Please join Friends of CRLS in congratulating our latest Faculty Innovation Grant recipients – a total of 18 teachers, for Spring 2012!

A review panel of 8 CRLS parents and community members gave careful consideration to each of 28 proposals, awarding grants of up to $1,000 each, totaling $8,000 in this grant cycle. Recipients have a full year to complete their projects.

Since 2007, Friends of CRLS has awarded innovation grants to a total of 110 faculty members.  The grantees include teachers, social workers, librarians, counselors, deans, and club advisors. Proposals are welcomed from both individuals and collaborations within and across disciplines.  We thank our many donors: current, prospective, and former parents, alumni, business leaders, and friends of public education, for supporting the power of the ideas of our exemplary CRLS educators.

Spring 2012 FOCRLS Faculty Innovation Grantees:

♦ Jon Baring-Gould (art educator) – “Repair and Reinstall of The Fall”
♦ Ginny Berkowitz (CPS Media Arts manager) – “Media Arts Studio Archive Project”
♦ Leslie Davis, Gail Stein, Erin Leggett, Lynsey Page, and Andrew Miller (AVID coordinator and AVID teachers) – “Supporting Independent Reading”
♦ Liza Hansel (physics teacher) – “Electricity and Magnetism Inquiry Investigation”
♦ Elizabeth Menges (VPA Art Teacher) – “Part II: Portraits of All Ages at Youville Home”
♦ Brian O’Connell (choral director) – “A Cappella at CRLS (Take Two)”
♦ Emily Samek, Dionne Harden, Janet Goldman, Jesse Kaplan, Michael Lee, Katie Robinson, and Vanessa Smith (Algebra 1 teachers) – “Organizational Skills for Students to Overcome Barriers to Learning”
♦ Jessica Young (art teacher) – “Stop Motion Animation”

Congratulations all!

FOCRLS is pleased to hold an exciting benefit raffle once again this year, with the drawing of dozens of prizes to be held on Sunday May 6 at Harvard Square’s Mayfair (need not be present to win). Details are available on our Raffle page.

Purchasers of raffle tickets will have the chance of winning one or more prizes (typically gift certificates) that have been donated by area restaurants, retail shops and other businesses. Tickets will be on sale from now until the day of the drawing.

Proceeds from the raffle will go toward the programs run by FOCRLS that directly benefit CRLS:  Faculty Innovation Grants, Unsung Heroes Student Incentive Awards, Faculty Distinction Awards, Student Travel Fellowships, and the First Scholars and Dr. Christopher Saheed Future Educators Scholarships.  FOCRLS is a not-for-profit organization that relies entirely on private funds; 100% of monies raised goes to its programs.

Last year’s raffle awarded 66 prizes donated by 46 local businesses.  The prizes in total were worth about $3,000.  One donor, Joey DiSpena (CHLS ’76), who owns Continentale Hair Salon, located on Massachusetts Avenue in East Arlington, was happy to help out FOCRLS with a gift certificate. “I get to do something good for my old high school, and the woman who won my gift certificate last year has become a repeat customer, so it’s been win-win,” said DiSpena.

Last year’s list of businesses donating to the raffle is a long one, and includes: 1369 Coffee House, A.R.T – American Repertory Theater, Artist & Craftsman Supply, Bonny’s Garden Center, Brattle Theater, Bukowski Tavern, Café Kiraz, Cambridge Family YMCA, Cambridge Naturals, Concord Avenue Café, Continentale Hair Salon, Courthouse Seafood, East Coast Grill, Get In Shape, Gino Salon, Gran Gusto, Greenward, Grolier Poetry Bookshop, Harvard Square Business Association, Harvard Square Eye Care, HealthWorks, Henrietta’s Table, Henry Bear’s Park, House of Chang, Hyatt Regency Hotel Cambridge, Irish Imports, Jeanna’s Dirty Dog Salon, Joie de Vivre, Jose’s Mexican Restaurant, Life Alive, Looks Clothing Store, Made By Me, Magic Beans, Marathon Sports, Masse’s Hardware, Nomad, Ole Mexican Grill, A. Quinn Hair Studios, Raspberry Beret, Seven Stars, Sparkle Cleaners, Stellabella Toys, Susanna Clothing, Susi’s: A Gallery for Children, TAG’s Ace Hardware, UpStairs on the Square, and Zoe’s Restaurant.

FOCRLS hopes to add to its list of donors and prizes for this year’s raffle.

Read an article from the Cambridge Chronicle about the raffle on 3/29/2012.

Last call for Spring 2012 Faculty Innovation Grant Proposals from Friends of CRLS.

Deadline: Friday, March 2, 2012!

