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  • February 7, 2024

The Young Adult Program (YAP) extends beyond the core curriculum and academic goals: YAP students explored learning opportunities such as life skills and job skills. Lifelong fitness was an important goal, and an adaptive tricycle provided a fun way to work on that goal. With the adaptive trike, students were not limited by issues that prevented them from riding a traditional bicycle or tricycle, such as balance and coordination issues, low muscle tone, or physical impairments. The YAP Adaptive Tricycle (Rifton Model #R140) featured a large base of support, trunk and waist safety belts, Velcro straps, and a pulley system for the pedals. A firm brake locked the wheels to provide safe mounting and dismounting. A detachable rear steering bar allowed staff to steer and push students, offering opportunities for even the most inexperienced riders. The adjustable seat and handlebars accommodated riders of diverse sizes.

Goals included fitness, coordination, balance, and endurance. Developmental aspects were also addressed: learning to ride a recumbent bicycle could lead to learning to ride an upright trike. Therapeutic benefits of tricycling included lower extremity strengthening, reciprocal leg motion patterning, balancing skills, using visual skills and spatial patterning skills, and social interaction with peers and neighbors.

Social aspects included being part of a cycling class, as well as rides on school grounds and into the community. Dan Hunt also hoped to build a trike “cycling club” whose members could meet with volunteers and other local cyclists. The program explored collaboration with PEAC, an Ypsilanti-based advocacy and cycling training program for people with disabilities (referenced at http://www.bikeprogram.org/).

  • February 7, 2024

Inclusive Designs was a radically inclusive opportunity for the SHS Life Skills Program to collaborate and create special edition t-shirts, with additional opportunities for stickers, ornaments, etc., supported by the Cricut Software. Phases were implemented for students to create and share with the SAS district and community.

Inclusive Designs supported the students’ functional academic learning by providing opportunities to apply their functional math skills in selling t-shirts, handling transactions, and making change. It also gave them access to writing strategies and tools to design shirts with words, while utilizing the differentiation of technology supports through Cricut Designs. The use of Cricut tools in the preparation phase of the product supported and enhanced student fine and gross motor skills with bilateral movement, which allowed students from all ranges of motor skills to increase their occupational therapy skill sets. Social Thinking concepts were practiced as students worked collaboratively with peers and connected as a team through the following phases of design: Brainstorm, Design, Prep, Sell, Create, Finance/Final Sell.

  • February 7, 2024

The grant money was used to expand the 3D printing program with the addition of 2 new resin 3D printers. These printers allowed for faster and more detailed prints, aiding in the education of students for many years to come, thereby better preparing them for the workforce and/or college. The project impacted both current and future students, as well as staff who required 3D printing services for their classrooms.

The new technology helped to expand the 3D printing curriculum, enabling students to be more creative with their designs. The printers exposed them to new materials and printing processes, furthering their knowledge through creative thinking and problem-solving.

  • February 7, 2024

The Saline Area Schools Foundation has awarded a grant for the acquisition of the Jump Rope Readers series to enhance early literacy development. Recognizing the limitations of the current leveled books, which do not adequately target specific phonological awareness and phonics skills, this grant will enable the purchase of targeted, culturally relevant, and engaging reading materials for young learners.

The Jump Rope Readers series is meticulously designed to introduce beginning readers to new letter-sound correspondences and high-frequency words in a gradual and systematic manner. These books not only support foundational word recognition skills but also offer memorable characters and exciting adventures that align with core curriculum standards in literary fiction.

This investment in foundational reading resources underscores the commitment to ensuring that students develop the essential literacy skills needed to fully engage with future educational innovations at Saline Area Schools.

