Ms.

Blair Waldorf
Executive Director
Waldorf Foundation
1136 Fifth Avenue
Manhattan, NY 10028
RE: INSPIRING THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
Dear Ms. Waldorf,
Constance Elementary School is pleased to present you with this grant proposal. We look
forward to partnering with your organization to provide our fourth grade classroom with the
resources the students need to succeed. We have developed a program called Inspiring Through
Technology, which we request your help to ensure the success and continuation of our program.
The purpose of our program is to use computers and online math and ELA programs to improve
our struggling students standardized scores.
During the past year, we have begun implementing this program, which has already shown
success despite its limitations. Our classroom has been visiting the computer lab on a weekly
basis and using a free program called Khan Academy to help guide and improve students math
skills. This program tracks student progress and allows them to advance among levels once they
have mastered different subject areas. In our limited time in the computer lab, our ten at-risk
math students have already advanced at least two levels each.
We are so happy about our students success, and hope through the continuation and expansion of
our program, with your help, we can see even more advancement. Our proposal requests
MONEY for 5 classroom laptops and one software program. Our hopes our that we can use
these additions to bring Inspiring Through Technology into our actual classroom on a daily basis.
We greatly appreciate the Waldorf Foundation taking interest in our program to help students
improve math and reading skills and foster their technological skills. Please call me at 520-5672334 ext. 18 if you have any questions or concerns regarding this proposal.
Thank you,
Lauren Cruz & Kiersten Zaelit
Cooperating 4th Grade Teachers
Constance Elementary School
345 E Congress St.
New York, NY 10044

Inspiring Through Technology

Using Computers to Improve 4th Grade Math and Reading
Skills

Submitted to: Waldorf Foundation

Date: October 20, 2015

Lauren Cruz & Kiersten Zaelit

Cooperating 4th Grade Teachers
Constance Elementary School
345 E Congress St.
New York, NY 10044

Inspiring Through Technology: Using Computers to Improve 4th Grade

Math and Reading Skills
Project Abstract
Constance Elementary Schools 4th Grade class is seeking a grant to expand and improve our
Inspiring through Technology program. The goal of this grant and our program is to increase
every students reading and math scores, and to bring our at-risk students to a non-risk status.
The belief and foundation of this program is that technology is guiding the future, so we want to
use technologys resources to provide our students with the foundations of success for the future.
We are requesting MONEY for laptops and a software program that will allow us to reach the
goals of this program and achieve success for our students.

Statement of Need
In our 4th grade class at Constance elementary school there is 20 students, of which 10 are
struggling with math skills, and 8 are struggling in reading skills. The reasons why students are
struggling in these areas vary from having Specific learning disorders to having language
barriers. Students that are struggling in these skills are not responding to the teaching approach
and could use a change in their learning. Students are starting to respond better to technology and
we want to give our students a new way to approach their learning. If our students do not start to
improve their reading and math skills we are afraid that they will not be completely prepared to
advance their learning and move up to 5th grade.

Program Description
Constances Inspiring through technology project will provide the necessary tools that will help
provide programs to improve students reading and math skills. Students will be given 5
computers and split up into groups of four. The students will rotate through groups: 1 will use the
computer while the others work on other work or with the teacher. Students will work with the
program called Success maker, which is a pearson school program. They will be able to work on
both math and reading sections. The program will allow them to practice as well as give the
teachers assessments of their progression. This program provides different visual aides,
interactive activities and a translation feature for ELL students in the classroom. ELL students
will be able to hear, see and interact with their learning on more of a one on one basis. Teachers
will also need a short training in order to be able to aide their students when using the program.

SuccessMaker
SuccessMaker is an interactive program that is popular in elementary schools that helps all
students with different subjects. The program includes progress reports, games to practice with,
tests and different forms of assessment. Students can use the program to practice their reading
and writing. They will be able to play fun interactive games that will inspire them to learn. The
program helps with fluency and learning skills. It is helpful for both students and teachers.

Goals and Objectives

The goal of Inspiring Through Technology is to give students access to computers and computer
programs to that will allow them to practice and improve their math and ELA skills with guided
help. With the success of this program, the students will be able to overcome their at-risk status
and move on to fifth grade.
The main objectives include:
1. All at-risk reading students will achieve a non-risk status by improving their reading
comprehension, reading speed, and reading stamina and will be reading at grade level by
the end of the year.
2. All students will improve their writing abilities and be able to write a 3-paragraph story
with 80% accuracy (in terms of spelling, grammar, and punctuation), which will be
monitored and tracked on Success Maker.
3. At risk math students will achieve a non-risk status by improving their math skills and
number sense and will be performing at grade level by the end of the year.
4. Each student will improve their own math skills by taking an initial assessment test on
Success Maker and improving by 3 levels (on the program) by the end of the year.

Timeline
Activities
Submit Grant Proposal
Expected Grant Notification

October 2015
December 2015

Obtain Laptops and Software

Set Up Success Maker

January 2016
January 2016

Student Introduction
Initial Reading Assessment
Initial Math Assessment

January 2016
February 2016
February 2016

Test Improvement
Prepare Results Report

May 2016
May 2016

Budget
SuccessMaker
Program license (810 students)
Upgrades to the new
version
Dell laptops
Laptop virus
protector

Cost
$1,200.00

Quantity
2

Total Cost
$2,400.00

$400

$800.00

$593.38
$29.99

5
5

$2,966.90
$149.95

Total: 6,316.85

Evaluation
In the beginning of the Spring Semester (February 2016), we will be testing all students (both atrisk and non-risk students) in math and ELA skills using the general assessment tests provided by
Success Maker. We will then be testing the students again in May, giving them a 3-month period
to practice math and reading daily on ELA and take tests to improve their skills. In May, we will
look for increases in reading and math scores. Furthermore, standardized testing occurs every
May. We will compare previous year tests of at risk students to the results of their May 2016
standardized tests. Lastly, we will generate reports from Success Maker to evaluate day-by-day
progress as well as view how many practice exercises each student completed over that 12-week
period.

Staff
Lauren Cruz, cooperating fourth grade teacher, has a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education
with an endorsement in English as a Second Language from the University of Arizona. Lauren
Cruz has extensive experience working with ELD students and at-risk students. She is proficient
with technology and working with computers, laptops, and software.
Kiersten Zaelit, cooperating fourth grade teacher, also holds a Bachelors Degree in Elementary
Education with an endorsement in English as a Second Language from the University of
Arizona. Kiersten Zaelit also has extensive experience with ELD students, and she has
experience working with Success Maker in previous classrooms.
Serena Van der Woodsen, Principal, holds a Masters in Education from New York University.
Serena Van der Woodsen supports this program and hopes that the success of Inspiring Through
Technology will inspire other teachers to take initiative so that this program can expand beyond
the fourth grade classrooms.