EILEENINNOVATIVETEACHER AWARDSREPORT 2020

Photo by award recipient Caitlin Steele

COMMUNITYCOLLABORATION

The generous support from oursponsors, donors, and volunteers iscrucial to our largest program, TheEileen Finkel Innovative Teacher Awards.These grants are funded jointly byEducation Foundation of the Summit(EFS) and each school's Parent TeacherAssociations. They provideencouragement to teachers andprincipals for innovative and creativeprograms that meet school and districtgoals.

01Education Foundation of the Summit

“Yay! This will be so muchfun! The STEAM learning inpreschool with this FlightLab will be amazing!”

Julie Willis, Summit Cove Elementarypreschool teacher

INNOVATIONDURING A PANDEMIC

02Education Foundation of the Summit

Summit public school teachers received $60,000 from the Eileen Finkel InnovativeTeacher Awards. The grants were awarded to teachers in a partnership with the Parent-Teacher Organizations at each school, as well as our generous sponsors.

“Our educational community is so fortunate to have ajoint partnership between EFS and our school’s PTSA tosupport special requests such as mine.”

Robyn Cornwell, Summit Middle School

literacy resource teacher

Outdoor education learning and flight lab for pre-KindergartenMore safety helmets for welding to limit sharingTrades program for STEM labs—plumbing, electricity, wood-workingOutdoor education fitness equipment to get kids off the screens and outsideBooks that include culturally responsive literatureTechnology for distance learning—voice amplifier and headphonesLab equipment—magnets, motors, and flight Materials for the new physics course at Snowy Peaks Junior/Senior HighSupport for the EVO3 Foundation 2021 drone course for high school students, which isan introduction to drones, coding, engineering, and career opportunities in technologySnowy Peaks outdoor education fitness stations

Every Summit School District student benefits from an award, as they reached across eachschool and grade. Awards included:

INNOVATIONDURING A PANDEMIC

03Education Foundation of the Summit

Welding helmets for all to limit sharing

Fifteen years ago, a third-grade Summit County teacher received $500 to help her classput on a Shakespearean play. This led to the creation of the Eileen Finkel InnovativeTeacher Awards in 2011, which encourages and financially supports Summit Countyteachers in their implementation of creative learning experiences and, as the namesuggests, innovative teaching methods.

The awards were named in honor of Eileen Finkel, a longtime educator, who stronglysupported the innovative and creative ideas of teachers that help enrich educationalopportunities for children. The program’s success lies in its ability to directly supportteacher projects that are typically not funded by the school district.

The awarded projects can be for a classroom; a whole grade level; or a wholedepartment school, or school district. The program is a collaborative partnershipbetween EFS, Summit School District, and each school’s parent/teacher organization.

SUSTAINABILITY

04Education Foundation of the Summit

Since 2011, EFS has granted $331,063 for 420 teacherawards. The collaboration and partnerships with schoolleaders and EFS has grown through this program. In 2016,two Parent/Teacher Associations began partnering with EFSto fund the Eileen Finkel Innovative Teacher Awards at theirschools. By 2020, all nine Parent/Teacher Associations hadjoined as partners with EFS to fund the awards at theirschools.

Eileen Finkel

SUSTAINABILITY

05Education Foundation of the Summit

The $5,000 awarded in 2015 to Snowy Peaks High School for its innovativeBlended Learning Project led to further support from the school district and acomplete technology renovation of the learning space. Over $10,000 in awards in 2015 and 2016 to Summit Middle School for technologyprojects have helped the school transform its learning environment into one thatencourages the use of technology as a valuable learning tool in science, math,physical education, and special education classrooms. In 2014, three science teachers were awarded $6,400 for chromebooks and as aresult of the success of that project and others, the school district adopted a One-to-World technology implementation in Fall 2016. Every student in every classroomin the district continues to be assigned a chromebook for use during the schoolday as well as at home for homework.In 2015 an Innovative Award application from Dillon Valley Elementary for acollaborative project with Family and Intercultural Resource Center (FIRC) to deliverExploring Foods lessons to pre-schoolers in two schools led to a district wideimplementation of the program for all schools.The Annual Author Visit began as an innovative project seeking funding for a visitby a children’s author to one school. The committee evaluating the applicationsquickly saw the program’s potential and expanded it to all six elementary schoolsand the first annual visit was held in February 2016. The Scholastic Books for Kids project funded $2,000 in 2016 for two schools hasthe potential for expansion into a community-wide program to support bookpurchases for children who need the support. It is now called Summit Books forKids.