  • February 7, 2024

The grant was awarded to create a collection of literacy resources aimed at educating on inclusion, accessibility, acceptance, and justice for people with disabilities and differences. It followed up on the previous year’s “Celebration Station” grant, which provided a diverse range of books on different holidays, cultures, and celebrations. The grant sought to enhance the existing collection by adding new books that cover a significant aspect of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) related to disability awareness, ensuring there was no overlap with books already acquired. The project was designed to extend DEI initiatives, assist teachers with more inclusive instruction, challenge oppressive systems for people with disabilities, and enrich the core curriculum by reflecting diverse experiences and perspectives.

  • February 7, 2024

The grant was requested to obtain financial assistance from the FSAS for two international service-learning trips to Mexico and Ecuador organized by SHS. The need for support arose due to increased travel expenses, which were attributed to higher costs of building materials and inflation affecting both nonprofit trip organizers. The service-learning activities were highlighted for their educational benefits, including enhanced academic knowledge and engagement, connections to broader global issues and communities, and a deeper comprehension of the students’ roles in the world. These trips were designed to extend students’ learning experiences beyond the classroom and into international settings.

  • February 7, 2024

The grant provided chromatic tuners to a large-format music classroom of 50-80 students at Saline Area Schools, where individual teacher attention was limited. These electronic devices offered immediate feedback on tuning and intonation, which are foundational skills in music, indicating to the musician whether a note was in tune and, if not, whether it needed to be adjusted higher or lower. The chromatic tuners enabled students to receive the necessary feedback to improve their sound independently, which is crucial for playing in tune—a fundamental aspect that enhances the overall quality of music and facilitates the development of higher-level skills and satisfaction in the music classroom.

Through the use of these tuners, students demonstrated key educational skills such as collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. They worked in various sized groups, including partnerships and sections, to learn how to play in tune. This collaborative approach not only helped build a sense of community among the students but also made creative use of the learning space, providing numerous learning opportunities.

  • February 7, 2024

The “Keep Calm and Clean” grant supported the practice of daily living skills for students while at school. The grant facilitated the acquisition of a working dryer, enabling students who swim 3-5 times a week to learn and practice proper laundry techniques, including washing and drying their clothes. Additionally, the grant provided the means for students to practice loading and unloading a dishwasher, which is an essential skill for job preparedness, employability, and living independently.

The primary goal for the Life Skills students was to enhance their employability and independence. The grant allowed students to engage in hands-on activities that prepared them for their future by reinforcing job skills and everyday life competencies. As students transitioned to high school, the opportunity to practice laundry and dishwasher skills became increasingly important. The items purchased with the grant played a significant role in continuing the students’ education and preparing them for this transition.

  • February 7, 2024

A creativity wall was established in the Innovation Lab. The initiative aimed to offer a unique feature distinct from the media center’s LEGO wall. A large magnetic whiteboard was installed, enabling students to map out their projects and utilize a variety of magnetic building toys. This new addition provided a collaborative space where multiple students could work together simultaneously.

The creativity wall served as a tool for students to engage in the Design Process, which includes the stages of Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create, Improve, and Communicate, particularly during building challenges. It offered a substantial area for groups to visualize and organize their construction plans. Moreover, the magnetic aspect of the wall allowed students to experiment with building vertically using five different types of magnetic building materials available in the iLab, introducing unique challenges compared to building on a flat surface.

  • February 7, 2024

The Feelings Buddy basic tool kit, along with corresponding items, was introduced to the ECSE program through a grant from the school foundation. This initiative was aimed at assisting students in understanding emotions and developing self-regulation skills, which are considered critical for future success. The program emphasized the importance of distinguishing between feeling an emotion and embodying it, as the latter can lead to uncontrolled reactions.

The Michigan State Board of Education’s Early Childhood Standards of Quality highlighted the necessity for children to develop the ability to experience, express, and control their emotions and social interactions. The Feelings Buddy tool kit was designed to support this development by fostering emotional security and social connection among children, which in turn would encourage them to explore and learn confidently.

The tool kit employed a mix of drawing, dictating, and writing activities to help children narrate events, sequence them appropriately, and express their reactions. This approach was intended to facilitate children’s emotional and social learning within a nurturing and positive educational environment.