Duxbury Children Have Access to an Outdoor Classroom!

LIFE ON THE BAY, December 2021

There is a new place in Duxbury for healing and learning called the Outdoor Classroom. An outdoor classroom is a place for children to connect to the natural world and learn from what nature has to teach them. The Outdoor Classroom is located behind Alden School down a path called the Outdoor Learning Center.

The Outdoor Classroom is a project that was brought to the schools by third-grade teachers Erin Miele and Kathy Hanlon. After all the difficult months of teaching and learning during the pandemic, they wanted to do something positive. Since students were at home and behind screens for lengthy periods of time, they knew that students and teachers could benefit from time spent outdoors.

Erin and Kathy researched outdoor spaces in surrounding towns and figured that the space in the middle of the Outdoor Learning Center would be the perfect place for a classroom. The teachers wrote a grant to the Duxbury Education Foundation, and after many months of planning and researching, they were thrilled when the project was approved. The main elements of the project were to have trees and brush cleared, wood chips put down, a fence installed to define the area, rock and log seating installed and a mural put up. Upon completion, the Outdoor Classroom was beyond their expectations. It is a beautiful and peaceful place.

The added final elements include windchimes, a sundial, books with lesson ideas for each grade level, and a welcome sign that will be installed soon. The teachers took their students out for a preliminary visit and their reactions were priceless. The timing of the project also fits in beautifully with the newly installed story walk done by the Duxbury Free Library.

Erin and Kathy hope that the space can be used by the schools and the community for years to come. Erin and Kathy would like to thank the following supporters of the project:

Duxbury Education Foundation - provided grant money to support the project

Ed O’Donnell - donated and created handcrafted wooden benches and installed them

Kris Brennen - created the art mural, and selected the stones for seating

East Coast Fence - installed a fence to define the area

DPW - removed trees and shrubs and put wood chips down

PTA - partnered with us for a yearly clean up day to maintain the space

DEF IN THE NEWS

May, 2018 ~ DEF in the News

At the April 2nd  School Committee Meeting, the Duxbury Education Foundation proudly presented a check for more than $50,000 to the Duxbury Public Schools to fund eleven (11) grant requests for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year. Highlights of this year’s grants include: 

 ·       A horizontal climbing wall in the Alden gym 

·       Two raised garden beds for a community garden to be installed at DMS

·       Ten student kits of Google Expeditions, a virtual reality teaching tool to be used in a social studies classroom at DMS

·       Investing in the building and operation of 3-4 personal food computers (PFC) designed to grow a variety of foods in a controlled environment. PFC's will be used in a variety of biology classes at DHS

·       A guided reading library at Chandler School to support the new balanced literacy curriculum initiative.

·       A one-year pilot program at Alden School to teach kids digital literacy and keyboarding skills.

·       …and so much more!

 

A great big thank you to the Duxbury community and to the school administrators for all your ongoing support. A detailed list of all the grants funded by DEF will be available soon on our website at www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org

May 2017

Duxbury Education Foundation Chosen by Staples Associate to Receive $1500 Grant
DEF Nominated by Local Associate to Receive Staples Foundation Grant

Duxbury, MA, May 2017 – Duxbury Education Foundation has been awarded $1,500 by Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc., through a program called 2 Million & Change that allows Staples associates around the globe to direct more than $2 million in donations each year.

Katie Kane, President of the DEF expressed her gratitude for the grant. “We are grateful to the Staples Foundation for their generous support and their continued commitment the DEF. These funds are critical to our mission of enriching the Duxbury public school system with grants that inspire innovation, creativity, and leadership.”

Created in 2012, the 2 Million & Change program is a philanthropic initiative which allows Staples associates around the world to direct funding to non-profit organizations focused on academic education or job skills. The program encourages local community engagement by awarding larger grants to organizations where associates are highly engaged in volunteering or fundraising – up to $25,000 per organization.

In 2016, Staples awarded more than $2.3 million in grants to 1,000 local organizations in support of education and job skills programs, including job readiness for homeless individuals, career exploration for high school students, academic scholarships, mentoring and more.

