"The Path Forward" Retreat - National Academy Foundation

“I have an enormous desire in the 30 years that I will devote to Baltimore City Public Schools to come up with as many solutions as possible,” and that is just what Julie Karre has done at Armistead Gardens through the Summer Pre-K Learning Kits project. Julie Karre, a middle school social studies teacher (former language arts teacher) at Armistead Gardens Elementary Middle, is passionate about childhood literacy. Her own classroom library holds over 2,000 books, which she uses to foster a love of learning for each of her students. But Julie has a big vision. She wants books in the hands of every child in her community, building out libraries in each of their homes, and leading to lifelong readers. In her 14 years at Armistead Gardens Elementary School, Julie has been a part of so many students’ lives, sharing with them in their joy and in their pain. In the summer of 2021, Julie sat together with her former students and grieved with them for the loss of a brother, cousin, former student, and friend. It was during that time that Julie realized how many of her students, now young adults, were beginning to start families of their own. And she knew that she wanted to get as many books and educational resources as possible in the homes of her community’s earliest learners. And thus began the journey to the Summer Pre-K Learning Kits project. While the project has seen multiple iterations over the years, this year, with the help of the Heart of the School Fund grant, Julie was able to work closely with the Pre-K and Kindergarten teams to personalize kits for every young learner at Armistead Gardens, including three Pre-K classrooms, the Let’s Grow program, and the Early Learning Environment program – totaling 72 students!! But what are the Summer Pre-K Learning Kits and why are they important? Each kit is created with an individual student in mind. Inside a customized tote bag and nestled between number blocks, crayons, and pencils, Julie worked together with the Pre-K teachers to learn about student’s interests and curate a bag with developmentally appropriate books, stickers, learning tools, and play items, with these interests in mind.

In January 2025, The Belair-Edison School applied for and was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant to support its spring production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. Over 60 students in grades 4–8 auditioned for roles, with more than 40 participating as cast members, stage crew, or hosts. The grant helped provide costumes, scenery, professional audio equipment, and show licensing—resources that transformed the musical into an unforgettable experience for students and families alike. Reflecting on the power of musical theater, Director Larin Walker shared: “Musical theater has a profound impact on a scholar's development, fostering growth that extends far beyond the stage. By combining music, movement, and storytelling, it nurtures creativity, builds confidence, and strengthens communication skills. Scholars learn the value of discipline and teamwork as they collaborate toward a shared artistic vision, while also developing empathy by stepping into the lives and emotions of diverse characters. Ultimately, participation in musical theater empowers young people to discover their voices, express themselves authentically, and carry vital skills—such as leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving—into every area of their lives. “Directing Beauty and the Beast Jr. brought me much delight…the experience was a blast,” Walker added.” Music Director Rosemarie Iglopas-Tabungar reflected on the impact of the production on student growth and community spirit: “Serving as one of the musical directors for our school’s production was one of my most rewarding experiences as an educator! From the very beginning, I was inspired by the enthusiasm of the students, many of whom were stepping into musical theater for the first time. Watching them grow in confidence—whether they were singing solos, harmonizing in the ensemble, or learning how to project their voices—was truly fulfilling. Beyond the music itself, what made this experience so positive was the sense of community it built. I saw shy students blossom, natural leaders emerge, and friendships deepen. Parents and teachers also rallied behind the cast and crew, which created a wonderful support system and school spirit.” Elementary Music and Acting Director Briona Williams echoed this sentiment: “Guiding little voices and big imaginations through Beauty and the Beast Jr. reminded me that every child holds a bit of magic worth bringing to the stage.” The production also carried a unique cultural touch. Thanks to the grant, directors incorporated Afro-centric design elements into costumes, giving beloved characters a visually stunning and meaningful representation. Cast t-shirts were also created as keepsakes, ensuring students, staff, and volunteers carried a memento of their hard work. “The students not only performed beautifully, but they also owned the stage with confidence and joy,” Iglopas-Tabungar said. “It gave our scholars memories they will carry for a lifetime.” The Beauty and the Beast Jr. spring musical was an overwhelming success—one that highlighted not just the artistic talents of Belair Edison scholars, but also the transformative role the arts play in building confidence, resilience, and community. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth.

