Each year, the Round Rock ISD Partners in Education (PIE) Foundation awards Excellence in Education grants to classrooms and departments across Round Rock ISD. These provide resources for educators to execute innovative ideas, programs, materials, equipment, field trips, and various other needs that enhance student learning.
This year, the PIE Foundation awarded District grants totaling $100,000 to fund 42 classroom and 11 department projects and initiatives, plus $21,000 for additional mini-grant requests; totaling $121,000 in grant funding for Round Rock ISD.
Partners, Foundation Board members, and members of Round Rock ISD administration surprised campus winners throughout the District’s five learning communities during the last week in August. You can watch the grant award presentation video on the District website.
Congratulations to the Round Rock ISD Partners in Education (PIE) Foundation 2023-2024 Excellence in Education grant award winners! Winners are listed below by school name or department.
Campus Grant Award Winners:
Anderson Mill Elementary School, Qi Yang, Talent Development STEAM Project, $990
Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy, Jen Holsinger-Raybourn, Full STEAM Ahead!, $3,635.60
Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy, First Grade Team, Susan Handy, Cracking the Code with Reading, $3,010
Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy Physical Education, Sarah Livingston, Building Cardiovascular Health and Self-Efficacy Through Physical Education, $3,400
Bluebonnet Elementary, Rebecca Peacock, Total Eclipse at My School, $900
Cactus Ranch Elementary 2nd Grade, Crystal Bridge, 2nd Grade Reading Stars!, $920
Cactus Ranch Elementary, Rachel Walker, Let’s Stick Together, $865
Canyon Creek Elementary/Library, Julianne Bamford, Amplifying Literacy with Vox Books Intervention, $2,000
Caraway Elementary, Lisa Costello, Girlstart: Empowering Girls toward Bravery, Creativity, and Curiosity, $3,500
Cedar Ridge High School/Mu Alpha Theta Math Club, Azucena Overman, Math Science Invitational for Middle School Students, $2,000
Cedar Ridge High School Forensic Science, Lee Ann Sumrall, Pig Autopsy Exploration, $4,000
Deep Wood Elementary, Enrichment Team, Carly Barnes, Transforming our Space: Creating a place to play, create, and imagine!, $1,000
Deerpark Middle School ESL Department, Christy Martinez, Dual language content library, $1,000
Double File Trail Elementary, Valerie Satterwhite, Empowering Digital Navigators, $550
Early College High School/Science/Cross disciplines, Ryan Kubicek, 3D printer for Projects, $1,000
Elementary DAEP at Union Hill, Mathew Doeckel, Social Emotional Support Tools and Behavior Interventions, $500
Fern Bluff Elementary, Ginna Hill, Screen Free Coding Opportunities for our Primary Students, $3,000
Forest Creek Elementary, Kari Abrams, Providing Musical Enrichment Opportunities for All!, $500
Forest North Elementary, Richard Raney, Makerspace – Making SEL Happen, $900
Grisham Middle School/Special Education, Leslie Price, Grizzly Grounds ToGo, $1,000
Hernandez Middle School Band/Choir/Orchestra grades 6-8, Amanda West, Inspiring the young musician, $600
Hernandez Middle School Theatre, Mariah Faust, Tech Theatre Skills: Classroom and Beyond, $1,500
Herrington Elementary, TAG math, Amanda Coats, Circuits with Captain Coats, $700
Hopewell Middle School – 8th Grade Science, Rachel Gonzales, 8th Grade Chemistry and Universe Labs, $2,167.66
Joe Lee Johnson Elementary STEAM Academy Department, Lauren Lightfoot, Increased Hands-on Learning and Exposure to STEM Curriculum, $4,000
Old Town Elementary- physical education, Robin Wilson, Recess Buckets, $1,000
Pearson Ranch Middle School 6th grade ELA, Jennifer Fair, Natural Allies, $1,500
Pond Springs Elementary Music Pre-K-5, Avalon Nemec, Increasing collaboration and teamwork with DRUMS!, $2,500
Purple Sage Elementary Visual Art, Emily Smith, Living Colors in Nature, $430
Redbud Elementary TAG, Becky Spillers, All Aboard! Using STEAM to Drive Our Learning, $1,500
Ridgeview Middle School Dyslexia Department, Adela Perry, Student Dyslexia Magnetic Manipulatives, $1,600
Robertson Elementary, Loretta Finder, Science for All, $2,500
Round Rock High School, Ann Nguyen, No Longer Invisible!: Piloting Asian American Ethnic Studies in Round Rock ISD, $4,000
Round Rock High School/Science, Marla Menchaca, Gamification of Content as a Mechanism for Academic and Vocational Student Success, $1,000
Round Rock High School Engineering, Carrie Copeland, 3D printers, $2,000
Round Rock Opportunity Center/ Science Dept & Social Skills, Tina Steiner, Opportunity Center Science and Wellness Garden, $2,000
Stony Point High school Art, Annemarie Tritt, Field Trip Initiative – Art Outside the Classroom, $500
Success High School, Ellen James, Matematicas para todos (Mathematics for All), $900
Success High School Library/CTE Department, Valerie Burleigh, Library Life Skills: Culinary Creations, $1,000
Union Hill Elementary Library, Vanessa Rivasclouston, Timely Research: Nonfiction Refresh, $1,000
Voigt Arts Integration Academy, Leilani Schaar, Digital Microscopes to Engage and Inspire, $1,800
Wells Branch Arts Integration Academy, Kat Birlin, Girlstart After School at Wells Branch Elementary School, $3,500
Department Grant Award Winners:
Early Childhood Department, Sharilyn Woodall, Building Early Literacy through a High-Quality Writing Center, $3,000
Fine Arts, Tim Lowke, The Integration Institute General Session Speaker, $3,000
Library Services, Stephanie Inzana, Adulting 101, $4,500
Professional Development, Keli Soliz, Early Career Teacher Support Framework, $1,500
Purchasing and Materials Management, Wendi Randall, Staff Engagement, $800
Round Rock ISD Teen Parent Program, Karen Confer, Empowering Futures: Teen Parent Care Packages, $500
Assessment Department, Laura Teran, Campus Testing Staff Incentive Project, $1,000
Human Resource Services, Mariela Banda, Guest Educator Folders and Incentives, $3,000
Human Resource Services, Rene Eakins, RROAR (Employee Recognition Program), $4,000
Gifted and Advanced Academics, Michelle Moak, AVID Senior Celebration, $1,500
Human Resources Benefits, Chelisa Gray, Employee Wellness, $2,000