“Staples is committed to giving back to the causes our associates are passionate about,” said Regis Mulot, chief human resources officer, Staples, Inc. “The 2 Million & Change program helps associates make an even greater impact on the organizations they support in their local communities.”

 The Duxbury Education Foundation (“DEF”) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1989 to raise funds for educational, scientific and charitable purposes to be used for programs benefitting the students, teachers and staff of the Duxbury public school system.

 About Staples Community and Giving

Staples contributes to educational and job-related community efforts with a primary focus on disadvantaged youth, from literacy and mentoring to career skills development, through in-kind and monetary donations and grants from Staples Foundation, the private charitable arm of Staples, Inc. Through its community and giving efforts, Staples has helped thousands of organizations around the world. For more information, visit www.staples.com/community.

 

April 2017

DEF NEWS

Upcoming Events:

SUNDAY – MAY 21ST– Duxbury Oyster Festival tickets are on sale now and moving fast! Enjoy all you can eat oysters generously donated by Duxbury’s Oyster Farmers and live music from the Elovators and DSU Coffee House Musicians. Come support your local schools and kids with proceeds generously donated by the Winsor House benefiting DEF and DSU. You won't want to miss this popular annual event which is sure to sell out! Visit www.winsorhouseinn.com today for information and tickets.

TUESDAY – JULY 4TH – Mark your calendars for the 39TH Annual DEF July Fourth Road Race 5k and Kid’s Fun Run! This race is a family friendly 5k – walk, run, bring a stroller – it’s fun for the whole family.  LIMITED BIBS AVAILABLE. This year the 5K race will be capped at 1000 runners and we expect this race to fill up fast (more than 900 runners registered in 2016). Register now at www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org and like us on Facebook to find out everything you need to know about this race and DEF.  

Thank you to all who participated in the DEF Presents Improv Asylum event on April 8th. We had a successful turn out and are so grateful to all of our VIP ticketholders and general attendees, the Dine-and-Dash attendees and host The Winsor House Inn, the Duxbury Middle School steel drum band, volunteers, the PAC crew and especially to Norm and Kelly Laviolette and their amazing, talented Improv cast!

Grant Highlight:

It’s DEF grant season!  DEF funds two kinds of grants:  professional development opportunities and educational projects which support innovative educational programs that benefit the students, teachers, and staff of the Duxbury Public School system.  Applicants can be anyone from the Duxbury Public School system (teachers, students and admin) or representatives from non-profit organizations in our community.

New this year: DEF is proud to bring back the W. Channing Howe Grant.  Channing Howe was long-time Duxbury resident who was dedicated to improving education in town.  He not only served on the Duxbury Public School's long-term planning committee, but he also served two terms as a DEF trustee (1991-1997) and was President from 1993-1994.  The W. Channing Howe Grant was originally established in 1998 to fund programs that "support the quest for excellence in education."  Channing was particularly passionate about bringing visiting scholars to town, so this year we are honored to present the W. Channing Howe Grant to Rose Ruback (DHS, US History) who will use the money to bring a visiting theatre company, Theatre Espresso, to DHS and present the drama "Secret Soldiers: Women Who Fought in the Civil War" to her US History I students.  

The DEF Board of Trustees have been working tirelessly collecting and reviewing all grant proposals and finalizing fund approvals for approximately $80,000 in grant requests. Grant monies will be released in early May and should be spent within one year.  Please stay tuned for final details regarding funded grants for the 2017-18 year.

The Duxbury Education Foundation (“DEF”) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1989 to raise funds for educational, scientific and charitable purposes to be used for programs benefitting the students, teachers and staff of the Duxbury public school system.

