MARYSVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

JOHN G. SILVERI, SUPERINTENDENT

1111 Delaware Avenue ♦ Marysville, Michigan 48040-1566 ♦ (810) 364-7731 ♦ fax (810)
364-3150
MARYSVILLE 
http://www.marysville.k12.mi.us
It is the vision of the Marysville Public Schools that every student will excel both personally and for the benefit of humanity.

May 19, 2009

The Tellabs Foundation

1415 W. Diehl Rd.
Mailstop 10
Naperville, IL 60563

Dear Tellabs Foundation;

I am proud to represent the Marysville Public School District, which is located in a relatively
small suburban city in southeast Michigan. Our District provides public education in Young Five’s -
12th grades for approximately 2650 students, in addition to an Early Childhood Developmentally
Delayed Program. The Marysville District contains three neighborhood elementary schools, one
middle school and one high school. We employ 152 professional teaching staff.

The Marysville Public School District seeks support from the Tellabs Foundation for $83,600 for
support of our
I-4-21 (Instruction for the 21st Century) project. We think this project is very much aligned with the
Tellabs Foundation beliefs in providing high-quality development opportunities and supports for
educators through best practice, creating world-class learning environments that are responsive to
the needs of all students, and strengthening the infrastructure of the teaching profession by
developing high-performing educators and teacher leaders.

This project will provide the technology equipment, software and tools that will support a
systematic process of staff collaboration and opportunities to provide all students with access to the
curriculum and mastery of State standards. The
I-4-21 project will include all students and teaching staff of the Marysville Schools.

The funding requested from the Tellabs Foundation will be used to purchase document
cameras for all instructional staff to enhance instruction and lesson delivery. The requested funding
represents approximately 10% of the $807,862 budget for this project. With the award of this grant,
the equipment and tools will be provided during the grant year, yet may be utilized in future years.
Therefore, sustainability of true professional learning communities and enhanced achievement for all
students will become a reality, and will prove beneficial for staff and students far beyond the grant
year.

We expect concrete results from this worthwhile project. These goals, which can be measured,
include:

 Effective staff collaboration practices to design instructional lessons, construct

common formative assessments, analyze student achievement data and make
relevant and timely instructional decisions
 Exploration and use of alternative methods, tools, equipment and software to plan
instructional lessons, to increase student access to the curriculum, to provide
options for demonstrating mastery and to increase student engagement
 Increase student achievement of course and State standards

We appreciate your consideration for funding, and we are excited to submit any additional
information for your further review. I am aware that our narrative section has exceeded your
requirement of no more than 3 pages. I hope the scope of this porject affirms the need for additional
explanation. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely,
 Marysville Public Schools 2008-
2009

Cynthia Raymo, Director of Special Services

Marysville Public Schools
920 Lynwood St.
Marysville, MI 48040
[email protected]
810-455-6204

I-4-21 Grant (Instruction for the 21st Century)

Organization Background

The Marysville School District provides public education in Young Five’s - 12th grades
for approximately 2650 students, in addition to an Early Childhood Developmentally
Delayed Program. Our district contains three neighborhood elementary schools, one middle
school and one high school. The Marysville Public Schools employs 152 professional
teaching staff. As this grant will touch each teacher, the potential is great that every
student will benefit from the grant project and will benefit from enhanced instructional
activities and experiences.

Marysville Public Schools is committed to our vision that every student will excel both
personally and for the benefit of humanity and our mission to personalize learning through
rigor, relevance and relationships. This commitment to achievement for all students is not
just a set of words we put to paper, but a belief we strive to achieve.

Proposed Project
In our effort to realize our vision and our mission, our district has embarked upon a
journey into Professional Learning Communities (PLC) (All Things PLC, n.d.). This journey has
allowed many of us to see the current reality of our district, but also a vision for what we
can become. A major component of a PLC is staff collaboration. This collaboration, which
provides a vital support system to all staff, is focused on collective inquiry and on results.
Collective inquiry involves investigation and experimentation with research based best
practices to build staff knowledge, skill and capacity. A focus on results is achieved when
effort is directed to purposeful decisions about student learning, which will lead to increased
achievement of state standards for all students.

