Grants Awarded for the 2023-24 School Year

Composting (Lincoln K-8)

Lincoln K-8 has established a composting program for the school dining commons. This is the first step in the school establishing a long term recycling/composting program. LSF funded this pilot program where teachers along with parent volunteers have helped students by modeling proper food collection and waste management. The waste is picked up once a week by Black Earth Compost. The goal of this program is for the school to produce significantly less trash, create rich soil for our gardens, and to raise student awareness about recycling and waste reduction. LSF is thrilled to be part of this exciting initiative.

7th Grade Outdoor Education (Lincoln 5-8)

7th Grade students used to attend a retreat at the Sargent Center as a team building adventure. With the Sargent Center closed, this year, the 7th grade team expanded and solified a fully local “retreat.” The 7th-grade teachers planned activties that built community through encouraging the school's 4 C's (Cooperation, Commitment, Care, and Communication). LSF funded three parts of the project: (1) Wampanoag Nation Dancers (2) Foraging Consultant: Russ Cohen; and (3) World Language training for the project. The intention is that the district will fund this expanded version of the local ‘retreat’ in years to come.

Hanscom Sensory Room (Hanscom Primary and Middle)

This grant funded the creation of a semi-permanent room with equipment for student self-regulation on the Hanscom campus. The proposal was developed in response to increased student need post-pandemic for behavioral, social-emotional, and mental health supports. Some students have sensory breaks built into their school day as part of behavior plans. These breaks are sometimes done in the OT/PT room, but this is sometimes unavailable due to use for special ed services. Instead, now students in need can access this new sensory room with the supported of staff. The equipment in this space serves as a more intensive intervention than the previously funded ‘regulation’ stations.

Identity Through Art (Lincoln K-4)

The Lincoln K-4 Art teacher, Taryn Caira, worked with the first-grade teachers and students to create self-portraits, focusing on how to fully create their facial shapes, features, and different hair types and styles. These lessons are part of the social studies curriculum in first grade that focuses on identity. First grade teachers will use this knowledge to teach these lessons to their classes in future years. This grant funded books to enhance the curriculum, art supplies for students to create their portraits, and curriculum planning time to allow first grade teachers to collaborate with the art teacher.

Recess Innovation Grant (Lincoln K-4)

Through this grant funding, Michael Chin (K teacher), Katie Love (Wellness) and Shelley Moeller (social worker) collaborated to improve the recess experience for K-4 students on the Lincoln campus. The grant proposal funded innovative recess materials and training from the Hanscom Wellness teacher, Stacey Clarkin. The grant focused on identifying and supporting recess games as a means of fostering social and conflict resolution skills. Training was also be provided to assistant teachers and tutors, who often supervise recess.

Math Games (Hanscom Middle)

This funded the purchase of math-based board games for 7th grade students at Hanscom Middle School, as well as a planning and implementation stipend for Rebecca Gerner. The math games aim to improve fluency in math facts and critical thinking, while building community and helping students develop their interpersonal skills. This grant was inspired by observations that 7th grade students who join the Hanscom community mid-year enter with a wide range of experience and ability with math. These students, as well as students that have already been in the community, use these games to improve their math skills, build relationships with their peers, and build their math confidence.

Bicycle Rodeo - Connections to a Safe and Healthy Lifestyle (Lincoln K-4 and Hanscom Primary)

This grant funded the development and pilot of a bicycle safety program through the Wellness classes and curriculum at both the Lincoln and Hanscom campus. This program aims educate students on the fundamentals of bike riding and also the importance of safety through the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Bike Rodeo Curriculum in partnership with the Lincoln Police Department, Hanscom Safety Forces and The Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee in Lincoln. If successful, the teachers plan to integrate this into their curriculum and run the program with parents and the community on a yearly basis.