 

January 2017

DEF NEWS

Thank you for "Answering The Call" and pledging to donate to our annual campaign! We appreciate all your support in continuing to fund innovative programs in Duxbury Schools. If you haven't yet made a donation to Answer the Call you may still do so online at www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org

Upcoming Events:

Save-The-Date to LOL: The third annual “DEF Presents…. Improv Asylum!” event will be held on April 8th, right here in Duxbury. Come laugh out loud as “Boston’s Best Comedy” brings its wildly popular “funniest show you’ll ever be a part of” to the Performing Arts Center for a family-friendly afternoon show and a 14+ age appropriate evening show. Please stay tuned for information regarding ticket sales.

Grant Highlight:
Music Technology Equipment

Another DEF grant belongs to the Duxbury High School Music Department for funds to purchase innovative music technology equipment. This equipment is currently in an “introduction” stage, and has been integrated into the music lab to be used by all music students – especially non-traditional music students interested in entering the program. New concepts in music education are beginning to focus on TMTT (Teaching Music Through Technology) to attract a broader array of students.  Research shows that many students wish to study music, but do not wish to learn in a traditional music performance class.  The department is expecting increased enrollment over the next few years. Training of the advanced functionality of the equipment and software has already begun in the hope that students can use the equipment at future school events.

Thank you to our many contributors for supporting the DEF’s mission to provide innovative programs in the Duxbury schools. The purchase of the music technology equipment for the DHS Music Department is just one example of your generous donations being put to good use.

The Duxbury Education Foundation (“DEF”) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1989 to raise funds for educational, scientific and charitable purposes to be used for programs benefiting the students, teachers and staff of the Duxbury public school system. For more information please visit www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org. 

 

September 2016

Upcoming Events:
Back-to-School BASH featuring The Waves
There are just a few tickets left to this event that is sure to sell out!
Saturday, September 24
North Hill Country Club
6:00PM – 10:30PM
Dance the night away to The Waves under the big tent!
Live music • games • heavy hors d'oeuvres • candy buffet • cash bar
Silent auctions, the Wheel of Chance and so much more!
TICKETS are $65 at www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org

Grant Highlight:
Summer Math Courses for Elementary Teachers
Over three weeks this summer, Duxbury Education Foundation (DEF) and the Duxbury Schools invested more than $25,000 in college-level professional development courses for 36 Alden and Chandler School teachers, who each devoted a week of their summer vacation to improving math instruction for Duxbury elementary school students. 

Last year the elementary schools implemented the enVision math program, a rigorous and inquiry-based program heavily focused on foundational math skills.  This new curriculum prompted teachers and administrators to seek out new high-quality math professional development to enhance classroom instruction and the ability to teach and engage all kinds of learners.

Teacher feedback was highly positive; participants are excited to share their new instructional strategies, center activities, and understandings with their colleagues and their students. This level of teacher participation is a testament to the quality of Duxbury’s teachers and their commitment to our students – and the compelling value of our community investment in them. 

Thank you to our many contributors for supporting the DEF’s mission to provide innovative programs in the Duxbury schools. The math courses for teachers are just one example of your generous donations being put to good use. 

June 2016

Upcoming Events:
RUN, RACE or WALK The DEF July Fourth 5K
Registration is officially open for the 38th DEF July Fourth Road Race! Whether you like to run competitively or just take a nice walk, this family-friendly, very popular 5k will take you around beautiful Powder Point in Duxbury on the morning of July 4th. This year the KIDS FUN RUN is making a comeback with an organized race around the Duxbury High School track. We have also added a TEAM option to this year’s registration form. 

Register by June 25th to guarantee cool tech t-shirt (men's, women's and kid's sizes available) and to receive a raffle entry for a private Island Creek Oyster party. Every kid 12 and under gets a medal for participating. Divisions include (Male and female) 10 and under*, 11-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+ 

THANK YOU to The Winsor House Inn for hosting such a wonderful and hugely successful SOLD OUT Oyster Festival featuring The Waves on May 15th to benefit Duxbury Education Foundation and the Duxbury Student Union!