Our district is facing very tough economic challenges, as the condition of funding for
education across our state is inadequate at best, and we receive the minimum funding in an
inequitable system. In spite of the funding challenges, staff and community commitment to
our district and our students remains consistently high as indicated by the passing of a
$74M bond in 2007. This bond will provide renovations to our three elementary schools, our
middle school and the building of a new high school, due to be completed by September
2010. While we are ecstatic at the support of our community for these enhancements, the
reality is that even with a bond as large as this one, it is impossible to fund everything we
are certain will provide the most effective and efficient learning experiences for the 21st
Century learner.

Through this grant, our district will provide the students of Marysville Public Schools
with a more relevant and meaningful education. This grant will provide the tools that will
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support a systematic process of staff collaboration and opportunities to provide all students
with access to the curriculum and mastery of state standards. As these tools will be
provided during the grant year and also beyond, sustainability of true professional learning
communities and enhanced achievement for all students will become a reality. Provision of
the equipment and tools will ensure increased achievement for all students far beyond the
grant year.

As our society changes, the educational landscape must evolve to provide students
with the instruction, knowledge and skills necessary to be active and productive members
of a global society. Our educational experiences must provide opportunities that reflect real
world application and take students to new heights. This proposal will challenge educators
to transform their instructional lessons, but also provide the tools to design real world
experiences for students.

Four overriding questions guide PLC’s and provide the foundation for staff
collaboration. They guide all actions and provide the focus of our efforts to design
innovative, rigorous and relevant instructional activities. These questions also guide this
grant proposal. They are:

What do we want students to know and be able to do?

How will we know if they have learned it?
What will we do if they don’t?
What will we do if they already know it?

Planned Outcomes
This grant proposal will focus on achievement of the following goals:

What is it we want students to know and be able to do?

What will we do if students already know it?

o Staff will engage in collaborative professional learning community teams as

they plan enhanced instructional activities for all students.

o Staff will incorporate alternative methods, tools, equipment and software as

they are planning instructional lessons

o Students will engage in instructional activities that incorporate alternative

methods, tools, equipment and software to provide greater access to the
curriculum, increase achievement of state standards and to provide options for
demonstrating mastery.

How will we know if they have learned it?

o Through collaboration, staff will create common formative assessments for
core content courses

What will we do if they haven’t learned it?

o Through collaboration, staff will utilize student achievement data from the
course common formative assessments and classroom formative assessments
to inform instruction and facilitate instructional decision making

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Methods/Strategies

Alternative Supports to Enhance Collaborative Instructional Planning

As we move toward becoming a professional learning community, we learn that

schools must transform their paradigm from the teacher as simply a provider of information
to the teacher as a facilitator of educational experiences that lead to high levels of learning
for all students. This transformation challenges educators to redesign instructional activities
so that all students can access the general education curriculum and demonstrate mastery.
It also requires educators to reconsider each lesson, provide alternative methods to meet
the needs of all students, and use formative data to drive instructional decisions. This
commitment to providing alternative instructional methods, strategies and tools will require
time, effort and resources. Most importantly, collaboration with colleagues is vital to a
supported professional learning community that strives to achieve these expectations.
Alternative Supports to Enhance Instructional Activities

Our staff will learn more about becoming a PLC, and the commitment to do
“whatever it takes” to ensure learning for all. To achieve this ideal, our staff needs
additional tools to reach all students and encourage all students to meet high standards. In
addition to the components of the PLC process, more research and information are available
about Universal Design for Learning (CAST, 2009), and learning for the 21st Century.
Instructional lessons must evolve into meaningful, engaging, real life experiences that
provide activities to build a repertoire of skills, encourage collaboration and problem
solving, and expose students to the demands and expectations of our global society. While
staff members are willing to invest the time and effort to design these meaningful lessons,
our district is unable to provide the financial resources to make essential tools available to
allow staff to enhance their instructional activities. This grant proposal is focused on
acquisition of these essential tools.
Fundamental to this project are alternatives for students as they engage in activities
to access the curriculum and options for demonstrating mastery. Various supports have
been incorporated for staff to use as they design lessons and assess mastery. In addition,
supports have been made available to students in school, but also at home, to increase
achievement and to provide additional resources for our families.

