Diocesan School Board awards grants to schools

As the new school year begins, the Albany Diocesan School Board has awarded 14 grants totaling $100,000 to elementary and high schools through its annual grant program.

The "Higher Powered Learning Grants" are used for specific programs to further educational opportunities for students and provide curriculum training for educators.

Diocesan schools are invited to apply for grants to support specific programs that are outside the normal educational offerings of the school. The grants are over and above the annual financial support provided to schools by the Diocese.

"We are always working to ensure that Catholic schools across the Diocese offer teaching tools and approaches that are important in the 21st century, such as iPads, Chromebooks, up-to-date media centers and integrated learning where STEM is infused with Catholic teachings," said Julie Pasquini, president of the Diocesan School Board.

The grant program was started in 2013. To date, it has provided more than $300,000 in funds to new programs in diocesan schools.

The largest grant provided this year is $15,000, which will be shared among the four schools that are part of the Troy-area consortium (Sacred Heart, St. Augustine's and St. Jude the Apostle elementary schools and Catholic Central High School) to implement a "STREAM" curriculum at the four schools.

STREAM adds religion and art to the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) specialized curriculum focus.

In addition:

• Mater Christi School in Albany received a $7,500 "reading and research technology" grant;

• All Saints Catholic Academy in Albany, $7,500 for a "body, mind and spiritual wellness program;

• Blessed Sacrament School in Albany, $2,210 for integrated portable technology for classrooms;

• Bishop Maginn High School in Albany, $7,500 for a "Live STREAM" program;

• St. Mary's/St. Alphonsus School in Glens Falls, $7,500 for a program strengthening oral communication skills;

• St. Francis de Sales School in Herkimer, $6,700 for Smart Boards for classrooms;

• St. Mary's Academy in Hoosick Falls, $7,250 for a STREAM curriculum training program;

• Saratoga Central Catholic High School, $7,500 for Chromebooks for sixth-graders;

• Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School in Schenectady, $7,500 for distance learning;

• Sacred Heart School in Troy, $7,490 for a weather science program;

• Catholic Central High School in Troy, $6,540 for Chromebooks;

• St. Mary's School in Waterford, $7,500 to integrate technology into project-based service learning; and • St. Jude the Apostle School in Wynantskill, $2,210 to begin creating a media center.[[In-content Ad]]