supplies for design projects that utilize laser engraving and cutting.