Fund-A-Project

Fund-A-Project is a way to donate directly to a specific school program or need. During this part of the Live Auction, Da Vinci parents and guests will be able to make contributions to school programs that will directly enhance and enrich each child’s education. In previous years, Fund-a-Projects have included United Video Streaming, school wide math, science, and world language upgrades, art and music equipment, supplies and instruments, library renovation, staff professional development, and display cases for the many awards and recognitions that Da Vinci has received over the years.

On auction night, the auctioneer will ask if anyone wants to fund a complete program, section, or specific item within a project. Then funding levels of $5000, $2500, $1000, $750, $500, $250, $100, $50 and $25 will be called out in that order. Simply raise your bid card when the level of funding you wish to participate at is called.

It is our hope that every attending family will participate in Fund-a-Project on some level.

The Fund-a-Projects for 2009 are listed below.

Curriculum and Academics

Math
Funding Goal: $10,000
Throughout the second part of this year, we have been testing a computerized math program, ALEKS, in some of our classes. We have determined that ALEKS will supplement our current Math program by allowing assignments to be tailored to each child’s specific needs through the application of artificial intelligence software. It not only reinforces the lessons taught by our teachers, but also provides us with better ways to assess what students have already mastered and what they still need to learn. This approach fits perfectly with Da Vinci’s student-focused philosophy. Our free trial period with ALEKS has been so successful that we want to move forward and purchase licenses for next year at a cost of $3,200 for the year.

To fully implement the ALEKS program, we will also need to expand our laptop access so that our current laptop carts are still available for other classes. It is our goal to purchase an additional eight laptops to be able to utilize the ALEKS program in grades 3-8. (approximately $800.00 per laptop)

Writing and Art
Funding Goal: $3,000
The writing program at Da Vinci is evolving and it is our wish to purchase curriculum resources for this program. These enhancements and tools will give our students more ways to demonstrate their knowledge and improve their ability to share it with peers. We would like to further expand our Art Program so that our students and continue to learn new ways to express their selves through Art. To accomplish this, we would like to purchase Photoshop, a scanner, and a color printer for the Art room.

Physical Improvements to our Building
Funding Goal: Open-ended
Last year’s Fund-A-Project provided the necessary resources to restructure our library, increasing our area to house and display our books while preserving to open feel of the library.

This year we would like to continue with this project by improving the acoustics of the front of the building, mainly in the Library/Computer Lab and Lobby. Our goal is to minimize noise levels so that activities in the lobby are not disruptive to the classrooms or to classes that utilize the computers in the library for test taking.

The other component of this project would be to address the challenge our school faces in our classrooms. Classrooms would receive a new magnetic whiteboards, and we would work closely with each teacher to improve storage of teaching materials, creating a more calm and spacious classroom for our students.

Da Vinci Educator’s Fund honoring Lynne Cluchey
Funding Goal: Open-ended
For the past seven years, Mrs. Cluchey has been a constant positive force in the lives of our children. Her warm, nurturing presence has been felt from the time the first child enters the building in the morning to when the last student leaves. Her departure will be deeply felt as she retires from Da Vinci to spend more time with her husband, George. We would like to honor Mrs. Cluchey’s service to Da Vinci by creating a scholarship fund. This fund will make the benefits of a Da Vinci Academy education more accessible to students regardless of family finances.