LINKS TO LEARNING awarded twenty-six grants  in 2011-2012, totalling $15,000.

Calculator Math – Serrano Intermediate
Calculators to assist students with special needs in solving difficult concepts.

Social Skills Support Materials – La Paz Intermediate
Supplemental materials for Special Education teacher. There has been an increase in autistic students and these materials will improve social development projects and self-esteem through board games, art and “kitchen” activities.

HP Laser Jet Printer for Classroom – Mission Viejo High School
HP Laser Jet printer for a classroom. Printer will be used by all the teachers in the portables on campus.

Weighing the World – Mission Viejo High School
Expansion of the Chemistry curriculum by providing funds to purchase “My Weigh Balances”. These electronic balances have the ability to measure mass to 2 decimal places.

Special Education Read 180 Program – Los Alisos Intermediate
Emerson portable CD players with cassette recorders. This allows students in the special education reading program to listen to books on cassettes and CDs that are available in the program audio library. They currently have no functional players. “Read 180” provides an individualized, computerized program for each child at his or her reading level.

Sound for Success – Trabuco Hills High School
Audio-Technica Wireless Microphone which allows the instructor to record his lectures as he moves about the classroom interacting with students. His lectures are posted on his website to be used by the students needing additional review. His outcome would be a set of new lecture videos accessible to all students.

Document Camera Enhancement – Mission Viejo High School
Elmo document camera for use in English classes. It will aid their instruction and help reach even the most challenged learner. Textbooks, worksheets, tests and positive examples can be placed directly on the projector for all students to see. The camera will increase learning while decreasing copies needed in a classroom.

Making English Fun – La Paz Intermediate
The Scholastic Scope Magazine is a monthly supplemental tool which offers a variety of tools, strategies and interactive activities that encourage students to read. It contains narrative, non-fiction stories, high interest topics that connect to Language Arts, Read Aloud Plays and test preparation tied to national and state standards.

Microscale Experiments in a Vacuum – Mission Viejo High School
Microscale Bell Jar and Vacuum sets for conducting experiments in a vacuum to study gas laws. Gas laws is an essential part of the California State Standards in Chemistry, Physics and Integrated Science.

Is That Where I Came From? – El Toro High School
Microscopes and slides. Students will be using scientific light microscopes to view cell division slides. Technology and cell division are part of the California Science Standards for Biology. Students will be able to see the actual cells dividing.

Diagrams for Assessment – Trabuco Hills High School
Wacom Inkling Systems allows written notes, drawings, etc. to be created on regular paper and then automatically converted to an electronic format. The Math Departmentt will create common assessments that would involve making custom diagrams.

One Tool That Has Unlimited Possibilities…For Impossible Times – Rancho Santa Margarita Intermediate
iPad for student use during class. It provides immediate feedback to students’ research questions; vocabulary words viewed in contextual pictures, and empowers students to answer their own questions when the instructor is busy with other students.

KRSM Broadcast Update Project – RSM Intermediate
Video cameras used to broadcast a 15 minute program each day to the whole school as well as recording classroom experiments/events.

Bring Your Own Device – Serrano Intermediate
Five grant applications for this school-wide program. Purchased iPod Touch devices for the History, Math, Science and English Departments. School is piloting a program whereby students can bring portable devices to use for data collection, transcription, vocabulary/dictionary functions, inputting of information as well as teacher and publisher applications.

iPod/iPad/Android App Development for Middle Schoolers – Serrano Intermediate
One new iMac for programming. The project will ask students to program an Android/iPod/iPad app to solve the quadratic equation. Purpose is to gain a further understanding of a difficult math standard and learn how to program Android/Apple Apps.

The Faces of Meth – El Toro High School
Funded a program called the “The Faces of Meth”. A DVD player will show a collection of images of inmates who have a history of Methamphetamine use. The program is graphic and very strong with the hope of showing students how severe the damage of taking these drugs can affect their life.

Library Books – Laguna Hills High School
Fiction and non-fiction books for the school’s library. Due to severe cuts to education, the library budget is minimal and often re-directed for operational and technical use leaving the library collection outdated and/or in need of repair.

Computer Lab Upgrade – Mission Viejo High School
Upgrade the school’s computer lab. The goal of the project is to acquire at least 24 desktop computers to replace the current dysfunctional computers.

Qwizdom Remotes – La Paz Intermediate
Qwizdom Remotes offer the instructor the ability to ask questions of a classroom full of students and receive real time student response answers. With the increase in class size, this system gives the students immediate feedback as to the accuracy of their response without embarrassment and requires all students to participate.

Making History Come Alive with iPad – Los Alisos Intermediate
iPad to supplement instruction in US History and World History. The school-wide goal is to enhance learning by utilizing technology and a variety of instructional strategies. The iPad is a great tool, engaging students and making history come alive through numerous application, maps videos, games and more.

Update Library Books/Resources – Mission Viejo High School
Non-fiction books that address the area of careers, including non-college ideas for jobs and jobs that might be obtained with a two year degree.

Library Books – El Toro High School
Current and latest series novels for students to check out for independent and pleasure reading. Due to current budget cuts, there is no money allocated to the library to purchase novels.