"Meet the Match" FAQ

The matching funds must come from external, philanthropic sources in order to count toward the "Meet the Match" campaign. The district cannot use its own operational funds toward "Meet the Match." The district must raise an additional $500,000 through fundraising efforts by December 31, 2015 in order to receive the matching grant. If the district is able to raise $500,000 to successfully meet the matching grant amount, this would make the combined total amount raised $1,000,000.

 

If the district does not raise $500,000 in external, philanthropic funds by December 31, 2015, then the district will not receive the $500,000 matching grant from the foundation. However, the district will still use the funds raised against the match to achieve partial program implementation.

 

No. The district will not be obligated to invest any of its own funding to meet the match. In fact, the matching funds raised must be external and philanthropic to qualify as matching funds.

 

The funding is intended to help launch and support programs over the next three years. Some of the funds will be used for initial start-up costs, including equipment, technology, and training, while the remaining funding will be used for teacher training, professional development, and other program implementation needs over the next three years.

 

If the matching funds are successfully raised, the total $1,000,000 in funding will support curriculum implementation, teacher training and professional development, equipment and technology, classroom resources, and special projects and student expeditions for the following programs:

 

 

 

Extracurricular programs will be available for students to participate in outside of the classroom, including:

 

FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) Activities:

FIRST is a national organization that offers students of all ages the opportunity to participate in different leagues, engaging students in hands-on projects that help build science, engineering and technology skills, inspire innovation, and foster well-rounded life capabilities including problem-solving skills, self-confidence, collaborative and team-based learning, communication, and leadership. FIRST Jr. Lego League (grades K-3), FIRST Lego League (grades 4-8), and FIRST Tech Challenge (grades 7-12) are being offered through the Shorewood Recreation Department in Fall 2015, with 63 students participating across the three leagues. Meet the Match funds will support these continued program offerings.

 

A unique Shorewood program called “Team Awesome,” named by the students who participated, offers special needs students the opportunity to learn new engineering and design skills through hands-on work with tools and technology in the theater tech shop after school. The students have learned to help create stage sets for theater productions, gaining familiarity with building and design principles, and also developing an understanding of how to program lighting in the theater and use equipment and technology associated with drama productions. Learning these new skills has increased the students’ confidence and sparked an interest in technical theater and the industrial arts. This unique program is the only one of its kind in the country. 

 

Down to Earth Experimental Physics (DEEP) Program:

Down to Earth Experimental Physics (DEEP) is a unique program created by UWM Physics Prof. Vali Raicu for Shorewood 5th & 6th graders. Students learn about physics concepts through fun, hands-on experiments and demos about physical phenomena, e.g., mechanical waves, light reflection, refraction and dispersion. The DEEP program culminates with a visit to the UWM Planetarium and Physics Department research laboratories to see full-size, research-grade scientific instruments at work. Approximately 40 students participate each year. The program is being offered through the Shorewood Recreation Department.

 

Shorewood is working together with approximately 30 community partners on these programs, including the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Johnson Controls, Inc., The Commons Entrepreneurial Education Programs, GE Healthcare, The Betty Brinn Children's Museum, STEM Forward, Creative Alliance Milwaukee, and many others. Through these partnerships, the district is creating new project-based learning experiences for students that introduce them to new challenges. As an example, Johnson Controls is supporting a new Shorewood learning experience this year for 4th graders called "A World in Motion," in which students work together in small teams to design and build a small car, learning key concepts about energy, friction, and motion. Students work together to optimize the car for speed and maneuverability, and at the end of the design, build, and testing phases over 5 weeks, the student teams compete. The winning team gets to represent their school at a national competition in Detroit. Johnson Controls and the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) co-sponsor the entire learning experience, including materials and resources, as well as travel for the winning team to go to Detroit. Johnson Controls also contributes volunteers who come into the classroom during the program to help co-teach and mentor the kids.

 

 

 

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