Mini-Grants
PTA Mini-Grants are open to any teaching staff member, social worker and psychologist at all of the TUFSD schools.
Every year, the PTA sets aside funds to fill grants for items or experiecnces to help our children. Some recent grants we have funded include: iPads, PE equipment, books, assemblies, subscriptions to educational sites for teachers, sensory paths, flexible seating, animal adoptions, speech materials and more!
Mini-Grants Recipients
2025-2026
John Paulding
Sensory Tables and Kinetic Sand
(Patricia McGee)
Sensory tables and kinetic sand for Pre-K and Kindergarten classrooms, supporting hands-on learning that strengthens fine motor skills, language, early math and science exploration, and social-emotional development.
Amount granted: $1,619
Books on CD for Kindergarten Listening Centers
(Kiera Rojas, Patricia McGee)
Books on CD for Kindergarten listening centers, allowing emergent readers and students without daily read-aloud support at home to follow along with print books and build vocabulary, comprehension, and a love of reading.
Amount granted: $900
Wipe-Off Table
(Arielle Schneeweiss)
A durable, dry-erase table for small-group Kindergarten instruction, allowing students to practice letter formation, number recognition, and problem-solving directly on the surface.
Amount granted: $462
Tappan Hill
Sensory Pathway
(Stacey Hunter, Occupational Therapist)
Wall and floor decals to create an indoor sensory pathway for movement and sensory breaks. The pathway supports gross and fine motor skills, balance, coordination, and learning readiness for all Tappan Hill students.
Amount granted: $202
In-House Post Office System
(Alicia Manguso, Principal)
“Little Horsemen Mail Co.” — mailboxes that allow first-graders to write and exchange letters with classmates and staff, building literacy skills (letter format, vocabulary, sentence structure) and school community.
Amount granted: $205
Seed Planting for ARC Unit 4
(Alicia Manguso, Principal)
Hands-on seed planting tied to the spring ARC literacy unit on plants. Pre-K and 1st grade students plant seeds, observe growth, and record data — reinforcing literacy skills alongside science concepts like germination and plant life cycles.
Amount granted: $480
W. L. Morse
Sensory & Fidget Support Tools (Morse + Tappan Hill)
(Dr. Ivette Lebenberg, School Psychologist)
Tools to support 1st and 2nd graders who struggle with distractibility, fidgeting, and sensory challenges — including time timers, slant boards, wiggle seats, stretchy bands, noise-cancelling headphones, and fidgets.
Amount granted: $1,768
Birdhouse Project
(Tory Walley, Principal)
“Kid Builders” — 2nd graders design, build, and decorate birdhouses, making connections to the construction work happening at Morse. Students display their finished houses at school before taking them home.
Amount granted: $494
Cosmic Bowling PE Unit
(Ray Farrell)
Portable disco lights, light strips, and glow-in-the-dark pins to enhance the 2nd grade Bowling PE unit. Students practice motor skills and teamwork in a high-energy, glow-in-the-dark setting.
Amount granted: $500
Frisbee Golf Basket and Discs
(Ray Farrell)
Additional frisbee golf basket and discs to expand the new frisbee golf PE unit, giving 1st and 2nd graders more targets to practice with.
Amount granted: $150
Speed Stacking Tournament Timer
(Ray Farrell)
An official Speed Stacks tournament timer to be used during the school-wide speed stacking tournament that culminates the unit.
Amount granted: $110
Aquarium Tools
(Joy Sherwood)
Tools and supplies to support the Morse classroom aquarium program.
Amount granted: $600
Washington Irving
Bronx Zoo Animal Adaptations Trip
(Kelly Campana, Special Education Teacher)
Field trip to the Bronx Zoo for 4th grade 15:1 students, extending the ARC: Animal Adaptations ELA unit through guided observation of animal habitats, adaptations, and survival strategies.
