6th Grade Math Teacher, Kate Lopez, transformed regular math stations into fun, glow in the dark math stations she calls "Glow Games" that are sure to engage her students.

Kate Lopez, Calallen Middle School

Award winning math game, Albert's Insomnia, makes learning in Ms. Emily Flores' class fun all while increasing fact fluency.

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This game helps students understand order of operations as they create their own math equations. Albert's Insomnia was provided to Ms. Flores through a Calallen Education Foundation Mini-Grant.

Emily Flores, Magee Elementary

Yoga class has been a very positive experience for my students. Not only do they enjoy the class, but they are developing physical strength and endurance, sensory integration, motor coordination, as well as learning breathing techniques, and building self-esteem,

Tracy Fletcher, District/Special Education

The Gravity Well allows my students to engage more by giving them a chance to explore on a space time fabric and visualize gravity and gravitational fields. One student said, "I thought I knew what gravity was until I took Physics."

Lara Burkhart, Calallen High School

Students in my Digital Audio Technologies class use quality USB microphones regularly on Calallen TV for voice-overs, audio enhancements, and podcasts.

We are so thankful for the continued support of all our teachers and especially for supporting Calallen TV, which has helped us reach so many people in our broadcasts. Without the Calallen Education Foundation, we would not be where we are today.

Dale Lamb, Calallen High School

From magnetic gears and geometric tiles to plane kits and discovery tubes, my students love all the hands on, fun things they get to play with as they learn through these engineering activities that spark their creativity.

Karen Story, East Elementary

Through my grant funded literacy station, me and my students accomplished an event called  "The Living Museum."  At this event, each student dressed as the character they studied, presented highlights from their research, and shared the videos they produced.  

It is a huge plus that they know they are learning and becoming smarter as they share their new knowledge with others. One student commented, "I just love reading these books and learning about history!"  Another student, after reading Ballpark Mysteries, began to read Who Was Babe Ruth?  from our Reading Ignited books. As she read the book, she began to share her new knowledge with confidence and most importantly, a huge smile. 

Jessica Almaraz, Magee Elementary

The Calallen Steel Band has experienced extensive growth including the addition of multiple band classes at the middle school. These students work extremely hard, and love learning steel pan. I was surprised to hear from a students' mother that Tuesdays have become the child's favorite day of the week because she gets to come to school early and learn even more. 

Nic Goodman, Calallen High School

Through literature purchased by the grant, students learn valuable lessons in character such as honesty, friendliness, bravery, and respect.  The story characters in the books model appropriate behaviors and sometimes even inappropriate behaviors.  We use the text to identify behaviors, have group discussions, and generate solutions to problems experienced by kids.

The first day of class we did a getting to know each other activity where students were instructed to write about themselves.  One of the questions asked that the students list the names of his/her friends.  One student left his blank and told me he didn't have friends.  He said other students didn't play with him and he generally worked alone rather than in a group.  He went on to describe how he had some behavior problems in school in the past and so the students avoided him.  I placed this student in a group and used story characters to model how to make friends and how to work together.  I'm happy to say that the student has remained with the group and now has made friends with them.  He uses kind words and even hugged a student while thanking him for being his friend.

Michelle Kautz, Wood River Elementary

Through a multi sensory program called Touch Math, my students can learn by seeing, saying, and touching all while having fun!  I have a student who was unable to identify the numbers 1-10 before, but now because of Touch Math, they can.

Shelly Whitman, East Elementary

I think the unexpected outcome is that the students’ enjoyment of the scooter boards is beyond what I expected.  The students that are more reluctant to participate at times participate with ease when we do activities with the scooter boards.

Lamar Lopez, Calallen Middle School

I have a student whose primary language is Spanish.  He struggles in class even though I use different strategies to help him.  He is now able to use the iPad and aim it toward the board or his worksheet, and the app will show everything in Spanish.

Laura Lopez, Calallen Middle School

We were able to create posters for the year 1607 and through the activity students with artistic creativity flourished and became more engaged not only in the tutorial classroom but in the regular classroom as well. They have taken their love of art and applied it in all areas of their history learning.

Selene Flores, Calallen Middle School

Each 1st Grade classroom received four new Google Chromebooks to utilize programs throughout the year and enable students to become familiar with the technology they use to be tested for district assessment.

This year a student came into a 1st-grade classroom.  When they sat in front of the Chromebook for the first time she stated, "I am not good with computers."  After teaching and training the student how to properly log in and use the Chromebook, she now is asking to help show other students how to use it and she is telling them how much fun it can be to learn on these programs.

