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Thanks to You

Nine classrooms at LCJSMS received a make-over this spring. Read Mr. Block's update!

Our Casino Night fundraiser raised over $150,000!

Our backpack appeal was one of the most successful ever.

Did you know

2012 fall grants totaled over $342,000. See the full list.

SHS' literary magazine receives national honors. Learn More!

By the end of 2014, Mandarin will be available to students from 6th-12th grade due to SEF grants.

SEF is in the news. Check out the latest stories.

The Class of 1951 donated in celebration of their 60th reunion. Here's to Summit alums!

Think Big

Thank you Endowment donors! Read about what we have been able to do because of you.

Endowment Fund to reach close to $4 Million by end of 2015. To learn more about this fund, click here.

Over $212,000 from the Endowment Fund has been doled out to support grants. Read about recent grants funded.

See SEF for Yourself

Excitement is contagious! And when it is for books in a 2nd grade classroom, who could ask for more? Debbie Yendrick, teacher at Lincoln Hubbard says it best, "I want to thank the SEF for bringing more books to second grade. The graphic novels are a hit. The children are so excited and couldn't wait this morning to pick books. The kids are loving it and, most of all, learning. I am so grateful for that and all the grants. The students are benefiting tremendously @ L-H. Thank you SEF!"

Classrooms In The 21st Century
Innovation comes to our middle school classrooms in the form of new desks and movable white boards. Providing a flexible learning environment to accommodate group discussions, lectures, or small group work, the Node chairs support whatever the curriculum delivers. SEF is proud to support this cutting-edge design used on college campuses throughout the country! To learn more about the thinking behind the 21st century classroom, read the attached article detailing the changes happening in the LCJSMS language arts classrooms.

Stability balls also provide new seating options for our elementary classrooms. Washington school teacher Cindi Abramov introduced the balls in her classroom in January 2012. Their success has been undeniable and other schools have followed suit. Using stability balls in the classroom improves posture, strengthens the core of the body, and helps focus attention and on task behaviors throughout the day. It also allows for movement within a learning environment that is not disruptive, all the while improving handwriting. Read a recent Washington Post article about the use of stability balls in the classroom.

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[ALERT]

To our SEF Donors and Volunteers,

We wish you all could have been at last night's Board of Education meeting. Irene Murdock and Christine Murray (Grants Chairs) did a fabulous job presenting the 41 grants that we approved this spring cycle. It was exciting listening as the list of grants was long, impressive, and will impact all of Summit's public school children. The $388,172 price tag that came along with all of those grants was impressive too!

After Irene and Christine finished announcing our "gift" to the district, the BOE members and all those present broke into a large round of applause that then escalated into a standing ovation. Ed Mokuvos took the mic and congratulated our efforts and made everyone aware that SEF will give 3/4 of a million dollars this year to the Summit Public Schools! George Lucaci, Dr. Parker, Gloria Ron-Fornes, Lou Pepe and others all commented on our efforts and were extremely grateful to ALL of the SEF volunteers and donors.

Thank you all for your support, dedication, and effort,

Leah Griffith and Amy Di-Sibio, SEF co-presidents

Check out the 41 Grants funded!

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In Their Words

"Every time I see Dr. McCauley work it is worth fifteen hours of graduate level music class. He has the ability to teach and inspire like no other person. He is an incredibly dynamic teacher and the students got so much out of it.” --Steven Rapp, SHS music teacher commenting on guest conductor funded by SEF grant. Read more about this grant.

"Without the SEF grant supporting the Quintessence

Literary Magazine at SHS, students would miss out on the opportunity to celebrate each other's work."--Emma Cramer, Editor-in-Chief, 12th grade

"The new books SEF funded for our mystery unit are like birthday presents to our readers. There is an energy and excitement when I tell them we have new books for our classroom library."--Dana Folk, 3rd grade Washington teacher

“Human Rights Day was an eye opening experience and introduced me to real life events as they are actually occurring. To be exposed to someone like Ron Haviv and his images was a learning experience that I will never forget.”--Matthew Miller, 12th grade

“Due to the pace and demands of the curriculum, it is easy for a teacher to rely on ‘that’s the way it has always been done.’ Whereas, I perceive SEF as the Jiminy Cricket on my shoulder, a source telling me to make a change, a wise decision to benefit and impact our future, our children.”–David Mimnaugh, 4^th grade Lincoln-Hubbard teacher

"The Science Research Program gives me the unique opportunity to explore my interests in depth, which I would be unable to do otherwise. I have been able to research a topic that I'm interested in and create an authentic project around it. Going to the science fairs was an excellent experience."

Kristin Miller, 11th grade