Proposed Use of Funds

Equipment

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Building-wide While our bond will provide 1-2 wireless access areas in each building, the
Wireless Access availability of a wireless network throughout each building will allow teams
Points of teachers to work collaboratively on an ongoing basis to focus on lesson
design, creation of common formative assessments, analysis of student
achievement data and development of re-teaching opportunities. This
network would be made available to all staff in each of our five buildings.
The ability to be mobile and meet in collaborative teams is vital to
sustainability of professional learning communities. The content of team
meetings is the key to enhanced instructional lessons and relevant learning
opportunities. Staff will have greater flexibility and productivity with this
boundary-free wireless access. Thus, they will be able to make productive
use of planning time, team time and time that all staff spends outside of
the school day.
Document The bond will provide interactive white boards and projection systems for
Cameras for all each classroom. However, alternative equipment will be essential for the
Classrooms 21st Century classroom. Document cameras provide a visual representation
of actual objects including manipulatives, textbooks, content area
experiments, and projection of documents and photographs. This exposure
to real images increases the authenticity of the activity, will enhance
student engagement and increase student achievement.
Scanners Scanners, which provide the ability to scan various documents including
common formative assessments, are an important piece of a systematic,
data-based model. Common formative assessments are developed
collaboratively by a team of teachers. These assessments lead to timely
data and information and are essential to instructional decision-making.
This decision-making occurs most efficiently through the ability to scan
common formative assessments and evaluate student performance through
a data management system. Once scanned, the data from these
assessments provides vital information about student achievement of
standards and will lead to re-teaching, extension activities or the decision to
move on to the next instructional unit. While our district has committed to
providing a data management system, scanners, with access to a computer
and a printer, are an essential piece in this data-based decision-making
model.
Student A vital component to a school that takes responsibility to do “whatever it
Response takes” is utilizing formative data as a basis for learning. When the collection
Systems for all of data becomes an integral part of instructional activities, learning
Classrooms becomes more individualized and student achievement is increased.
Student Response Systems allow students to respond to questions and
prompts and results in immediate feedback to the teacher. This feedback,
which is an illustration of the knowledge and skills of students, can lead to
prescriptive, focused and individualized instruction and decision-making.
Additional Access to technology will be indispensable to learning for the 21st Century.
Student As teachers plan instructional activities with student choice built-in,
Computers for students must have the opportunity to access technology within the
Every Classroom classroom. Student computers will allow students to access resources,
utilize assistive technologies and provide evidence of learning.
Electronic For many students, the ability to use multiple learning modalities increases
Notebook and their achievement of standards. The availability of text-to-speech and
Notebook Carts speech-to-text support, written expression support, and organizational tools
will provide alternative methods to access the curriculum. These notebooks,
which are smaller in size but equal in capability, will provide students and
staff with more effective and efficient opportunities and greater access to
supports and sources of information.

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2009

Classroom Set Access to technology and information is a vital function of a professional

of Computers learning community. This includes scanners to provide access to immediate
for Scanners formative assessment information. The availability of scanners will allow
teachers to create, administer, and scan formative assessments. The results
will be available immediately and inform and drive instruction.
Laptop A district that has embraced a model of student support must establish a
Computers to process that focuses its effort on prevention, rather than excessive effort on
Support Student remediation. In an effort to build capacity in staff to incorporate this
Assistance prevention model, collaboration through our Student Assistance Teams is
fundamental. The ability of these teams to function systematically and
Teams
efficiently requires availability of certain technology tools. These technology
tools and supports include technology stations available in a conference
room at each building. These stations will provide a laptop, printer,
projector and software.
Projectors and Our bond initiative has provided projectors for all classrooms, thus
Printers increasing the ability to provide relevant and significant instructional
lessons. However, the ability to project an image becomes important when
teams come together for meaningful collaboration. The ability of these
teams, including Student Assistance Teams, to function systematically and
efficiently requires availability of certain technology tools. These tools
include the ability to create student-centered action plans in real time
utilizing a computer/notebook, projector, printer and specific software so
that all members can view the action plan and walk away from the team
meeting with a copy of the plan detailing each member’s responsibilities.
MP3 players for The ability to access the general education curriculum and demonstrate
Students mastery of standards is the foundation of Universal Design for Learning.
Students must have access to multiple modes of learning. The opportunity
for repeated exposure to information is vital for many students. In addition,
MP3 players provide a format that is comfortable for most students.
Video Cameras Video and digital cameras provide the opportunity for students to capture
and Digital digital images, which may then be used with voice-over capabilities to
Cameras create multimedia presentations.
Headphones The ability to utilize text-to-speech software requires headphones so that
multiple students may be accessing this support simultaneously. These
headphones reduce distractions.
Microphone Staff will be providing alternatives for presenting curriculum and
Headsets information through podcasting and narrated PowerPoint presentations. This
requires microphone headsets to allow for recording of these multi-media
presentations.

