Second Curriculum Improvement Grant Awarded by Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers

November 19, 2007

At the recommendation of the Bradford County Advisory Board the Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers Board of Directors awarded a $500 curriculum improvement grant to Dorothy Weir, a music teacher for the Northeast Bradford School District. The Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers solicited proposals from teachers in Bradford County who had an idea on how to improve their present curriculum. The Board wished the grant funds to have the greatest positive long-term impact possible on the youth of Bradford County.

Ms. Weir is trying to build a love and knowledge for music in her students. She is working on building an elementary music program by adding some Orff Schulwerk instruments to her program to give students more of a chance to explore, create and compose. This will also help the district in meeting MENC (Music Educators National Competencies) and the State of Pennsylvania standards since all these elements are in the standards.

Orff Schulwerk is an approach to music teaching and learning, combined with and supported by movement, based on things children like to do: sing, chant rhymes, clap, dance, and keep a beat or play a rhythm on anything near at hand. The purpose is to provide a means for awakening the potential in every child for being “musical” – able to understand and use music and movement as forms of expression.

Rhythmic ideas are developed and extended through use of “body percussion” – clapping and finger snapping and small percussion instruments – e.g. , wood block, triangle, tambourine, and various types of drum. Specially designed melodic percussion Orff instruments include xylophones, metallophones, and glockenspiels that offer a sound texture of high quality and charm that allow students of varying ability levels to contribute successfully to the total effort.

The grant funds will be used to purchase the Orff instruments consisting of a bass, alto, and soprano xylophone to be used at the elementary and Jr. High levels in the general music curriculum. Over time, it will encompass grades K-7 and will not only help students from a musical standpoint but will also aid them intellectually and in personal growth.

In order to receive these funds both the teacher and the school board needed to agree to placing the enhanced curriculum on the CFTT website so it could be shared with other teachers. In addition, other deserving proposals that the CFTT was unable to fund will be placed on the CFTT website for other potential funders to review. In this way, the CFTT hopes to be able to find funds to implement other deserving ideas for curriculum enhancements.

The Community Foundation for the Twin Tiers (CFTT) is a non-profit public foundation established in 2002 by a diverse group of local leaders and residents. The Foundation encourages community philanthropy to enhance the quality of life for those who reside in Bradford, Sullivan and Tioga Counties in Pennsylvania and Tioga County in New York State. It establishes endowment funds for charitable purposes from contributions of citizens, corporations, other foundations, charitable organizations and government agencies. As the endowment funds grow, it uses the interest earned on these funds to make grants to organizations or projects that serve identified community needs.

If you have an interest in learning more about the CFTT or in establishing a fund, you can contact the organization by any of these methods: telephone - 570-888-4759; fax - 570-888-2179; email - cftt@stny.rr.com; or visit the website - www.twintierscf.org.

CFTT is dedicated to making a difference locally “for good – for ever^TM”