At the end of 2023, AEF proudly awarded $25,465 towards the following Innovation Grants:

  • Engineering Maker Space for K-5 at Peirce, combining critical-thinking, problem-solving skills, collaboration with others.
  • Read Across America for K-5 students , bringing books to all elementary schools that support diversity and inclusion.
  • Translator Devices at AHS, to support new students, those fluent in a language other than English, and those with limited or interrupted formal eductions.
  • The Pondercast Club at AHS, providing equipment to support a newscast show and announcements for students and staff.
  • Empowering Student Voice through Microbits, in grades 3 and 4, throughout the district. Engaging students in STEAM learning using innovative, hands-on devices.
  • Backyard Youth Theatre for K and grade 2 at Thompson, providing theater games and creative workshops for “Let Your Imagination Run Wild”.
  • Multicutural Concert Series, inviting musicians from diverse cultures to demonstrate instruments, music genres, and to coach authentic styles to students.
  • Lego Spike Sets for STEAM Enrichment in grades 1-5, engaging students in hands-on investigation concepts, while building literacy, math, and social-emotional development.

The Arlington Public Schools (APS) recently received three grants totaling $72,000 from the Arlington Education Foundation (AEF), whose mission is to support innovative projects and enhance teaching and learning in Arlington Public Schools.

 According to AEF President Elizabeth Goodsell, the $15,000 “Innovation in Education Grant” for performing arts was approved last September. An important objective is to make the learning process in orchestra and jazz band more accessible and efficient by using modern digital means to display music.

 “The iPads will replace the paper sheet music, which will also save on printing costs and alleviate the issue of sheet music being lost, for the nearly 170 students in the orchestra and jazz band at Arlington High School,” Goodsell said earlier this month. “The iPads will allow more time to be focused on the lesson rather than flipping through paper music, and new music can be uploaded to sight-read instantly.”  

Schools official describes benefits

The grant to provide students with iPads in instrumental ensembles was further confirmed by Jing-Huey Wei, director of performing arts for the local public school district.

 “Using this technology for performing and studying musical scores is now preferred by many professional musicians,” Wei told YourArlington. She further highlighted that the access to the iPads “gives the students experience using a technology that is expanding in the world of music.”

 In addition to providing students with access to iPads in performing arts, Wei mentioned how the grant positively affects the APS drama/theater program. According to her, “with the grant, Drama/Theater Director Michael Byrne along with Arlington High School theater students [recently] presented a children’s musical, “Strega Nona” [based on the popular children’s picture books by New England native Tomie dePaola] to more than 1,900 Arlington K-3 elementary school students and 450-plus community members.”

 The grant “helped establish the first step of the theater program for elementary school students, which currently does not exist in all elementary schools,” said Wei. 

Two other grants help in other ways

Another $15,000 AEF grant to APS was approved earlier in November: “Building a 21st Century Visual Arts Program.” This grant is dedicated to provide all students with new tools regardless of their socioeconomic backgrounds. According to Goodsell, “This grant helps to bring new cutting-edge equipment to expand programming and student access to new filmmaking, animation and digital photography courses.”

 As well, last June, AEF gave APS the $42,000 “District Investment Grant,” being implemented to “help expand the district’s shared leadership and action through Working Groups,” Goodsell said.

 The AEF has devoted this grant to support the district’s five-year Strategic Plan. “AEF proudly supports these working groups that are [made up of] of not only educators, but also students and families,” said Goodsell.

 According to its website, “AEF awards grants at all levels of Arlington Public Schools – Menotomy Preschool, all seven elementary schools, the Gibbs School, Ottoson Middle School and Arlington High School.” 


This story by YourArlington freelancer Crystal Lin was published Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, based on information from officials of the Arlington Education Foundation and of the Arlington Public Schools.


Dear AEF donors and community,

Despite the various challenges that our schools faced last year and continue to face this year, AEF is as committed as ever to enhancing public education in Arlington. Thanks to our generous community of donors and sponsors, AEF met its fundraising goals during the 2020-2021 school year, and we have an ambitious goal to provide over $100,000 this school year in grant funding for innovative programming in the Arlington Public Schools.


Arlington Education Foundation (AEF) is pleased to award $7.5K for a Development and Expansion grant to Arlington Public Schools for a special discussion with APS faculty and Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria, following a community event for Arlington Reads Together (ART).  


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Dear AEF donors and community,

Despite the various challenges that our schools are facing this year, from district-wide issues to individual student needs, AEF is as committed as ever to enhancing public education in Arlington. To be honest,


In July, the Arlington Education Foundation (AEF) awarded a $12,000 grant to the Arlington Public Schools to fund a course on remote learning strategies for educators. Fifty-four Arlington educators are currently enrolled in the month-long course titled Developing Strategies for Online Teaching and Learning, offered by the Harvard School of Education. 


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