Classroom Puzzle Center While we see the effects of screen time on students, it is increasingly common to start looking for tactile learning opportunities that don’t need a device and can be completed cooperatively. Schwenksville first-grade teacher Melody Fennell is looking to build various student skills through hands-on learning in solving puzzles. These puzzles will…
Classroom Plants & Wellness UPDATE: Summer Plant Camp 2025 While the teachers are away, some of the classroom plants will play at Plant Camp, of course! These leafy learners have left their windowsills behind and are off on the ultimate summer retreat, whether at home or at Plant Camp. Teachers and staff who received a…
Sensory Bins Sensory learning opportunities are valuable throughout the educational experience, but perhaps even more so at the kindergarten level. This is a critical point in development, as tactile opportunities help students develop sensory and fine motor skills and incorporate those skills into other learning environments. Through sensory bins, kindergarten students at Schwenksville Elementary can…
ChompSaw As changes are coming to how science is taught throughout Pennsylvania with the integration of new learning standards, hands-on opportunities will be at the forefront of instructional strategies. Planning, building, creating, and collaborating through hands-on opportunities will be key to the learning process. One common way to get students building is the utilization of…
Chimes for a Responsive Classroom Time, safety, and best practices have educators rethinking ways of getting students organized and on track. Whether transitioning to new learning activities, reviewing directions, or pausing to reflect on work, trying to bring students back to attention can be challenging and a time-waster. Getting students’ attention effectively doesn’t need to…
Math Game Bundle How can teachers build math facts in a fun and supportive environment? Katie Conaron, Gifted Support Teacher at Schwenksville Elementary School, plans to use “family night” style games to help students build their math skills engagingly and positively. Learning math facts through these games allows her students to not feel isolated or…
Tinker Tank The district has been working to reimagine the library spaces across the district. Melissa Overholser, Librarian at Schwenksville Elementary, envisioned this through a Tinker Tank, commonly known as a maker space. Her goal is for the library space to be seen as a safe place for students to explore and be creative without…
Soft Start Dr. Harrison has been at Perkiomen Valley School District for 18 years. She currently teaches fourth grade at Schwenksville Elementary School and has been building relationships with her students and the families of the students she teaches. When she returned to in-person learning from the pandemic, she noticed a need for more practice…
Visual Art Library Ms. Seitz, Art Teacher at Schwenksville Elementary School, was looking for a way to expose students to literature in the art room through a Visual Art Library. She came to the Foundation to get additional books to her limited collection to enhance her lessons by giving students another way of seeing art.…
Inspirational Quote Decals In the 2018-2019 school year, Schwenksville Elementary School implemented a school-wide Positive Behavior System to encourage kindness and promote a happy learning environment. As part of this initiative, art teacher Jill Seitz reached out to Perkiomen Valley School District Foundation for Inspirational Quote Decals to be added to student bathroom stalls. …