2020 brought unprecedented challenges for all of us. The District pivoted quickly to distance learning and found creative solutions to support families and staff. HEF stepped up with a special $50,000 grant in the spring to provide support for COVID-related initiatives. We provided hosting and administrative services for a District fund-raising campaign to support maintain critical staff positions. At the same time, HEF responded to many staff grant requests by moving to a rolling grant review and approval cycle to enable us to respond quickly to meet rapidly changing needs. The table below lists the COVID-related grants that we have provided.
Learn more about the range of grants HEF provides across the entire curriculum.
| Title | Description | grantYR | Schools |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pathways to a Healthy Future | Pathways to a Healthy Future Special Appeal is a comprehensive approach to active student learning. The student who is emotionally calm, well fed, engaged in and excited about learning prospers and succeeds on their own unique pathway to their full potential. Learn more | 2019-2020 | District-Wide |
| Bigs Tutoring | HEF’s Awesome Fund for student clubs has awarded $1,000 to Bigs Tutoring, an inspiring group of Hopkins High School upperclassmen and alumni providing tutoring via video. This grant is the equivalent of 67 hours of tutoring, which will allow Bigs to offer free and reduced-price services to any student who needs it while proving a stipend to tutors. Learn more. | 2020-2021 | HHS |
| Mobile Sensory Kits | Mobile Sensory Kits are loaner kits full of easily-sanitized sensory processing equipment for preschoolers in the environment of COVID-19. Much more than toys, these weighted blankets, fidget tools, noise cancelling headphones (as a few examples) are designed to be soothing and/or stimulating for Hopkins youngest learners. Learn more. | 2020-2021 | Early Childhood Special Education |
| Home Studios Unlock Creativity | This grant purchases home studio equipment for use in rotation by a cohort of social studies staff at NJH. Their goal is to create digital content more engaging than what can be produced on district-issued hardware, and to meet the individual needs of their students. Learn more | 2020-2021 | NJH |
| COVID-Safe Equipment for Sensory Motor Room | This grant purchases sensory motor pieces of equipment that will be easy to clean frequently, and will greatly benefit Links to Learning students. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Gatewood |
| Micro Home Libraries | This grant puts two books by BIPOC authors (black, indigenous, people of color) into each of the hands of Reading Acceleration students whose home libraries are small to nonexistent. The pandemic makes this endeavor all the more important and timely, as these students are experiencing school in isolation at home. Learn more. | 2020-2021 | NJH |
| Fine Motor Kits for Distance Littles | Development of fine motor skills and muscle memory is essential to successful writing, cutting, gluing, and many other tasks. This grant funds 22 Fine Motor Kits to be sent home with students, along with engaging, instructive lessons and games. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Tanglen |
| Grade 5 Virtual Literacy | Currently, fifth graders are acquiring 60-100% of their learning virtually. This grant funds subscriptions to a slate of digital literacy resources to enhance and engage their endeavors during this very unusual year of COVID-19. Learn more | 2020-2021 | All elementary |
| Reading Groups, Together At Home | For the 66 Tanglen second graders enrolled in the Distance Learning Academy, the typical access to multiple books is not available. This grant provides multiple copies of 35 titles, both fiction and non fiction selections, with a diversity of main characters. Students will engage in small reading groups tailored to their needs, along with their teacher, via Googlemeets while staying safe at home.Learn more | 2020-2021 | Tanglen |
| Literacy in the Music Room | This classroom library in the music room at Tanglen will feature multicultural songs, stories, poetry, biographies of musicians and composers, and activities for exploring sound and movement. These resources will be used for lessons for all Tanglen students - and for many years to come – to broaden the scope of music education beyond a European-centered cannon. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Tanglen |
| Distance Learning Kits | Distance learning is especially hard on young children with disabilities who require structured, concrete, hands on, functional play-driven and interactive experiences. Families are unable to duplicate the opportunities available in the classroom, so this grant funds the creation of ‘leaning binders’ – 3-ring binders chock full of tools and supplies, along with instructions for many, many engaging games and activities. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Harley Hopkins |
| Albert.io | This user-friendly platform for AP History has received a big thumbs up from HHS students and staff in the past, and the ability for HEF to pick up the funding this year has been crucial for distance learners. Learn more | 2020-2021 | HHS |
