The Aristos grant recipients and Scholars were recently announced for the 2008-09 school year.

The Aristos program was launched in December, 2000. To date, $425,000 has been awarded to fund 65 grants. Aristos grants are awarded to district staff to support their creative initiatives in the areas of student engagement, learning, and/or engarelationships.

Gifts to the Foundation for Madison's Public Schools from the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation and the Kelly Family Foundation support the Aristos Grants and Scholars Program.

Aristos Grants 2008-09

Home-School Partnering with W-2 Parents and Families — Kathy Price
Kathy Price, Coordinator of Community Partnerships, is the recipient of a $9,850 Aristos grant. The grant intends to actively engage low-income parents receiving W-2 benefits in the schools their children attend. The grant will support home learning opportunities for students, strengthen parenting skills, and promote meaningful family involvement with school staff members.

Math Lesson Study — Michael Hertting
As principal of Lapham Elementary School, Michael Hertting authored a $8,200 Aristos grant to engage teachers in analyzing and discussing mathematics instruction in an innovative way. The process is loosely based Japanese Lesson Study that has teachers observing a math mini-lesson and then discussing their observations immediately after the lesson. The teachers will then teach the same mini-lesson to a small group of students. Finally, the teachers will reconvene, process their work, and determine ways they may fine tune their practice.

Open Schoolhouse — Sara Knueve
Sara Knueve is a social worker at Falk Elementary school. She will use her $7,290 Aristos Grant to engage families as they support their children's academic progress and positive connection to school. Through Open Schoolhouse families may access the school library, computer lab, math resources, gym, and other community connections each Tuesday evening.

New Aristos Scholars for 2008-09

The Aristos Scholars Academy is a prestigious MMSD Think Tank in which members explore district issues. Scholars serve three-year terms, participate in a fall Retreat, monthly meetings, and select future grant recipients. Aristos Scholars may be nominated or selected based upon their Aristos grant implementation.

Debora Gil R. Casado — Memorial High School, Social Studies

Susan Hamblin — Teaching and Learning, Social Studies

Julie Palkowski — Teaching and Learning, Fine Arts

Steve Somerson — East High School, Math Department Chair

Retiring Aristos Scholars - June, 2008

1. Tracy Carolan, Math Teacher La Follette High School, on leave
2. Susan Deming, Speech/Language Therapist, Glendale Elementary
3. Ginny Kester, Social Studies Teacher, West High School
4. Jan Lorch, Social Worker, Chavez Elementary School
5. Phonekeo Siharath, English Teacher, La Follette High School
6. David Wasserman, Teacher, Sennett Middle School