Lexington Education Foundation Invites You to

Jump, Jive and Give!

Join us for LEF's Annual "Celebration for Education"

Saturday, April 2, 2011

7:00 p.m. - Midnight

Waltham Westin Hotel

The Celebration begins at 7:00 pm. with a complimentary champagne cocktail, delectable dinner bites, cash bar and Silent Auction while the Lexington High School Jazz Band plays a melody of jazz favorites.  Some of the exceptional auction items include premier ticket packages to Red Sox and Celtics games, a Zip-line canopy tour for two, Food Tours of Boston/North End Market Tour, a cheese and wine tasting at Formaggio Kitchen, KISS 108 Station Tour, gift certificates to outstanding local restaurants and 5 star hotels, along with vacation homes and catered private dinner parties!

Dancing, a seated dessert, and a live auction continue the evening.  "Eight to the Bar" a Motown jazz band, recently named "Best Live Band" by Hartford Magazine will keep everyone jumping and jiving 'til midnight!  Check out their website at http://www.eighttothebar.com.

Come celebrate and help LEF respond to grant requests for technology tools that engage 21st century students.  Proceeds from this event raise funds to support grants that directly affect students in all nine Lexington Public Schools.  Click here for more information and to order tickets.       

English Language Arts in the

Lexington Public Schools 

Reading, writing, and arithmetic are the traditional core of education; in our media-rich, technology-powered world, the language arts - reading, writing, and critical thinking - have a central role in the curriculum. This year, LEF has funded grants that open the world of books and thought to our children.

This summer, teachers from Bowman Elementary School attended the Donald Durrel Reading and Writing Clinic at Boston University, a highly regarded program that 2nd grade teacher Rosanne Barbacano describes as having "a rich history of addressing the needs of struggling readers." She adds, "Our experience there has carried over into our own practices."

Lexington Education Foundation Grant helps

English Language Learners make "Leaps" and Bounds at

Fiske and Bridge Schools

Fiske English Language Learner (ELL) Teacher, Catherine Murphy, teamed up with Deidre Schadler, ELL Teacher at Bridge, for an LEF program grant to provide resources that support Newcomer ELLs (non-English speaking students). 

The kits consist of interactive LeapPad® technology with Language First! Program, picture dictionaries, and CD-ROMs.  The kits "help newcomers acquire English vocabulary when they are in the classroom but unable to fully participate in the classroom lessons due to their lack of English skills," explains Ms. Murphy

Originally intended for students in grades K-2, several newcomers arrived in the upper grades and are using them with great success.  Ms. Schadler explains that "within each of the LeapPad's nine different thematic units, there are four levels of proficiency.  This allows students to learn and master the basic vocabulary in a particular unit and then continue to develop and apply their English vocabulary within that same theme with greater sophistication. Once the students are familiar with the program, they can access the kit independently."  Students have the opportunity to advance as they continue their acquisition and are regularly assessed by Ms. Murphy and Ms. Schadler.

The ELL Survival Kits grant is part of the program grants that were awarded this school year. 

About Us

Founded in 1989, the Lexington Education Foundation is an independent 501 (c)(3) charitable organization committed to enhancing educational excellence for the children of Lexington Public Schools. Since its inception, LEF has awarded more than $2.9 million to Lexington educators through our competitive grants program.  For more information about LEF, please visit our website at http://www.lexedfoundation.org or call 781-372-3288.