Fall Grant Recipients
Early Childhood Education Music Project
The Early Childhood Education program will be instituting a Preschool Ukulele Integration Project, which will include ukuleles and virtual, on-demand lessons for Early Childhood teachers serving 150 preschool students ages three to five at Wildwood Elementary School and the District Education Center. The training equips educators with musical skills to enrich circle times, transitions, and daily classroom community-building through engaging, multisensory experiences aligned with the Creative Curriculum. These early learners benefit from music’s well-documented impact on cognitive, language, motor, emotional, and creative development.
Elementary Music Aptitude Assessments
The O.H. Anderson Elementary School music department will be using the Music Aptitude Assessment Initiative to implement research-based tools that identify musical aptitude and guide instruction for students ages six to ten. This initiative addresses an important gap in gifted identification by recognizing students with high potential in music, not only those who excel in traditional academic areas. All O.H. Anderson 3rd–5th grade students will be assessed annually in music class, allowing teachers to tailor instruction, support student goal-setting, and track growth over time. The project strongly aligns with the district’s Strategic Plan by honoring diverse forms of excellence, and ensuring all students discover and develop their unique strengths.
A Mightier Feedback Tool
O.H. Anderson Elementary School will trial the Mightier Biofeedback tool to support Tier 2 self-regulation groups for 3rd–5th grade students providing real-time physiological feedback through a video-game format, helping students practice and internalize calming strategies so they can apply them during real-life stress. Success will be measured by attendance/behavior feedback and weekly data snapshots, adding to the district's achievement of alternative delivery of specialized instructional services.
Middle School and High School Music Enhancement
The Mahtomedi Middle School and High School music education staff will receive funding for Music Enhancement via the WAS Performing Arts Fund to aid in purchase of new timpani for the high school band and additional sheet music repertoire for the middle school choral program. Serving all middle school choral students and high school instrumental musicians, the grant further strengthens access to exceptional arts education across multiple grade levels and performance groups. This investment directly aligns with the district’s strategic plan by fostering innovative instruction, nurturing student interests, and ensuring all learners have the tools and opportunities necessary to achieve at their highest levels.
Culinary Lab HexClad Technology
The Mahtomedi High School Culinary Arts Department will equip all six kitchen stations with HexClad technology to replace outdated materials currently in use. This modern, industry-standard technology will enhance learning for students in grades 9–12 enrolled in Culinary 1, Culinary 2, Baking & Pastries, and Global Foods, giving them equitable access to high-quality tools. The new equipment will strengthen real-world skill development, support student passion and career exploration, and ensure safe, high-quality learning experiences. This request aligns with the district’s Strategic Plan by preparing students with practical skills that reflect modern professional environments.
Yoga and Mindfulness Equipment
The Mahtomedi High School physical education department will be adding Yoga and Mindfulness Equipment to enhance their course offerings with 30 long, high-quality yoga mats and storage racks for use in classes such as Beginning Weights & Yoga and Fitness for Life. This project enhances physical education by giving 9th–12th grade students safe, properly sized equipment that allows full participation in yoga, mindfulness, and stress-reduction activities, experiences that benefit both physical health and emotional well-being. With more than 100 students each year engaging in these courses, the new mats will support inclusive and developmentally appropriate instruction. The initiative supports students’ holistic growth through movement, mindfulness, and real-world coping skills.
Mahtomedi High School Supermileage Team
Mahtomedi High School students will now have a new extracurricular program, the Supermileage Team, that engages high school students in grades 9–12 by challenging them to design, build, and test an ultra–energy-efficient vehicle. As a startup team, students will learn engineering, fabrication, problem-solving, and data analysis while using grant funds to acquire essential tools and components needed to construct a Supermileage electric vehicle. Supermileage teams compete to create vehicles that achieve the highest possible efficiency, requiring students to apply STEM skills throughout a full design-to-competition cycle during the school year, culminating in a formal technical inspection and race event each May.
Garden and Agricultural Learning
The Passages Transition Program will be implementing a Garden and Agriculture Learning Project for students in their program. This initiative will provide meaningful, experiential learning in gardening, plant science, and vocational agriculture, supported through partnerships with 21 Roots Farm and local Master Gardeners. Serving transition-age students within Mahtomedi Public Schools, the project builds functional academic, employment, and independent living skills in an authentic, community-connected environment. Aligned with the district’s strategic plan, the program advances individualized learning, real-world skill development, and community engagement to prepare every learner for meaningful participation in school, work, and life.
The Page Turners Challenge
Mahtomedi Community Education will be launching The Page Turners Challenge, a 12-week summer literacy program for rising 7th–9th graders (Mahtomedi Middle School) that encourages reading, critical thinking, and real-world engagement with Minnesota authors. Designed to be inclusive and accessible, the program builds on the proven “America’s Battle of the Books” model and aims to enroll at least 20 students, with room for up to 100. Through facilitated discussions, author visits, and interactive competitions, the program fosters a love of reading while strengthening partnerships with the Wildwood and Washington County Library systems.