2025 PLSEA Grant Recipients
Sensory Connections
Kassie Doelp, Brooke Tieben, Rachel Benson - TOMS
Extra-large sensory busy board designed specifically for middle school students with developmental delays, sensory regulation challenges, and communication disorders. This interactive board will feature a variety of tactile, visual, and auditory elements to support students’ sensory needs while promoting self-regulation, engagement, and communication development.
The board will serve as a versatile tool within our sensory space, offering students a safe and motivating way to practice fine motor skills, manage sensory input, and develop expressive and receptive language skills. By providing a structured yet flexible environment for exploration, the board will help reduce anxiety, increase focus, and create more opportunities for meaningful peer and adult interactions.
Sensory Motor Room on Wheels
Renee Evans & Amber Ash- HRE
A portable motor room to support sensory, regulation and motor skills. Provides opportunities for students who need an unscheduled break to access tools brought to them.
STEP Simple Machines
Sheila Erpenbach, Scott Geisler & Emma Bye- GD
5 different STEM sets covering all the simple machine mechanisms. Students can build up to 60 different models; all 6 simple machines as well as more advanced gears and linkages. Provides detailed explanations for different scientific principals applied and incorporates innovative experimental activities for hands-on learning. Also includes an interactive 3D app that lets children build virtually.
Collaborative Spaces
Chelsea Block - JP
Transform a traditional classroom into a dynamic, student-centered environment that fosters collaboration, academic discourse, and 21st-century learning. Drawing on strategies from Building Thinking Classrooms, the NCTM mathematical practices, this initiative will use flexible furniture, seating, and organizational tools to support rich, student-led learning. By redesigning the physical space, the project will empower students to think critically, communicate effectively, and work creatively and cooperatively.
6th Grade Math Lab
Nikki Draine - HOMS
Create a “Math Lab” in our 6th grade pod or classroom where students can organically explore, experiment, and discuss math. The Math Lab vision includes rotating materials that emphasize visual patterns, puzzles with multiple solutions, and collaborative tasks. These will include both teacher-made and purchased manipulatives, as well as displays where students' ideas and solutions can be shared. Ultimately, I want the space to encourage students to notice, describe, and generalize mathematical patterns (aligning with the MDE’s vision of mathematics as the study of patterns and relationships) and to continue to inspire students to remain curious.
Middle School Grief Group
Jenny Witt - TOMS
For students attending HOMS and TOMS who experience loss, grief can present itself in ways that impact school engagement and social interactions. Having a space where students can connect to others who can identify with profound loss provides students with a sense of belonging and understanding.
Kind Frogs
Jennifer Clemmerson - TOMS
Kind Frog is a silicone-based model designed for dissection, offering a humane alternative to using real frogs in science classrooms. It's designed by teachers, provides a hands-on experience similar to traditional dissections, and avoids the use of real animals.