Ossining MATTERS Helps Students Grow with
Sustainability Projects and More for 2010 - 2011

At the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, June 16, Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation launched its seventh year of funding programs and projects to enrich the education of all children in the Ossining School District. Board President Amy Seiden presented the trustees with a donation supporting eleven different grants in all six of Ossining’s school buildings.

These grants, totaling $34,928, represent a mix of innovative proposals from Ossining’s creative, dedicated teachers and administrators and continued funding for proven successes. Each grant helps to further our mission to support and enrich the learning opportunities for all children in the Ossining School District. Two of the grants tie in with District sustainability and wellness goals.

A Virtual Journey to Ancient Egypt – This grant will bring consultant Mike Harrold, from JAMBO Productions, to AMD, to give a presentation on ancient Egypt and other ancient civilizations to the entire sixth grade. The program will include a slide show of photos from his journeys to Egypt, and will discuss the Nile River Valley, the Pyramids, King Tut’s tomb, and the geography of the region. The assembly will be followed by five small workshops of thirty minutes each. This presentation supports the current curriculum study of ancient Egypt.
Classroom Publishing Center – As an extension of the seventh-grade Picture Book Author Study already in place in the curriculum, this grant will fund the purchase of dedicated printing equipment to allow students to make a finished picture book as the culminating project to share with students, friends, and family, and to read to Claremont students as part of a mentoring program.
District Drumming Residency – Through this donation, world renowned drummer John Arrucci - who also happens to be an OHS graduate - will conduct a residency and present a drumming program focusing on Brazilian and West African drumming at two schools (to be determined by Cultural Arts Director Bradley Morrison). John Arrucci’s huge talent, enthusiasm, and energy will increase the enthusiasm and desire for music making in students, and help further teachers’ understanding of nonwestern music.
Mbira in Me – This second year of funding will extend this extremely successful project to the entire fourth grade. Students will study the musical history of the mbira and the movement of African music, create an mbira (or thumb piano), and then perform in a school-wide concert with the artist in residence, Kevin Nathaniel Hylton.
Nursing Career Pathway Program – Through this grant, one hundred OHS freshmen will be able to attend Fall Career Day at Phelps Memorial Hospital. The program provides a broad general exposure to careers in Health Care.
Summer Mural Project – This grant is the next step in a successful project funded by Ossining MATTERS in 2009. Teachers and students will work together to plan and execute painted murals in the hallways at OHS. As with last year’s project, the grant provides summer art enrichment as well as enhancing the aesthetics at OHS.
Perfect Pumpkin Patch – This donation covers staff planning and supplies to create a pumpkin patch for the second graders. In addition to helping to plant, care for, and harvest pumpkins, students will learn about the history of pumpkin plants in our country, the nutritional value of pumpkins, and ways to cook and eat them. This seed-to-table project ties in with district sustainability and wellness goals.
Slim Goodbody – Through this grant, Slim Goodbody, a healthy- nutrition consultant and entertainer, will present a fun, highly interactive assembly at each elementary school to draw attention to the importance of good nutrition. The show addresses the serious problems of excess weight and obesity in an entertaining and non-threatening way. It teaches children the risk factors involved in being overweight, explains how calorie intake needs to match number of calories burned, and explores ways to stay fit and healthy with good nutrition and exercise. This program will reach all students from Kindergarten through fifth grade, and is part of the district’s multi-pronged approach to fitness and wellness.
Claremont Native Sustainability Garden – This grant covers staff time, equipment, and a small consultant fee to create a native sustainability garden in the school courtyard. The project will involve the entire school via full class lessons on sustainability, and will also tie in not only with science, math, language arts, and enrichment curricula, but also with the ongoing vermicomposting project.
Claremont Beautification Project -- This grant will enhance the common spaces of Claremont School by building on work already done with muralist, Pedro Ospina. Claremont staff and students will work to improve the look of the entryway, hallways, and classroom entrances by means of decorated ceiling tiles and bulletin boards along with new and improved hallway signs. The school community would be responsible for the theme, design, artwork, and placement of all tiles. The project is theme based, and will support and connect with the visual arts curriculum.

Our donation also includes this contribution:

In 2006, Ossining MATTERS established a Guidance Discretionary Fund at OHS. This fund is used to help college-bound students who have financial needs by making scholarships available for important courses and fees:

College courses (SUNY, SUPA) offered at OHS
College application fees
SAT preparation and review courses

For the coming school year, Ossining MATTERS has donated an additional $9,000 to the fund.

This donation brings the dollar amount for programs funded by Ossining MATTERS to more than $360,000 in total support provided to our school district.

Ossining MATTERS is grateful not only to the teachers and administrators who propose and implement these fine projects, but also for the generous support of the Ossining community, whose donations of both funds and volunteer time make it possible for us to continue to carry out our mission.