| Raising Chickens | This grant offers students the unique long-term opportunity to practice responsibility, math, technology, teamwork, and to earn a sense of pride. Building chicken coops, raising 20-30 chickens, learning about chickens and then teaching others, will create a feeling of community for students. Learn more | 2020-2021 | NJH |
| Video Game Club | This community of gamers previously operated with consoles brought to school by staff members, but all of the back and forth took its toll on the equipment. This Awesome Fund grant will purchase consoles and controllers for the sole and permanent use of the club, which will also allow more students to participate. Learn more | 2020-2021 | WJH |
| Becoming Anti-Racist and Authentically Inclusive in Early Childhood | Early childhood is a critical age group in which to begin the work of anti-racism. This project begins with toys and books that illustrate multiple cultures and includes materials to help staff guide difficult and open conversations between themselves, and among parents. Learn More | 2020-2021 | Harley Hopkins |
| DIY STEM Tinker Kits | This HEF grant funds six different sets of crates full of interesting gadgets to be sent home, encouraging all students to fully participate along with any siblings who care to join in. Some enthusiastic learners have already created videos of themselves with their projects, and now the excitement can grow and spread. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Glen Lake |
| The Cove -- A Safe Space | This grant will transform the small, unadorned Learning Center into The Cove - an aesthetically pleasing, calm environment used throughout the day by up to 50 Eisenhower Elementary special education students with sensory processing disorders and mental health concerns. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Eisenhower Special Ed |
| Gizmos and Reflex Subscriptions | These online programs offer a solution to the problem of too much online learning. Reflex(Math) and Gizmos (Science) are fun and engaging interactive programs that promote rapid understanding and send boredom to the back of the class. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Gatewood |
| Beyond Aristotle and Dante | This grant provides a selection of LGBTQ novels for students to choose from for the upcoming unit on Relationships, as well as a basis for the Socratic Seminars based in Social Emotional Learning and empathy. Books will be shared/traded with WJH, and virtual book clubs are being considered across the two junior high buildings. Learn more< | 2020-2021 | NJH |
| A Great Hopkins Read-Along | This grant will bring all Hopkins scholars together through a shared reading experience. Different books will be chosen for different grade levels and purchased with HEF funds. Learn more | 2020-2021 | All elementary |
| Distance Learning Microphone | This grant purchases an external microphone and stand for each elementary school music teacher, greatly improving the quality of their lessons and level of student engagement. Learn more | 2020-2021 | All elementary |
| ACT Prep Class | How to Take the ACT offers equitable access to 11th grade scholars who traditionally do not have the means to take a class like this, and helps to level the playing field with their peers. As these students are already in distance learning, access to the online class will be free; this grant pays for the tutor’s time to work with, guide and support the students. Learn more | 2020-2021 | HHS |
| Baking Clubbers | The Baking Clubbers are excited to get this grant from The Awesome Fund. With it they will purchase shared cook/bakeware with which to expand their repertoire of skills. All members – and more are welcome! – have put energy and enthusiasm into the kitchen during distance learning. Learn more | 2020-2021 | NJH |
| Cultivating Digital Health and Wellness | It’s difficult right now to screen less, but students can learn to screen well. All 970 students will benefit as NJH partners with Minnesota nonprofit LiveMore, ScreenLess to implement a deliberate culture of digital health and wellness. Learn more | 2020-2021 | NJH |
| VariQuest Design Center | This wonderful tool is much more than a time saver for creating beautiful bulletin board displays. VariQuest Design Center quickly “cuts out” visual and kinesthetic learning tools and manipulatives from heavy-duty re-usable vinyl.At-home kits can be created for reinforcement and fun.Learn more | 2020-2021 | Alice Smith |
| Outdoor Forest Kindergarten Startup | Two of three Gatewood Kindergarten sections (50 students) will be outside next year 3-4 hours out of their six-hour day! The forest, pond, field, gardens, and hillside will be their classroom. Forest Friday has been popular for six years; now the Kindergarten Team is ready to take it to the next level. HEF will be funding rain/mud gear for all students, including boots. Learn more | 2020-2021 | Gatewood |
| Hmong Family Outreach | This grant will compensate interpreter Panou Xiong for up to ten additional hours per week for the rest of the school year, and five hours per week during the ten weeks of summer. The goal is to overcome significant barriers Hmong children experience with distance learning. 2020-2021 | Tanglen |