Four Waukegan Public Schools educators were recently awarded grants from the Illinois Retired Teachers Association Foundation (IRTAF). The IRTAF award grants throughout the state that allow educators to enrich their instruction with materials not otherwise available to them.
In Waukegan four teachers earned a total of more than $1,600 in awards. Below is a summary of how much each teacher was awarded, as well as how they plan to utilize the grant.
Timothy Smith, Lyon Magnet, $375, to purchase headphones for students to use during standardized testing.
Bart Bates, Abbott Middle School, $357.95, to help support two dozen students participating in a drumline group.
Rebecca Seal, Little Fort Elementary, $213, to help kindergarten students to develop handwriting skills through a movement based, kinesthetic, form of instruction.
Sharon McDaniel, Little Fort Elementary received four grants totaling $711, which included: $148 for rain barrel that will be used to help maintain the school’s garden; $199 for a classroom Qball Mic which will ensure students can more easily hear their teacher and classmates during instruction; and $229 & $135 to provide separate literacy tools for students.