In spring 2024, Mount Royal Elementary/Middle School was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant to expand its instrumental music offerings for middle school students. The funding allowed the school to purchase instruments, percussion equipment and a classroom mixing board—supporting the growth of new ensembles. Their middle school music program is designed to cultivate a vibrant band culture within the school. Through this work, students have opportunities to perform in ensembles, learn about arranging, take instruments home to practice, and experiment with sound engineering. The addition of new equipment has helped engage students who might not have seen themselves in a traditional band or orchestra. “This equipment has sparked a lot more excitement, especially for kids who don't see themselves playing in an orchestra or band,” says Music Director Rachel Winder. “These are young producers, young songwriters, young sound engineers. I have one kid who comes just to play with the mixing board. He loves to tweak the channels and adjust the feedback. He even labeled all the channels just to start to get some order to things. So, I think the students are really excited about the equipment, and know they can grow with it.” Winder adds that students explore a wide range of genres and styles: “We focus on classical repertoire, but also a mix of pop and jazz-influenced pieces. One of the most exciting parts of the program happens after school, which is our modern music band. That’s where kids get to be part of the rhythm section, share their voices, and help choose the repertoire. It’s a wide range of high-level musical learning.” The student response has been overwhelmingly positive. “They’ve never had this kind of sound system in the classroom, or seen some of these instruments before,” Winder explains. “But now they come in excited.” This past school year Mt. Royal partnered with Arts for Learning Maryland, which serves as the school’s Community Schools Lead Agency. With their support, the school has expanded its arts offerings, adding more field trips, workshops, and artist residencies for students, staff, and families. “Miss Winder brought so much passion and energy that the program really took off,” says Cheryl Grayson, Director of Community Programs at Arts for Learning Maryland. And the momentum keeps building. Winder now has more students interested in participating in the after-school program. “We’re getting to the point where I need a waitlist,” she says. “There are just so many kids signing up.” The program has also opened the door for field trips and collaborations. Through Mount Royal’s partnership with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, students were able to attend a live concert. Winder is planning future workshops with the Baltimore School for the Arts and has built connections with other local schools to explore additional experiences. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth.

With a vision for a dedicated visual arts space, D igital Harbor High School applied for and was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant in March 2024 to transform an existing space into an inspiring arts classroom where students could more fully realize their artistic potential and engage in the creative process. Reflecting on the need for this award, Principal Mavis Jackson shared, “At Digital Harbor High School, we are excited to expand our arts program and introduce a new graduation pathway in the visual arts. As part of this growth, we recognized the need for a dedicated space that fosters creative learning. To meet this need, we transformed an existing classroom into a dynamic, hands-on environment. Our goal was to create a space where students could work comfortably with modern furniture and equipment. With the support of the Heart of the Schools award, we have successfully developed an inspiring space where students can engage fully in their artistic endeavors and thrive.” Providing students with a comfortable space to lay out their materials and concentrate on their creative process has created a more engaging and productive environment. And student artists are thriving. “The response from both students and staff has been overwhelmingly positive,” Principal Jackson adds. “Students have shared that the new layout, furniture, and upgraded tools help them stay focused, collaborate more effectively, and explore new artistic techniques.” Reflecting on the new space, 11th grade art students shared: “The new tables in the art room make it way easier to spread out and focus on my projects. It finally feels like a real studio." -Khiya “A comfortable and organized art room makes it easier for me to stay focused.” -London “There’s space to plan, sketch, and build without feeling cramped. It feels more like we’re being taken seriously as artists." -Kahmaiyah We look forward to seeing how this classroom will continue to shape future artists at Digital Harbor High School for years to come! Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth.

With support from the Heart of the School Fund, Franklin Square Elementary/Middle School, a July 2024 grant recipient, utilized funding to strengthen school-wide literacy interventions and celebrate student progress. In the 2024-2025 school year, Franklin Square implemented literacy interventions for students in grades 1-8, focusing on both foundational phonics skills and reading fluency. The initiative provides structured, small-group instruction designed to close reading gaps and build student confidence. Teachers are empowered to test new strategies with their students, measure progress, and then refine practice based on what they learned, all supported by a coach. This project replicates the district’s Continuous Improvement model at a school-wide level, using data-driven cycles to refine and enhance instruction, developed through a grant from the Gates Foundation, raised and managed by the Fund for Educational Excellence. The initiative is fostering increased teacher investment. With the support of coaching and modeling, educators are embracing the new interventions, and early results are promising. Principal Nick D’Ambrosio notes, “When we see teachers truly engaging with the materials, embracing coaching, and modeling best practices, we see real student success. Their openness to this work is what drives the most meaningful growth in our classrooms.” The grant not only funded literacy materials but also helped create incentives for students who have shown measurable progress. As Principal D’Ambrosio noted, “Seeing our students’ joy, excitement, and confidence when they see their names on the big posters showing their growth from the beginning of the year to mid-year—that has been incredible.” Franklin Square hosted a mid-year pizza party, funded through this grant, as a way to highlight students’ achievements and motivate them to keep striving. Project lead Allison Greco emphasized the importance of acknowledging these milestones, stating, “We have to celebrate our wins. Our kids are growing, and they’re growing at really significant rates--many are surpassing stretch growth expectations, more than what’s typically expected of them. That’s worth celebrating.” Teachers have noted a significant shift in student confidence, particularly among those who were once hesitant to participate. "At the beginning of the year, many students wouldn’t read out loud,” says Allison. “Now, we have first through eighth graders eagerly reading directions, volunteering to read in class, and showing excitement about literacy.” As Franklin Square continues to refine and expand its literacy efforts, the school remains committed to ensuring every student has the tools and confidence to succeed. We look forward to hearing about their progress! Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth.