Many of the innovative projects that prove successful have been embraced andfunded by the district:

THE PROCESS

06Education Foundation of the Summit

May 15-Sept 15—Teachers submit an easy online application. Application review bydistrict officials prior to the committee review has improved many of theapplications from teachers.

Sept 15-Oct 1—A committee composed of directors of the Education Foundation, SummitSchool District staff (grant, instructional, and technology), principals, and PTA officersreview the applications and make final decisions for grant awards. A single check isdelivered to the finance director for the school district to put the awarded amounts intothe accounts at each school for teachers receiving awards. This close collaborationbetween the EFS directors and staff of the Summit School District ensures that all awardsare aligned with school district instructional goals and technology plans. The ChiefFinancial Officer for the school district is a director of EFS. This partnership has helped thefoundation provide support to teachers and principals that meets school and district goalsas well as supporting the creative and innovative ideas of teachers. In this way, scarcefunds for education are carefully considered and allocated.

"Our most significant program, the Eileen Finkel Innovative Teacher

Awards, was launched by Paul and Eileen and was later named in her

memory. Paul continues to support the program along with many other

generous donors, who genuinely care about supporting teachers and

providing students with a good education."

Brad Piehl, EFS Chairperson

THE PROCESS

07Education Foundation of the Summit

Oct 1-Nov 1—Teachers and principals are notified of their awarded amount.Teachers are recognized at school meetings or in their classrooms by theirprincipal, EFS directors, and PTA officers where they receive an awardcertificate, a balloon, and a memo detailing the awarded amount. Teachersare especially touched to be able to meet Paul Finkel when he presentsawards at their school.

Nov 1-Dec 30—Teachers and principals begin making the purchases neededfor project implementation. EFS directors and supporters periodically tourthe schools to see the awarded projects. In the spring, teachers are asked tosubmit a brief digital report on their project to the foundation.

Bonnie Ward, EFS Vice Chair (right), presenting award in pre-COVID

IMPACT

Award total 2011-2020 = $331,063

08Education Foundation of the Summit

Dillon Valley Elementary, 47%

Silverthorne Elementary, 60%

The Eileen Finkel Innovative Teacher Awards impact teachers and students at every

one of the school district’s nine schools. SSD has 3,463 students and 35% qualify for

the federal government’s free and reduced meal program for breakfast and lunch.

Four of the schools exceed 35%:

Upper Blue Elementary, 38%

Summit Middle School, 38%

2020AWARDEES

09Education Foundation of the Summit

To Benefit All SchoolsAnne LambPeder Hansen

Empowering Parents to Teach their ChildrenDrone Project with EVO3

Summit High SchoolMolly GuevaraSara GacnikKatie GarvertDanelle HicksDoug BlakeOakley VanOssOakley VanOss

Math LiteracyAmerican DreamReading Plus Pilot SubscriptionPre-C MentoringUnity DayWelding Helmets for Future WeldersTools for All

Snowy Peaks Erika KaltenbachAnita Ferrell, Jen Wolinetz,Connor Catron, Kim Dyer, MoFlannagan, Julie Comstock,Matt BrennerGreg BachmanJohn RubenGarrett RegnerJames SmithMary Grace Stocker

Digital Math ExperiencesCalm/Headspace for Student Mental Health

Practical PhysicsOutdoor Fitness ParkTrades ProgramAnnual Leadership AcademyArt for All