This is a great opportunity so don’t miss out!
For details and an application, please open the following attachments.

Faculty Grants RFP Spring 2012
Faculty grant app and cover Spring 2012
Faculty Grants Awarded 2007-fall 2011
 

Two “Dr. Christopher Saheed Future Educators” Scholarships and three “First Scholars” Awards are offered by Friends of CRLS. Deadline for applications: Monday, February 20, 2012.

The Dr. Christopher Saheed Future Educators Scholarship
In honor of the educational leadership of our former CRLS Principal, this scholarship is based upon a student’s intention to pursue a career in education at a 2 or 4-year college. Two scholarships of $1000 each will be awarded.

The First Scholars Awards
Three scholarships of $1000 each will be awarded to students who are the first in their families to attend a four-year college or university in the fall.

Please visit the Scholarship Book on the CRLS website for details about these and many other scholarships.

Please take a few minutes to fill out our short FOCRLS Community Survey — your feedback really matters to us. The feedback of all our stakeholders — teachers and administrators, parents, students, alumni, and other community supporters — will be critical in this process. So, please weigh in.

Friends of CRLS (FOCRLS) has been growing by leaps and bounds in its first five years, and for this reason we’ve undertaken a strategic planning process to map out the next five, and we need your help.

As you know, FOCRLS is an all-volunteer parent-community partnership organization which supports programs to  broaden opportunities for and recognition of CRLS students and teachers, including: The Unsung Heroes student incentive program, Faculty Innovation Grants, Student Travel Fellowships, First Scholars Awards, The Dr.Christopher Saheed Scholarship Fund, and Faculty Distinction Awards. FOCRLS also acts as fiscal sponsor for other CRLS fundraising entities, such as the CRLS Arts Committee and school-sponsored overseas travel.

Thanks in advance for filling out the FOCRLS Community Survey!  

FOCRLS congratulates its seventh cycle of Faculty Grantees!

An eight-person review panel comprised of CRLS parents, alumni and community members considered the proposals received in November. Their work resulted in the funding of 10 grants of up to $1000 that benefit a dozen faculty and hundreds of students.

The Fall 2011 FOCRLS Faculty Innovation Grantees are:

· Alvaro Amaral and Shantu Salvi (physical education teachers) – “Alternative Fitness”
which aims to expose students to fitness programs such as yoga, tai chi, aquatics, core and bodyweight strength training and zumba.

· Chandra Banks (peer mediation coordinator) — “Interrupt Us in Cambridge”
which funds a screening of “The Interrupters,” a 2011 documentary about gang violence in Chicago. The CRLS Mediation Program will host a post-screening discussion.

· Jennifer Fries (Cambridge School Volunteers) — “Computer Upgrade”
which provides new computers to support CSV’s tutoring, writing and math labs.

· Clare Garman (career counselor, RSTA) — “Real Jobs for Real People”
a video project to inform students of growth industries in Massachusetts.

· Conrad Hauck (engineering instructor, RSTA) — “FIRST Robotics 2011-2012 Season”
to support the Robotics Team in its efforts to design a robot and compete in regional and national competitions.

· Jodi Mace and Dan Weathersby (guidance counselors) — “Improving Access to College Campuses”
to fund transportation for area college visits.

· Elizabeth Menges (visual and performing arts teacher) — “Student Midterm Art Show”
to provide new display materials.

· Monica Murray (visual and performing arts teacher) — “Supporting ‘Hairspray’”
the fall theatrical production, with an alumnus/assistant choreographer/director.

· Larry Rubin (business education teacher) — “The School Store”
to provide start-up funds for a student-managed school store.

· Barbara Weaver (history teacher) — “Research and Advocacy in Washington, D.C.”
to aid the History Club in promoting history education among legislators.

Read the Cambridge Chronicle article here.

On the morning of November 18, sixteen CRLS students — one from each learning community, from each grade — were honored at the CRLS Falcon’s Nest in front of deans, teachers, and proud parents. Students are nominated each term by teachers, counselors, and deans for their emergence as achievers, based upon academic progress, improved attendance, citizenship, stewardship, and athletic leadership. FOCRLS is proud to provide funding for this program, and we salute the Unsung Heroes for their well-deserved recognition. Now in its fourth year, we celebrate 72 Unsung Heroes recognized to date!

Read here about accomplishments of Friends of CRLS during the past year, and the support of parents, alumni, and community members for the students and faculty of CRLS.

Join us at the annual Mayfair in Harvard Square on Sunday, May 1, 2011 (the rain date is Sunday, May 15). Buy a raffle ticket to support the wonderful programs of FOCRLS and have a chance to win valuable prizes donated by exceptional local businesses who care. You do not have to be present to win! Read more.