Karen Anderson, Wood River Elementary

Fabrication of numerous metal assemblies including plasma cut designs, feeders, BBQ grills, fire pits, laser engravings, router cuttings, powder coated finishes, etc.  Projects constructed have won competitions at the Nueces County Stock Show.

Bruce Jonason, Calallen High School

I had asked for wireless microphones to work with our current cameras to be used for live interviews on location. These microphones allowed for a "tangle free" environment that allowed my reporters to freely move around crowds.

There are many stories I can tell of how the microphones have helped, but a particular story is when my weatherman and his classmate created a news broadcast for a BPA competition, in which they placed first and qualified for state. The equipment I receive through the grants are not only used for Calallen TV, but are available to anyone on campus. I have had many students come use the studio for class projects in English, Social Studies and other disciplines.

The outcomes have proven to be more beneficial than originally thought. Our program continues to get better with each grant.

Dale Lamb, Calallen High School

It has been a joy to watch the students be creative in their endeavors as well as troubleshoot problems that came up while they were building their designs. The students are excited and engaged when using the hands-on building materials.

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The Intro to Engineering class was able to come up with awesome projects for crane towers that rotate 360 degrees. The mobile labs include motors, as well, so their crane worked realistically in transporting small objects.​

Lori Villa, Calallen High School

The Lego Wall is available for students to use to create, explore, experiment and invent with throughout the year. Students have access to it before and during the school day.

The students are always excited to come to the Makerspace to use the LEGO Wall. One student even has her mom drop her off early in the morning so she can get a pass to use the Makerspace and the LEGO Wall. Many teachers use the LEGO Wall and the Makerspace as an incentive in the class to get work completed.​

Lynn LaStrapes, Magee Intermediate

I had a reluctant reader who was also experienced behavioral difficulties. He lacked motivation to read. Through my guided reading lessons, I discovered that he loved certain genres, especially Fly Guy books. He was so excited that his face lit up when he saw the titles from my project. The books motivated him to read. He became more enthusiastic about reading, read more books and ultimately reached his reading level goals.

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Michelle Kautz, Wood River Elementary

Dear Calallen Education Foundation Members

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I wanted to thank you again for awarding me the grant I applied for, Hands-on Classroom for Math. I already ordered and received my items (with the Help of Dr. Torres and Bonnie Snyder) and my students are loving them. I knew the items I ordered were nice, but the quality and rigor of the games and activities was even better than I imagined.  The manipulatives are exactly what I needed to reinforce some of the concepts my students were not understanding. I used them yesterday with the students I am helping to remediate before the 2nd administration of the STAAR test and I saw the light bulb go on when I molded the problem using these new manipulatives.  My students have had the opportunity to play some of the games as well and they really seem to be enjoying them. I haven’t used all the materials yet, but I plan to in the very near future. 

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Thanks again for all you do for our students and teachers!! - Kasie Meyer

On behalf of our First Grade Team at Wood River Elementary we would like to thank you, and everyone at the Calallen Education Foundation, for granting us money for Read Aloud Books!  We are very excited to use this for our students and to keep making our district great!! 

“Critical Care Jerry” is engineered as a complete emergency room veterinary training manikin.  It has the ability to simulate trauma and features jugular and vascular access. Realistic representation of the trachea, esophagus, and epilogists are built into the airway.

The “Flying High” project will expand the technical means in producing high quality images and video while preparing students for possible jobs in a multitude of applications.  Training students to pilot drones will provide real life opportunities in the government, corporate and private sectors.  There is an added benefit of improving and expanding he video for Calallen TV, which broadcasts daily and is seen by over 1,200 students, faculty and community.  Calallen TV acts as an ambassador for CISD, and the amazing videos capable of being produced will only enhance the image of the district.

“Scientist of the Week” gives students the opportunity to explore science through hand on experience.  The kids are given the opportunity to choose their own experiment, practice it at home, then come to school and show their peers.  Demonstrating their experiment for the class gives students confidence!  Since introducing the program the kids cannot wait for their turn and look forward to showing their friends what they have done.  “Scientist of the Week” has made science fun for the students as they look forward to watching their friends.

The greatest struggle seen as a Special Education teacher is basic number sense.  The students’ understanding and grasp of basic number concepts affects everything they do in future math classes.  Unfortunately, it is also the hardest concept to teach. “ Do the Math Number Core” will facilitate effective math instruction in 30 days.  This program particularly develops number sense students need to compute with accuracy and efficiency, and the ability to apply their skills and reasoning to solve problems.

The purpose of bringing the reality of the 3D  printer to CMS as an instructional tool is to enhance student understanding of academic concepts by providing students with relevant three-dimensional objects, to spark student interest, imagination and creativity, and to increase student spatial intelligence.