First JCSF grant to help Timber Ridge students learn fractions

JOHNSTON, Ia. (Dec. 15, 2022) — Timber Ridge fifth graders waited with anticipation  for Thursday’s big announcement. Their eyes grew wide as they saw the purple-and-gold balloons, then the big check.

The fifth-grade class at Timber Ridge received this year’s first grant from the Johnston Community School Foundation. The check for $1,858.20 was awarded to fifth-grade teacher Mr. Scott Short to pay for five sets of fraction tiles to be used in all Timber Ridge fifth-grade math classes.

“They come in a tray so they’re easy to store and they just work a lot better than our old materials that are kind of falling apart,” Short said. “And we have the same thing in magnet form.”

The fraction tiles will be used in the second semester for fifth graders to make equivalent fractions. The colorful tiles will give them a base understanding of what fractions are, and then begin adding and subtracting fractions.

The new tool, which is organized and easy to use, will replace foam fraction pieces that Short said were cumbersome and have pieces missing.

The Johnston Community School Foundation works with teachers and district leadership to identify innovative programs that need funding assistance, then work with area business and community members to raise funds that help create these programs that may otherwise go unfunded.

Previous grants have included the Outdoor Learning Environment at Johnston High School, Fountas & Pinnell Leveled Literacy Kits at Lawson Elementary, an Adobe Creative Suite software package for JHS student publications, and a 3D printer for Project Lead the Way and industrial technology classes at JHS.

Additional teacher classroom grants are available. To learn more, go to the Foundation’s website at https://www.wearejohnston.com.