Providing Monetary Aid Teaching Tools Enriching Resources for our Schools Home Page About Ossining MATTERS Mission Statement Board of Directors Funding Policies Projects Funded Donations in Action Upcoming Events Archive Ossining School District Sobre Ossining MATTERS en español Donate to Ossining MATTERS, Inc. Online Contact Information Ossining MATTERS, Inc. PO Box 1012 Ossining, NY 10562 914-510-9320 Or email us info@ossiningmatters.org	Ossining MATTERS Helps Students Grow with Sustainability Projects and More for 2010 - 2011 At the Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, June 16, Ossining MATTERS Education Foundation launched its seventh year of funding programs and projects to enrich the education of all children in the Ossining School District. Board President Amy Seiden presented the trustees with a donation supporting eleven different grants in all six of Ossining’s school buildings. These grants, totaling $34,928, represent a mix of innovative proposals from Ossining’s creative, dedicated teachers and administrators and continued funding for proven successes. Each grant helps to further our mission to support and enrich the learning opportunities for all children in the Ossining School District. Two of the grants tie in with District sustainability and wellness goals. A Virtual Journey to Ancient Egypt – This grant will bring consultant Mike Harrold, from JAMBO Productions, to AMD, to give a presentation on ancient Egypt and other ancient civilizations to the entire sixth grade. The program will include a slide show of photos from his journeys to Egypt, and will discuss the Nile River Valley, the Pyramids, King Tut’s tomb, and the geography of the region. The assembly will be followed by five small workshops of thirty minutes each. This presentation supports the current curriculum study of ancient Egypt. Classroom Publishing Center – As an extension of the seventh-grade Picture Book Author Study already in place in the curriculum, this grant will fund the purchase of dedicated printing equipment to allow students to make a finished picture book as the culminating project to share with students, friends, and family, and to read to Claremont students as part of a mentoring program. District Drumming Residency – Through this donation, world renowned drummer John Arrucci - who also happens to be an OHS graduate - will conduct a residency and present a drumming program focusing on Brazilian and West African drumming at two schools (to be determined by Cultural Arts Director Bradley Morrison). John Arrucci’s huge talent, enthusiasm, and energy will increase the enthusiasm and desire for music making in students, and help further teachers’ understanding of nonwestern music. Mbira in Me – This second year of funding will extend this extremely successful project to the entire fourth grade. Students will study the musical history of the mbira and the movement of African music, create an mbira (or thumb piano), and then perform in a school-wide concert with the artist in residence, Kevin Nathaniel Hylton. Nursing Career Pathway Program – Through this grant, one hundred OHS freshmen will be able to attend Fall Career Day at Phelps Memorial Hospital. The program provides a broad general exposure to careers in Health Care. Summer Mural Project – This grant is the next step in a successful project funded by Ossining MATTERS in 2009. Teachers and students will work together to plan and execute painted murals in the hallways at OHS. As with last year’s project, the grant provides summer art enrichment as well as enhancing the aesthetics at OHS. Perfect Pumpkin Patch – This donation covers staff planning and supplies to create a pumpkin patch for the second graders. In addition to helping to plant, care for, and harvest pumpkins, students will learn about the history of pumpkin plants in our country, the nutritional value of pumpkins, and ways to cook and eat them. This seed-to-table project ties in with district sustainability and wellness goals. Slim Goodbody – Through this grant, Slim Goodbody, a healthy- nutrition consultant and entertainer, will present a fun, highly interactive assembly at each elementary school to draw attention to the importance of good nutrition. The show addresses the serious problems of excess weight and obesity in an entertaining and non-threatening way. It teaches children the risk factors involved in being overweight, explains how calorie intake needs to match number of calories burned, and explores ways to stay fit and healthy with good nutrition and exercise. This program will reach all students from Kindergarten through fifth grade, and is part of the district’s multi-pronged approach to fitness and wellness. Claremont Native Sustainability Garden – This grant covers staff time, equipment, and a small consultant fee to create a native sustainability garden in the school courtyard. The project will involve the entire school via full class lessons on sustainability, and will also tie in not only with science, math, language arts, and enrichment curricula, but also with the ongoing vermicomposting project. Claremont Beautification Project -- This grant will enhance the common spaces of Claremont School by building on work already done with muralist, Pedro Ospina. Claremont staff and students will work to improve the look of the entryway, hallways, and classroom entrances by means of decorated ceiling tiles and bulletin boards along with new and improved hallway signs. The school community would be responsible for the theme, design, artwork, and placement of all tiles. The project is theme based, and will support and connect with the visual arts curriculum. Our donation also includes this contribution: In 2006, Ossining MATTERS established a Guidance Discretionary Fund at OHS. This fund is used to help college-bound students who have financial needs by making scholarships available for important courses and fees: College courses (SUNY, SUPA) offered at OHS College application fees SAT preparation and review courses For the coming school year, Ossining MATTERS has donated an additional $9,000 to the fund. This donation brings the dollar amount for programs funded by Ossining MATTERS to more than $360,000 in total support provided to our school district. Ossining MATTERS is grateful not only to the teachers and administrators who propose and implement these fine projects, but also for the generous support of the Ossining community, whose donations of both funds and volunteer time make it possible for us to continue to carry out our mission.