supported that innovation with our
green screen, maker’s space and now
the 3D printer. They know when
they give it to Curtis, they know they
will put it to use,” she continued.
“Having a 3D printer on our campus
would only help our students. It
will take learning to the next level.
Take the concept to the next level.
Provide an opportunity for creative
problem solving. It’s going to take
everything that we have been doing
to the next level,” said Ford.
PA R K E R C O U N T Y T O D AY
Curtis to the administration level
and is now the district’s Coordinator
for Future Ready Learning. She said
of her new job, “They want me to
spread what we were doing at the
Curtis Library throughout the district.”
She will be working with teachers
helping them keep abreast of the
latest technology and determine the
best ways to integrate that technology
in their own classrooms. “The
education foundation has completely
supported the innovations in the
Curtis Library. It’s nice that they
SEPTEMBER 2015
the group of parents who witnessed
the day, it was an emphatic yes.
Ford definitely lit the fuse for these
students. The question is where their
rockets will take them.
Fast forward a few months and
Curtis Elementary is proud to be
the recipient of a Weatherford ISD
Education Foundation grant for its
own 3D printer. The grant was
sought by Mrs. Ford and the Curtis
Quest teacher Carla Cheshire as well
as the 6th grade teachers at Curtis.
The printer cost almost $5,000, but
according to the educators on their
application, “Sometime, in the not so
distant future, 3D printers will be as
common in elementary schools as ink
jet printers. At Curtis Elementary, we
strive to be ahead of the curve and
believe that adding a 3D printer to
our campus NOW will be beneficial
for our students as they plan their
future educational track. Interaction
with 3D technology at an early
age will open doors to get students
interested in Science, Technology,
Engineering, Mathematics (STEM).”
The grant received by the Curtis
teachers was just one of the 15
funded for a total of $60,500. The
grants were announced June 1
at the WISD Staff Recognition
Assembly. Charlotte LaGrone,
Executive Director of Organizational
Excellence, said the Education
Foundation was excited to receive
Curtis’ grant application for the 3D
printer. She said, “To bring that
technology and learning experience
to elementary students was very
powerful. That level of technology
and learning doesn’t usually happen
at the elementary school level. It is
amazing. When you have products
like that you can offer to students, the
engagement level goes way up.”
Mrs. Cheshire said the Quest
kids this year will be utilizing a form
of Computer-Aided Drafting (CAD)
called Tinkercad. This year if they
want to design their own rockets,
they will be able to print them out on
the school’s own 3D printer as well
as using the printer for many other
projects and activities. She thinks it
will be a much more powerful tool
than just printing out their designs on
paper.
Mrs. Ford has moved on from
111