Glen Rock Education Foundation Awards Grants to Fund Two Workshops

Press release:

Eager to support teachers in their efforts to provide students with unique and enduring learning experiences, the Glen Rock Education Foundation has announced the recipients of two grants.

Nicole Rusin, an art teacher at Glen Rock High School, will receive $2,500 for a series of ceramics workshops taught by Steve Jaskowak of the Montclair Art Museum. The in-school workshops for up to 125 students enrolled in Advanced Sculpture and Ceramics will cover saggar firing, raku, advanced wheel techniques, terra sigillata, and a variety of slip techniques. The grant will cover Mr. Jaskowak’s expenses (he travels with all of the necessary equipment used in raku and saggar firing), and the clay and glaze for the students to use.

“The process of Raku firing, rich with history and scientific technique, is rarely made available to high school students,” said Rusin. “While our facilities are outstanding, we are limited in what sorts of projects students can complete,” she said. “This grant allows us to offer continual growth and experimentation in Sculpture and Ceramics to our students.”

The Glen Rock Board of Education will receive $250 toward the cost of a March 2 presentation by Dr. Denise Pope of Stanford University: The Journey to Somewhere: Challenge Success. Parents will receive the tools to help their children regain their balance, strengthen their sense of self, increase their motivation and critical thinking skills, and learn how to deal effectively with the inevitable challenges of life.

The Challenge Success leadership team and researchers are experts in the fields of education and mental health, a trusted “voice of reason” on best practices in parenting and education reform. The organization believes that society has become too focused on grades, test scores and performance, leaving little time and energy for kids to become resilient, successful contributors in the 21st century.

“This initiative was implemented by the GR BOE Community Relations Committee, following up on the (May 2013) showing of the film “Race to Nowhere” for all parents in the district,” said Dr. Paula Valenti, Glen Rock Superintendent of Schools. “Our work aims to develop a strong partnership with Glen Rock families to support raising happy, healthy, successful children in a fast-paced and ever-evolving 21st century world.”

The Glen Rock Education Foundation is a registered nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Glen Rock’s commitment to excellence in public education. The GREF raises private funds to support innovative teaching, administrative leadership, professional development, and community participation in the schools.