Grant Highlight:
Laptops for Alden Tier II and Tier III reading and math intervention students
Last year The DEF approved a grant to fund the purchase of 15 additional laptops for the Alden technology department to use for approximately 200 Alden Tier II and Tier III reading and math intervention students. In recent years the school has provided the teachers with highly effective web-based teaching tools that had significantly increased the need for access to laptops for short periods of time for the students, however, there were not enough laptops to go around for all of the students to use.  As a direct result of this grant, students no longer have to miss important academics. With the additional laptops, teachers and students have had no difficulty accessing technology for the purposes of progress monitoring and intervention. Through feedback from this grant recipient The DEF has learned that, “We have been very successful already this year in making great strides with our struggling reading and math students. Over 30% of the students in the school who were identified in the fall as not meeting proficiency benchmarks on STAR math or STAR reading assessments have already reached proficiency. This is due in part to the strategic intervention we have been able to provide using technology and the laptops.” 

Thank you to our many contributors for supporting the DEF’s mission to provide innovative programs in the Duxbury schools. The additional laptops for this program are just one example of your generous donations being put to good use. 

 

May 2016

Upcoming Events:

SUNDAY – MAY 15TH – Duxbury Oyster Festival tickets are on sale now and moving fast! Enjoy all you can eat oysters and live music from The Waves. Come support your local schools and kids with proceeds generously donated by the Winsor House benefiting DEF and DSU. You won't want to miss this popular annual event which is sure to sell out! Visit www.winsorhouseinn.com today for information and tickets. 

MONDAY – JULY 4TH – Mark your calendars and register TODAY for the Annual DEF 4th of July 5k Road Race! This race is a family friendly 5k – walk, run, bring a stroller – it’s fun for the whole family. Visit www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org to register and be sure to like us on Facebook to find out everything you need to know about this race and DEF. 

Grant Highlight:
National Geography Conference
This past school year The DEF funded a grant request to send two middle school teachers (6th and 7th grade) to the National Geography Conference for professional development and general enrichment. We recently followed up with the grant recipients and learned that they “were pleased with the resources and knowledge we gained from the many different workshops we attended at the National Geography Conference. We especially were thrilled to meet Beth Montgomery, a representative of the DBQ Project, which is a primary source analysis and writing program. We have both used tips, tricks, and resources from the DBQ project with our students this year and it has been quite successful.” 

When asked how the grant impacts the students in Duxbury Schools the response was, “We came home with a variety of new ideas to implement in our classrooms that improve our teaching, which directly impacts our current and future students. We were also able to enrich programs, such as our implementation of DBQ’s, by making connections with developers of that program (DBQ Project.)”

Thank you to our many contributors for supporting the DEF’s mission to provide innovative programs in the Duxbury schools. Continued growth in professional development and general enrichment through conferences such as this grant is just another example of your generous donations being put to good use. 

 

 

March 2016

Upcoming Events:
Mark your calendars and register TODAY for the Annual DEF 4th of July 5k Road Race! This race is a family friendly 5k – walk, run, bring a stroller – it’s fun for the whole family. Visit www.duxburyeducationfoundation.org to register and be sure to like us on Facebook to find out everything you need to know about this race and DEF. 

Thank you to all who participated in the DEF Presents Improv Asylum event on March 5th. We had a successful turn out and are so grateful to all of our VIP ticketholders and general attendees, the Duxbury Robotics team, the Duxbury Middle School steel drum band, volunteers, the PAC crew and especially to Norm and Kelly Laviolette and their amazing, talented Improv cast! 

Grant Highlight:

Academic Banners
If you have recently visited Duxbury High School, you may have noticed the new Academic Excellence banners that are hanging in the halls of Main Street. The DEF is proud to have funded these banners which list students who have achieved academic excellence in mathematics, history, English language arts, technology, art, family and consumer sciences, social studies, science, world language, and physical education. Each department (ten in all) named one junior who has demonstrated over three years consistent academic excellence, strong commitment to and interest in the subject, high engagement in the subject, class leadership, and exemplary attendance and behavior. These selected students (one per department) are recognized by having their respective name displayed on the corresponding banner – what student would not love that? The banners provide great inspiration and motivation for students to work hard at a subject they feel passionate about.