In May 2024, Wolfe Street Academy (WSA), a January 2024 Heart of the School Fund grantee, unveiled a transformative initiative to foster equity and inclusion by enhancing its classroom libraries with diverse books that reflect student body. The project reinforces WSA’s commitment to creating a learning environment where every student feels represented and valued. WSA has long prioritized equity, initially focusing on deepening adult understanding of the concept. With the formation of the Equity Sub-Committee within the School Family Council, efforts shifted toward direct student engagement. The recent expansion of classroom libraries marks a significant milestone in this journey. Principal Mark Gaither highlighted the importance of this initiative, stating, “Equitable access is essential to quality education and a strong future for our children, their families, and all of Baltimore. The funding provided by the Heart of the School Fund allowed us to take a vital step toward equity at Wolfe Street Academy. These books provide our students with stories in which they can see themselves, historical context on the consequences of inequity, and inspiration for what is possible in their futures. This wouldn’t have been possible without the Heart of the School Fund.” The project carefully selected books from Scholastic Reading to ensure a range of reading levels and diverse cultural perspectives. These selections empowers students to see themselves in literature, engage in meaningful discussions, and connect their experiences to the world around them. This initiative not only enhances the educational experience at WSA but also reinforces the school’s dedication to fostering an inclusive and inspiring learning environment for all students. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, enrich student learning, and foster staff growth. To learn about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here. Check out photos from the unveiling:

Thanks to a Heart of the School Fund grant, Arundel Elementary hosted a Back-to-School Block Party prior to the start of school year 2024-25. The event featured meals, games, music and an opportunity to learn about and pick up resources from community partners, including school supplies and food access. Students and their families met their child’s teacher and each child received two uniform shirts. Below, Principal Machado talks about project and the positive impact it had on her school's students and community: "Our school community is grateful for the grant from the Heart of the Schools, a program of the Fund for Educational Excellence. It was amazing to see so many families join us as we kicked off the new school year with resources, food, and fun! Families received uniforms, sneakers, bookbags, school supplies and met school staff. The Back-to-School Block Party was a success because we have a hard-working school team and dependable partners. We had one goal and that was to remove any barriers that would stop students from attending on the first day of school. Families left feeling cared for and ready!" Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here. Check out some photos from the event:

In November 2023, City Neighbors High School (CNHS) was awarded a Heart of the School Fund grant to support the creation of an outdoor classroom on their campus, a project that has already begun to transform the school’s learning environment. The vision for the outdoor classroom has been years in the making. Back in 2019, CNHS, in partnership with Ashley Traut, started planning for green spaces on the City Neighbors High School/City Neighbors Hamilton campus. Over the past few years, they’ve received grants, including one from the Chesapeake Bay Trust, to reduce stormwater runoff and increase green spaces throughout the campus. This environmental initiative has included removing impervious surfaces, creating a rain garden, and planting native species—all with the goal of creating a more sustainable, hands-on learning environment for students. The outdoor classroom is a result of the collaborative efforts of the CNHS Green Team, a student-led, afterschool club that has spearheaded much of the campus’s environmental work. With support from local organizations like Live Green Landscape and EnviroCollab, the team helped design the space and plant shrubs and trees that will surround it, transforming a previously unused area into an inviting, functional outdoor classroom serving 650 students from both Cit Neighbors High School and the nearby City Neighbors Hamilton (CNH). Since the project’s completion, the response from students, staff, and parents has been overwhelmingly positive. The outdoor classroom is already being used for advisory periods, reading blocks, and student gatherings. It’s a space where students can take a break from the classroom, enjoy lunch, and even participate in environmental education activities like planting native species. Cheyanne Zahrt, Principal of CNHS, reflected on the impact of the project: "Working on the grant and implementation of the outdoor classroom with the GREEN Team at CNHS was one of the best moments as a principal. It was awesome to watch the students create their vision of the space and see it come to life. It has been a great space for our community." Senior student Paige Curry shared her excitement about the space, particularly its value during the warmer months: "I like the outdoor classroom especially during the summer. Last year, in AP seminar and pod especially I got to use it to get a fresh breath of air instead of being cooped up in the class for an hour. It's also a nice space to have lunch." To celebrate the completion of the outdoor classroom, CNHS held an unveiling ceremony during the Earth Day celebration on April 25, 2024. For the Class of 2024, this was especially meaningful as they not only were able to showcase their hard work coming to fruition but also able to do the ribbon cutting before graduating. We look forward to seeing how this new resource will continue to enrich the lives of students and families for years to come. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here. Check out photos of the space and ribbon cutting ceremony below:

