The James Logan Courier

By Veronica Brown, Courier Staff Writer

The New Haven School Board Tuesday praised Erin Cross, a life skills teacher as well as varsity basketball coach at James Logan who received one of several mini-grant sfrom the New Haven Schools Foundation.

Cross received her mini grant for a work book she has been developing to use for teaching. She is planning on getting her book published by this June. This workbook is an interactive homework book that is designed to benefit and hopefully better the relationship between parents and their kids.

Cross is in the process of testing her workbook with her current classes. The parents have been responding very positively with her new method of teaching, she said.

"I'm very grateful to the New Haven Unified District for their recognition and grant" said Cross, when asked about her grant.

This is the second year of the mini-grant program. Through the program, the foundation has provided money for District teachers to implement special programs to promote learning.

This year, more than 30 grant applications were submitted by nearly 40 teachers. The foundation chose 10 projects to fund, school board member funded an 11th recipient, as he did last year.

A "Prize Patrol" toured the district January 19, surprising the 10 winning teachers as they taught their classes. Harper surprised his recipient on January 23.

Cross is hoping to get another grant for a program she is looking to start later on called "Drum Circle" but at the moment she is just trying to finish her book.

Last year, Logan teachers Sue Hinojoza and Linda Rodrigues won minigrants.

This years other winners were Vicki Baker, Elaine Fong and Pat Puckett of Alvarado Middle School, Jill Brahson and Sharen Valles of Delaine Eastin Elementary, Kim DeBono of Tom Kitayam Elementary, Teri Gruenwald of Cesar Chavez Middle School, Cheryl Konno of Searles Elementary, Sharyl Larson of Conley-Caraballo High School, Kelsey Moran of Guy Emanuele Elementary, Sandy Rudy of Barnard-White Middle, Carlole Segall and Teresa Squaglia of Searles and Emi Young of New Haven Adult School.