Software
Brainpop Brainpop creates animated, curriculum-based content that supports
educators and engages students and is ideal for both group and one-on-one
settings. Brainpop, which is aligned to state standards, can be used in
numerous ways including introducing a new lesson or topic, illustrating
complex subject matter and/or reviewing before a test. The availability of
this resource to all staff and students, at school and at home, provides
another alternative for students to access information. Information taken
from http://www.brainpop.com/about/
Camtasia This software will provide teachers with the option to narrate power point
presentations and will be loaded on a laptop computer at each building.
These narrated PowerPoint lessons may then be uploaded to the student’s

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2009

MP3 player and/or a classroom website. Students will have access to these
lessons to view during the lesson, as a review and at home for
reinforcement.
Accessibility Suite This software provides text-to-speech support for any online, word
Software processed, scanned or PDF file. In addition, this software provides the ability
to read anything on the computer screen, and also provides writing and
math support. This assistive technology support will be available at school,
and will be made accessible for all students at their home.
Behavior Tracker “Results should be understood as evidence (data) that something worked
(or did not work). All results, good or bad, provide feedback that can guide
us, telling us what to do next and how to do it better,” (Schmoker, 2006).
The ability to use data for decision-making is a foundation of a professional
learning community and Universal Design for Learning. Certain software
programs provide the opportunity to input specific student performance
data, preferably in a portable notebook while observing behavior, and
create a graphic representation of that data. This graphic representation of
data aids in decision making as trends and a student’s response to
intervention become clear.

Staff
Technology Staff Personnel will be vital to the success of this grant. The acquisition of this
level of technology will require additional staff to order, initialize and ensure
implementation of equipment and software. In addition, this person would
be responsible for managing the technology equipment and software and
provide ongoing staff support.
Lesson As quality lesson redesign takes a great deal of time and effort, it is
Development important to provide support to staff for these activities. Stipends will be
Stipends provided to staff working after school or in the summer to incorporate
alternative methods, software, and tools into their lessons.
Stipends for The likelihood that change will take place is often dependent upon the staff
Teacher Leaders commitment. To this end, teacher leaders within a building can provide the
support and encouragement that is often necessary to build capacity and
bring about meaningful change. Enthusiastic, effective teachers, who
emerge as teacher leaders, will be provided a stipend as they support and
encourage the change process.
Substitutes for As staff development is key to implementation of new tools and strategies,
Technology Tool it will be important to provide adequate training and time for staff to
Training acquire the knowledge to utilize these tools to maximize student learning.
Training will take place during the school day to increase the likelihood that
staff will participate.

Project Timetable - Fall 2009 Award

Grant Proposal Submitted Fall 2009

Grant Proposal Awarded Fall 2009
Technology support position posted, interviews held Fall 2009
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2009

and staff hired

Equipment/Software Ordered Fall 2009
Equipment/Software Installed Fall 2009
Data Collection Protocols Identified and Created Fall 2009
Staff Training Provided
Equipment Fall 2009 – Winter 2010
Software Fall 2009 – Winter 2010
Data Collection Requirements Fall 2009 – Winter 2010
Staff Training Follow-up Spring 2010
Lesson Observations Winter 2010 – Spring 2010
Data Collected Fall 2009, Spring 2010
Data Analyzed Spring 2010
Data Disseminated Spring 2010
Grant evaluation completed June 2010

Budget

See Appendix A for complete budget detail.

Evaluation

The following data will be collected and analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of this
project:

Qualitative Data

Staff Survey: Staff surveys will be provided to gather data on staff perception of the
relevance and effectiveness of PLC collaborative team meetings for instructional
planning, creation of common assessments, analysis of student achievement of
standards and informing future instruction. In addition, data will be gathered about
the perceived effectiveness of alternate methods to enhance instructional
experiences and student achievement.
.
Parent Surveys: Parent surveys will be provided to gather data on parent
perception of student engagements in instructional activities, student attitudes
toward the enhanced instructional experiences and student achievement of course
standards measured by common summative assessments.

Student Surveys: Student surveys will be provided to gather data on engagement

in instructional activities and attitudes toward the enhanced instructional
experiences.

