GRANT REPORT
Award Year: 2025–2026
Grantor: Views on Learning
Grant Amount: $19,020
Project: Supporting STEM-Based Learning Through Great Classroom Grants
Recipient: New Albany Floyd County Education Foundation
Overview:
Thanks to the generous support from Views on Learning, $19,020 was awarded during the 2025–26 school year through our Great Classroom Grants program to support 27 STEM-related initiatives across elementary, middle, and high schools in the New Albany Floyd County Consolidated School Corporation. These grants directly aligned with our district’s STEM learning goals by promoting hands-on exploration, real-world application, critical thinking, and technology integration across Pre-K–12 classrooms.
Summary of Impact:
- Total STEM-focused projects funded: 27
- Total students impacted: Over 3,400
- Grade levels served: Pre-Kindergarten through 12th Grade
- Disciplines supported: Math, Science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics), Career and Technical Education (Culinary Arts, Construction Trades, Health Sciences), Special Education, Psychology, Graphic Design, and Interdisciplinary STEM Learning Labs
Expenditure Documentation
Upon approval of a teacher’s STEM funding request, the NAFC Education Foundation transfers the awarded funds to New Albany Floyd County (NAFC) Schools. The district subsequently allocates the funds to the teacher’s school. In accordance with district fiscal procedures, the school bookkeeper is responsible for making purchases on behalf of the teacher using the grant funds.
All receipts and supporting documentation are maintained by NAFC Schools as part of their official financial records. As a result, the Education Foundation does not directly retain or provide receipts for individual expenditures.
Key Outcomes Aligned with District STEM Goals:
- Enhanced Student Engagement and Confidence in STEM Subjects
- At Grant Line Elementary, Amie Kane’s hands-on STEM materials gave second graders new options during indoor recess, building collaboration, patience, and problem-solving skills students now look forward to using.
- At Floyd Central High School, Brooke Stewart’s classroom set of calculators and lab scales gave every physics student equal access to the tools needed for accurate lab measurements, creating greater equity in coursework.
- At Georgetown Elementary, Veronica Eastridge’s IXL subscription for first grade supported independent spiral review and kept students learning even on remote snow days.
- Expanded Access to Tools that Support Hands-On, Inquiry-Based Learning
- At Hazelwood Middle School, Taylor Huffines’ new molecular modeling kits let 8th graders build and take apart models of molecular bonds with far less frustration than the department’s aging sets, and Erin Clayton’s digital microscopes gave the entire eighth grade science team a large-screen view of live microbes and cells in mitosis.
- At Floyd Central High School, Stephanie Lone’s charging stations for Vernier probes kept PLTW Biomedical Science students collecting real data all year, from EKGs to respiratory volumes to EMGs.
- At New Albany High School, Amanda McCoy’s CPR training manikins with feedback sensors helped 39 Biomedical Science students prepare for their CPR certification exam, with every student passing the practical portion.
- Building Career and Technical Skills for Real-World Readiness
- At Prosser Career Education Center, Vanessa Goode’s new pasta machines and sanitation supplies gave culinary students a hands-on fresh pasta lab, from mixing and rolling dough to pairing finished dishes with classic mother sauces.
- At New Albany High School, Miriam Munoz’s extension ladders let construction pathway students practice ladder inspection, setup, and safe climbing, a reusable resource that will serve the program for years to come.
- At Floyd Central High School, Jessica Simler’s grant covered scrubs, shoes, and stopwatches for students pursuing CNA certification through the district’s Ivy Tech partnership, easing a real financial barrier to the program.
- Supporting Diverse Learners and Inclusive Classrooms
- At S. Ellen Jones Elementary, Kathryn Bishop’s sensory and STEM materials, including a sensory swing that quickly became a favorite regulation tool, helped Pre-K students stay engaged with adult-directed activities.
- At Mount Tabor Elementary School, Lori Ferree’s STEAM and digital learning materials supported both general and special education students during Learning Lab lessons, giving classroom assistants more tools to guide students individually.
- At Scribner Middle School, Jody Smith’s organizational and adaptive materials gave students in an integrated study skills classroom their own set of headphones, whiteboards, and supplies, cutting down time lost searching for materials.
- Cross-Curricular Integration and Lasting Impact
- At Floyd Central High School, Kelly Bratcher’s Graphic Design and Layout students designed, bound, and published original children’s books that were shared with preschoolers across the district, and Katrina Uhl’s AP Psychology students built candy neuron models and explored resilience through a kintsugi art project in Psychology of Happiness.
- At Georgetown Elementary, Katie Shiner’s Reading A-Z and Scholastic News subscriptions helped weave
science and social studies content into daily literacy instruction for the school’s first and second graders. - At Hazelwood Middle School, Jennie Scott’s Excel and SEEK enrichment materials supported
project-based novel studies, including student-built treehouse replicas inspired by Swiss Family
Robinson.
Teacher Reflections:
“I am most proud of my students that are especially quiet in class using this training to get involved, collaborate with others, offer feedback to improve each other’s skills, and accept criticism from others.”
— Amanda McCoy, Biomedical Science, New Albany High School
“The most notable accomplishment is the lack of frustration in learning and conducting activities with these modeling kits compared to our old ones. Also, they still have all the pieces!”
— Taylor Huffines, 8th Grade Science, Hazelwood Middle School
“My students use our STEM bins every day to build, problem-solve, and collaborate. They’re developing creativity, critical thinking, and perseverance through hands-on learning, and they’ve become independent problem-solvers who explore and create on their own.”
— Sara Dohoney, Grades K-4, Greenville Elementary
Conclusion:
This funding from Views on Learning made a direct and measurable difference in how STEM concepts were taught, practiced, and understood across the district. From elementary students building and problem-solving with hands-on STEM bins to high schoolers earning CPR certifications and building career skills in construction and culinary arts, students had opportunities to explore STEM through dynamic, hands-on learning that supports long-term academic success and curiosity. We are incredibly grateful for this investment in our students, our teachers, and the future of STEM learning in the New Albany Floyd County Schools.