The Tunbridge School, a January 2024 Heart of the School Fund grant recipient, was able to purchase a brand-new stage, which made its debut just in time for the spring 2023 musical performance. This new addition marks a significant milestone for the school’s theatre program and has already had a profound impact on students, staff, and the wider community. Kate McKenna, Director of Arts & Resources at The Tunbridge School, shared her excitement about the new stage. “The directors of the musical were thrilled to have our own stage. The cost of renting stages had been increasing each year, so this investment will result in significant savings for us moving forward. It also gave us the flexibility to use the stage earlier in the rehearsal process without paying a daily rate.” Previously, the rented stage took 4 delivery men about 4-6 hours to assemble and take apart, contributing to the high cost. The new stage’s design includes wheels and a foldable structure, allowing for quick assembly and storage. “The quality of our new stage is better than what we had been renting, so the directors were thrilled about that as well.” Compared to the difficult set up of the rented stage, initially assembling the new stage took three adults about 90 minutes. The arrival of the stage was a memorable event. It came in 12 heavy boxes, each weighing over 200 pounds. “We had six eighth graders, our two directors, and the delivery man all working together to get the boxes into the building,” McKenna recounted. “We had to navigate around lunchtime and recess, which added to the challenge. Once we managed to get the boxes inside, the assembly process was much smoother than expected.” The new stage was put to use for The Tunbridge School’s spring production of High School Musical, Jr. The show featured the largest cast in the school’s history—65 students—and was a tremendous success. “Having the stage set up a few extra days for rehearsal made a huge difference in our production,” McKenna said. “We were also able to celebrate our 10th production by inviting 200 alumni and their families to perform on the new stage. It was an incredibly special moment for everyone involved.” The Tunbridge School has exciting plans for the stage beyond the annual musical. The stage will be used for two performance events with elementary students in the winter and spring, as well as for quarterly awards ceremonies. “The stage will enhance the experience for both students and parents, providing better visibility and overall enjoyment,” McKenna added. Students and staff have shared their thoughts on what this new stage means to them: Signe Corner, 7th Grade: “Getting our own stage at Tunbridge was something our arts community has been waiting for as we’ve been doing musicals at our school for 10 years, it has inspired many kids including myself. Getting a stage like this will inspire many kids in the future to dream big and learn more about the arts.” Rachel Eversley, 8th Grade: "Because Tunbridge now owns a stage, I think a whole lot more can happen now. First off, it's ours, so if needed, the musical cast could use it earlier for rehearsals. It could maybe even be used for other Tunbridge events. I know that Penny Wars was a fundraiser to get money to rent the stage, but since we have one, we can now save up money for stage repairs or use some of it to purchase mics and other items for the set and the musical." Aisha Wickes, Principal of The Tunbridge School: “The impact of us having our own stage really celebrates the focus we at Tunbridge take in our Arts and Resource department. The musical is a part of the fabric of our being. Having the ability to have our own stage really has created a sense of security and a heightened feeling that we are presenting a high quality musical production to our Tunbridge Community. For many at Tunbridge the musical is a distinguished honor to be able to participate in. Being able to acquire this integral piece of equipment solidifies the opportunity to continue to provide engaging opportunities for our families and community.” We look forward to seeing how this new resource will continue to enrich the lives of students and families for years to come. Six times a year, the Heart of the School Fund provides grants to Baltimore City Public School principals to support projects that enhance their school buildings, their students’ learning, and their staff’s growth. To read about additional Heart of the School Fund grants, click here . See photos of students in action utilizing the stage for their spring 2023 musical below, shared with permission from The Tunbridge School, shots courtesy of Root Exposure Photography.