Added grant funds provide more STEAM education at Bridgeport Elementary

BRIDGEPORT -- The fourth graders of Bridgeport Elementary School will be getting an early introduction to science, technology, engineering, art and math thanks to new educational equipment purchased with additional money from the Miller-Daffin grant.

Bridgeport Elementary School Principal Kamaron Sabinski is proud of her school for securing the funds. Bridgeport Elementary has been a recipient of the grant for the past 15 years. This year, however, they saw an increase to $17,000 from the requested $12,000, enabling the school to add a Lego Education science kit for the fourth graders along with regular classroom items for the kindergarten, first and second graders.

Sabinski credits Title I kindergarten teacher Michelle Heilman.

"Mrs. Heilman spends a great deal of time meeting with the teachers to determine what curriculum needs are necessary. She spends a great deal of time putting the orders together, doing all of the paperwork and then following up the next year with pictures of all of the students utilizing every supply that was purchased by the grant, for the foundation to see," she said.

"Mrs. Heilman reached out to me this year because they had additional funding, looking at higher grade levels."

Sabinski spoke with fourth grade science teacher Ron Gill and Technology Director Lisa Clark about how they could use the money.

Heilman said this will fit a need. She thanked the Miller-Daffin Family Foundation.

"They've been very supportive of us every year," she said.

"The fourth grade was looking at buying the Lego kits but really did not have the funds for it. Gaining additional funding was perfect timing for us to purchase the Lego Education kits. The students will be able to get started on that as soon as it comes in."

Heilman anticipates considerable activity in the science class as students follow models, work together and learn from trial and error.

"Everybody at the station will have a job, then they have to report it in their books, what each job was. They will be constructing models, it might work and it might not. Then they're going to collaborate with other groups and talk about what worked in each group," she said. "It should be really fun for them."

Heilman said they are in the process of ordering the equipment.

"Within two months, everything should be here," she said. "I think the fourth grade is going to be most exciting this year, and to see how they work collaboratively. We're real excited about that."

She said the grant has been a benefit to Bridgeport Elementary. Funds have covered educational games and readers, as well as calming stations for students who need them.

"The grant has helped us over the years, to have hands-on manipulatives, especially in kindergarten," she said. "We're still using today what we purchased 15 years ago in the classrooms. They're doing math skills and ELA skills, learning their letters and words."