Amount granted: $150
Noise-Cancelling Headphones for PE
(Ryan Fischer, Ryan O’Rourke)
A class set of noise-cancelling headphones for use during indoor PE classes, allowing students to participate and focus when class sizes are large and the gym is loud.
Amount granted: $300
Sports Equipment Pack
(Ryan Fischer, Ryan O’Rourke)
A new sports equipment pack to replace lost and damaged supplies and accommodate the addition of more PE classes, allowing safe play and a wider variety of activities for all WI students.
Amount granted: $1,440
“Just Ask” Community Garden Supplies
(Maria Leon-Luciano, Maria Murolo)
Supplies to maintain and refresh the “Just Ask Garden” — a sustainable community garden inspired by Sonia Sotomayor’s book that supports speech and language goals while building community among 3rd–5th grade students.
Amount granted: $495
Kids for Positive Change “Earth Hero” Project
(Robin Suarez, Christine Calvert, Cathleen Caroleo)
An interdisciplinary 4th grade project that combines ELA, math, and content learning with environmental stewardship. Students take on real-world action as “Earth Heroes” in their school and community.
Amount granted: $2,400
Legendary Sketchbook Project
(Christopher Williams, Art Teacher)
Personal sketchbooks for students to develop their artistic voice and practice across the year.
Amount granted: $1,881
Art Supplies
(Washington Irving Art Department)
Additional art supplies to support classroom instruction across grade levels.
Amount granted: $1,500
Middle School
ImagiCharms Coding Set
(Mike Garguilo, 7th Grade Science Teacher)
A class set of 10 ImagiCharms — pixel cube blocks students program through the Imagi coding interface — used to creatively explore 7th grade science curriculum (e.g., visualizing food chains).
Amount granted: $900
MIT Biology and DNA Sets
(Deidre Sullivan, Katelynn DeGregorio)
MIT Edgerton Center interactive molecular biology models — including a Class Protein Set, three tRNA sets, and a Biotechnology Pack — used to bring 8th grade lessons on protein synthesis and gene expression to life through hands-on manipulation.
Amount granted: $2,200
Confidence Kits
(Anna Ginther, Jade Theile, Melanie Siranaula, Brian Amaya, Alex Martin)
Supplemental funding for hygiene Confidence Kits available to students through the counseling office, providing equitable access to essential personal care products. The 914 partnership covers most supplies; this grant fills the gaps.
Amount granted: $100
High School
Special Education Bowling Trip
(Chris Starace, Special Education Teacher)
An end-of-year lunch and bowling trip to Homefield Bowling Alley in Yonkers for 15–18 special education students who have shown great effort and excellence throughout the school year.
Amount granted: $580
Asian Cultural Celebration Awareness
(Jason Choi, Asian American Culture Club Advisor)
High school students from the Asian American Culture Club prepare and lead presentations on Lunar New Year, Eid al-Fitr, Diwali, and other Asian cultural celebrations for WI 5th graders. Builds leadership and teaching skills for ~20 HS students while engaging ~200 elementary students.
Amount granted: $500
Electrical House Circuit Project
(Leila Madani, Physics Teacher)
Hands-on materials for a parallel-and-series circuits project for 9th grade physics students. Many of the consumables are reusable from year to year.
Amount granted: $880
Tea Time Supplies
(Leana Peltier, Emily Fagan)
Supplies for the Tea Time program, a regular gathering for 80 students across grades 10–12.
Amount granted: $158
Photo Boxes for Life Skills Class
(Laura Mastrosimone, Special Education Teacher)
Task box activities for the Life Skills class — a widely-used, evidence-based practice in special education that supports structured independent work.
Amount granted: $450
Ice-Cream Social for ENL Students
(Ana De Castro, Bilingual School Counselor)
End of year party for ENL students who are new to the district and meet bi-weekly.
Amount granted: $150
Chemistry in the Tank
(Carlos Franco, High School Science Teacher)
An aquarium-based chemistry project for HS chemistry students. The setup is designed to be sustainable year over year, with the department absorbing ongoing costs.
Amount granted: $750