Batesville Community Education Foundation awards grants to Batesville Schools

BATESVILLE, Ind. — The Batesville Community Education Foundation awarded five new grants to the Batesville Community School Corporation recently, bringing its school grant total for the 2016-17 academic school year to more than $10,000.

The grant money will fund the following:

  • BHS Resource Room to Receive Therapeutic Seating:  Students in the Batesville High School resource room will have additional seating choices that will enable them to more easily focus on their work. Having chairs that enable movement and allow students to release extra energy will make for a more conducive learning environment for those in special education.
  • Writing Program to be Piloted in Kindergarten:  Batesville Primary School will be honing students’ writing skills at an early age, thanks to a grant awarded to teacher Kathy Gutzwiller. Students in her kindergarten classroom will learn to write in three different styles: opinion, information, and narrative writing, using the Lucy Caulkins writing program.
  • BMS to Replace Amplifiers from the 1970s:  The Foundation decided that after 41 years, the two amplifiers used for sixth grade general music were long overdue for retirement. Batesville Middle School music teacher Leon Enneking received a grant to purchase new amplifiers to replace the ones that have been in use since 1976.
  • 3D Printing Technology Expansion:  A grant proposal for an additional 3D printer, developed by high school engineering and technology education teachers Craig Hughes and Tim Mauzy, was approved by the foundation. Additional students in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics department will have the ability to use 3D-printed parts in their classes, meaning faster production time and more hands-on experience with this cutting-edge technology for our high school students.
  • Unique Interactive Video Conferencing in Anatomy and Physiology: High school science teacher Taira Lynch received funds toward two interactive video conferencing sessions through the Center of Science and Industry for use in a new Human Anatomy and Physiology course at BHS. Students will be provided an experience that goes above and beyond a regular anatomy class. A kidney transplant and an autopsy will be viewed with a group conference webcam while students perform interactive assignments.