Quantitative Data

Instructional Tools: The number of teachers who utilize alternative methods, tools
and strategies as they are planning instructional lessons.

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 Marysville Public Schools 2008-
2009

Common Formative Assessments: The number of courses utilizing common

formative assessments for all core content courses.

Level of student proficiency on common formative and summative course

assessments.

A correlation will be investigated between the use of alternative methods, tools and
strategies and the level of student achievement.

Standardized Assessments: An increase in the percentage of proficiency on

standardized assessments, including the MEAP, ACT, and MME for all students,
including students considered at-risk and students with disabilities.

Student Progress Data – An increase in the positive pro-social behaviors (or a

decrease in the negative behaviors) of identified students.

References

All Things PLC (nd). About PLC’s. Retrieved on 12-29-08 from

http://www.allthingsplc.info/about/aboutPLC.php

Brainpop, (2009). Retrieved on 2-23-09 from http://www.brainpop.com/about/

CAST (Center for Applies Science Technology) (2009). Universal Design for Learning
Guidelines. Retrieved on
1-29-08 from http://www.cast.org/publications/UDLguidelines/version1.html

Schmoker, M, (2006). Results Now: How We Can Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in

Teaching and
Learning. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: Alexandria, VA.

Budget Detail - Tellabs Foundation Budget Detail

Equipment Vendor Cost

Wireless Access CDWG $13,600 each - 1 per building
Ruckus ZoneDirector
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 Marysville Public Schools 2008-
2009

Points (Wireless central $74,800

manager) and ZoneFlex
(Access Points)
Document Cameras Troxell $500 each - 152 teachers
for all Classrooms $83,600
Scanners HP $405.00 each - 2 per building
$4,460
Student Response CityAnimation $1709 per 32 classroom kit – 2 per building
Systems $37,600
Student Computers Dell $1000 each for 130 classrooms
for Every Classroom $143,000
Electronic Notebook Newegg.com $430 each
A set of 30 per building and 12 additional for
staff use
$76,626
Electronic Notebook Datamation $1600 each - 1 per building
Carts $8,800
Classroom set of Dell Desktop:
Computers for Each Desktop $1000 each --30 per building -- $176,000
School Library and
for Scanners
Laptop Computers DELL $1,500 each
for Staff 1 per building for SAT and 1 per building for
Collaboration and Camtasia
Instructional Design $16,500
Projectors Data Image $625 each - 1 per building
Systems $3,440
Epson PowerLite
Printers Cannon $110 each
ink - $25.00 per cartridge
3 per building for SAT and for use with
scanners
$2,640
MP3 players for Apple Ipod Touch @ $229 each - 20 per building
Students $25,200
Video Cameras Kodak $193.00 for camera, batteries and memory
card
5 per building
$5,308
Digital Cameras Cannon $133 per camera - 5 per building
$3,650
Head Phones REMC 3.00 per set -- 5 sets per 130 classrooms =
650 sets
$2,145
Microphone 5.00 per set for 152 staff
REMC
headset $836

Equipment Total
$664,605
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 Marysville Public Schools 2008-
2009

Software
BrainPop https://www.brainpop. $2495 per school for all district access at
com/store/step2.weml school and home
?group_id=1
$13,725
Camtasia Tech Smith $299 each
http://www.techsmith.co 1 per building
m/?CMP=KgoogleTSCtmh
ome&gclid=COOX0pSM1 $1,645
pgCFRBbagodQWxdcA

Premier AT ReadingmadeEZ.c $3,300 for all district access at school and

Accessibility om home
Suite http://www.readin
gmadeez.com/edu
cation/Accessibilit
ySuite.html
Behavior Tracker Behavioral $219 each license
Information 7 copies
Tracking System $1,687
Software Total:
$20,357

Staff
Technology Staff $25.00 per hour
40 hours per week - $40,000
Lesson Up to $300 per staff member (@$25 per hour)
Development $20,000 to be distributed as above
Stipends
Stipends for $500 per Teacher Leader
Teacher Leaders $32,500
Substitutes for $100 per day per substitute – 152 staff
Technology Tool
Training Document Cameras and Student Response
Systems
$15,200

Camtasia, BrainPop, Premier AT,

Behavior Tracker
$15,200
Staff Total:
$122,900

Tellabs Foundation Request Total:

$83,600

Grant Total:
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 Marysville Public Schools 2008-
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$807,862

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