Dist. 220 teachers win grants

Several Barrington Unit District 220 teachers have won grants from the district's nonprofit Educational Foundation for the fall semester to help fund projects for innovation and enhancement or buy practical supplies.

Major project grants can be for up to $1,500 per semester while the Helping Hands supply grants can be as much as $500.

Chris Smith and Damian Simmons at Barrington High School received funding for a video camera to be used with video analysis programs already on computers for a physics project called "Flipping Over Fizx."

Shandra Nosal and Jodi Schoeck at Roslyn Road School received training equipment and a banner for the Special Olympics team.

Mary Marks and Terry Skibiski at Hough Street School received Google Maps materials for 4th grade geography.

Jennifer Simonaitis at the Woodland Early Learning Center received a training course to improve communications between adults and students.

Kathy Spinabella received ball chairs to use in districtwide therapy training to promote posture, focus, flexibility, strength, balance and coordination.

Alicia Bongiovanni at Barrington Middle School-Station Campus received supplies allowing for student participation in community service projects to meet state standards for social emotional development.

Supplies provided through the Helping Hands grants included Mandarin language CDs for grades 6 to 12, listening station materials for Grove Avenue School second graders, SMART Tablets and writing portfolios for all students at Sunny Hill School, digital voice recorders for digital storytelling for Hough Street School fifth graders and a Dance Dance Revolution system for "Fit Kids" evening programs at Woodland Early Learning Center and Sunny Hill School.

The Educational Foundation marks its 10th anniversary this year. Over the past decade, it has donated more than $1 million to the school district for programs and supplies above and beyond those provided by tax dollars.