10Education Foundation of the Summit

2020AWARDEES

5th Gr Action Club Promotes Learner ProfileLiteracy/New Ways of Learning/Equity LensCulturally Responsive LiteratureOutdoor Education--Operation XC SkiDismissal DisasterInclusive TeachingVoice AmplifierSocial Emotional Learning - Hands on ProjectsScholastic News Dual LanguageSubscription to Pioneer Valley Digital Books

Dillon Valley Elementary

Gale WesterbergAriana Cisneros RoblesMelissa KlattCaitlin SteeleHollyanna BatesKendra CarpenterKendra CarpenterJill BricksonYessenia InfanteElizabeth Buerk

Moby MathOutdoor Education--Operation XC SkisDigital ReaderGuided Reading BooksRemote InterventionOutdoor Equipment for PreK

Frisco Elementary

Whitney Bernhardt SmithAmy HumeSarah DevlinKelly JohnsonKyle KahnweilerJodie Lachance

11Education Foundation of the Summit

2020AWARDEES

Robots Gone ViralFlight Lab

Summit Cove Elementary

Sarah Pomeroy/Sarah StuhrJulie Willis

OWL Are You Listening?Snowshoe Express with BREHeadphones for ClassroomZoo to You

Upper Blue Elementary

Kerry BergstromCarole HorvathJessica GrafmillerAshly Lowdermilk

Silverthorne Elementary

Kendra Kuehl

Courtney PallaresLouise Wacaser

Engagement through Embracing Equity andInclusionEngagement and DiversityBooks for All Students

THANK YOU

12Education Foundation of the Summit

To honor our partners’ generosity in all programs, we place partner names onour website Honor Roll. Thanks to those who supported this program:

Leader $1,000-9,999Casias FamilyClimax Molybdenum Co. EmployeesEpicPromiseEyeTech OptometryFirstBank Summit CountySteven B. HuckabyJamin FundLloyd Family FoundationSlifer, Smith & Frampton FoundationSteve & Trish Shapiro Family FoundationSummit Association of Realtors (SAR)Town of BreckenridgeTown of FriscoTown of SilverthorneWard FamilySSD Parent Teacher Organization PartnersBreckenridge Elementary PTSADillon Valley Elementary PTSAFrisco Elementary PTSASummit Cove Elementary PTSASilverthorne Elementary PTAUpper Blue Elementary PTSASummit Middle School PTOSummit High School PTSOSnowy Peaks Jr/Sr High School Yeti Fund

Visionary $10,000+ F-Cubed FoundationPaul FinkelKatz Amsterdam FoundationThe Summit Foundation

Advocate $500-999Alpine BankArapahoe BasinClubZ! TutoringCity Market Community RewardsEbert Family ClinicTown of Dillon

THANK YOU

Amazon SmileJim & Amy AndersonBody Essentials PilatesEddie and Patti BowersJeff and Emily BoydJohn and Kerry BuhlerBrian and Margaret CarlsonCafe ProfusionCarlson Edwards and O'ConnorColorado Learning ConnectionsCommunity First FoundationCool River Coffee HouseCopper MountainDenver BroncosDonald and Helen GersteinEVO3 WorkspaceSuzanne GreenePeggy HillerHistory Colorado CenterLaura Johnson

Sharon KoblinskyLake Dillon Theater CompanyLowesSally MerrowMervin Manufacturing (GNU Snowboards)Debra MitchellOlive FusionBrad PiehlRamada by Wyndham FriscoBernard and Jennifer RiberdyPatricia SimpsonCatherine SmithBarbara StraussSummit's Finest Carpet Cleaning andRestorationWest Huntley GregoryGary WilkinsonCharlie WilsonSue Wilcox

13Education Foundation of the Summit

Supporter $1-499

Paul Finkel presenting awards pre-COVID

Education Foundation of the SummitPO Box 6702Breckenridge, CO 80424-6702 www.efsummit.org  Email: director@efsummit.org

14Education Foundation of the Summit

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