Each year, the Round Rock ISD Partners in Education (PIE) Foundation awards Excellence in Education grants to classrooms and departments across Round Rock ISD. These provide resources for educators to execute innovative ideas, programs, materials, equipment, field trips, and various other needs that enhance student learning.

This year, the PIE Foundation awarded District grants totaling $100,000 to fund 42 classroom and 11 department projects and initiatives, plus $21,000 for additional mini-grant requests; totaling $121,000 in grant funding for Round Rock ISD.

Partners, Foundation Board members, and members of Round Rock ISD administration surprised campus winners throughout the District’s five learning communities during the last week in August. You can watch the grant award presentation video on the District website.

Congratulations to the Round Rock ISD Partners in Education (PIE) Foundation 2023-2024 Excellence in Education grant award winners! Winners are listed below by school name or department.

Campus Grant Award Winners:

  • Anderson Mill Elementary School, Qi Yang, Talent Development STEAM Project, $990
  • Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy, Jen Holsinger-Raybourn, Full STEAM Ahead!, $3,635.60
  • Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy, First Grade Team, Susan Handy, Cracking the Code with Reading, $3,010
  • Berkman Elementary Arts Integration Academy Physical Education, Sarah Livingston, Building Cardiovascular Health and Self-Efficacy Through Physical Education, $3,400
  • Bluebonnet Elementary, Rebecca Peacock, Total Eclipse at My School, $900
  • Cactus Ranch Elementary 2nd Grade, Crystal Bridge, 2nd Grade Reading Stars!, $920
  • Cactus Ranch Elementary, Rachel Walker, Let’s Stick Together, $865
  • Canyon Creek Elementary/Library, Julianne Bamford, Amplifying Literacy with Vox Books Intervention, $2,000
  • Caraway Elementary, Lisa Costello, Girlstart: Empowering Girls toward Bravery, Creativity, and Curiosity, $3,500
  • Cedar Ridge High School/Mu Alpha Theta Math Club, Azucena Overman, Math Science Invitational for Middle School Students, $2,000
  • Cedar Ridge High School Forensic Science, Lee Ann Sumrall, Pig Autopsy Exploration, $4,000
  • Deep Wood Elementary, Enrichment Team, Carly Barnes, Transforming our Space: Creating a place to play, create, and imagine!, $1,000
  • Deerpark Middle School ESL Department, Christy Martinez, Dual language content library, $1,000
  • Double File Trail Elementary, Valerie Satterwhite, Empowering Digital Navigators, $550
  • Early College High School/Science/Cross disciplines, Ryan Kubicek, 3D printer for Projects, $1,000
  • Elementary DAEP at Union Hill, Mathew Doeckel, Social Emotional Support Tools and Behavior Interventions, $500
  • Fern Bluff Elementary, Ginna Hill, Screen Free Coding Opportunities for our Primary Students, $3,000
  • Forest Creek Elementary, Kari Abrams, Providing Musical Enrichment Opportunities for All!, $500
  • Forest North Elementary, Richard Raney, Makerspace – Making SEL Happen, $900
  • Grisham Middle School/Special Education, Leslie Price, Grizzly Grounds ToGo, $1,000
  • Hernandez Middle School Band/Choir/Orchestra grades 6-8, Amanda West, Inspiring the young musician, $600
  • Hernandez Middle School Theatre, Mariah Faust, Tech Theatre Skills: Classroom and Beyond, $1,500
  • Herrington Elementary, TAG math, Amanda Coats, Circuits with Captain Coats, $700
  • Hopewell Middle School – 8th Grade Science, Rachel Gonzales, 8th Grade Chemistry and Universe Labs, $2,167.66
  • Joe Lee Johnson Elementary STEAM Academy Department, Lauren Lightfoot, Increased Hands-on Learning and Exposure to STEM Curriculum, $4,000
  • Old Town Elementary- physical education, Robin Wilson, Recess Buckets, $1,000
  • Pearson Ranch Middle School 6th grade ELA, Jennifer Fair, Natural Allies, $1,500
  • Pond Springs Elementary Music Pre-K-5, Avalon Nemec, Increasing collaboration and teamwork with DRUMS!, $2,500
  • Purple Sage Elementary Visual Art, Emily Smith, Living Colors in Nature, $430
  • Redbud Elementary TAG, Becky Spillers, All Aboard! Using STEAM to Drive Our Learning, $1,500
  • Ridgeview Middle School Dyslexia Department, Adela Perry, Student Dyslexia Magnetic Manipulatives, $1,600
  • Robertson Elementary, Loretta Finder, Science for All, $2,500
  • Round Rock High School, Ann Nguyen, No Longer Invisible!: Piloting Asian American Ethnic Studies in Round Rock ISD, $4,000
  • Round Rock High School/Science, Marla Menchaca, Gamification of Content as a Mechanism for Academic and Vocational Student Success, $1,000
  • Round Rock High School Engineering, Carrie Copeland, 3D printers, $2,000
  • Round Rock Opportunity Center/ Science Dept & Social Skills, Tina Steiner, Opportunity Center Science and Wellness Garden, $2,000
  • Stony Point High school Art, Annemarie Tritt, Field Trip Initiative – Art Outside the Classroom, $500
  • Success High School, Ellen James, Matematicas para todos (Mathematics for All), $900
  • Success High School Library/CTE Department, Valerie Burleigh, Library Life Skills: Culinary Creations, $1,000
  • Union Hill Elementary Library, Vanessa Rivasclouston, Timely Research: Nonfiction Refresh, $1,000
  • Voigt Arts Integration Academy, Leilani Schaar, Digital Microscopes to Engage and Inspire, $1,800
  • Wells Branch Arts Integration Academy, Kat Birlin, Girlstart After School at Wells Branch Elementary School, $3,500

Department Grant Award Winners:

  • Early Childhood Department, Sharilyn Woodall, Building Early Literacy through a High-Quality Writing Center, $3,000
  • Fine Arts, Tim Lowke, The Integration Institute General Session Speaker, $3,000
  • Library Services, Stephanie Inzana, Adulting 101, $4,500
  • Professional Development, Keli Soliz, Early Career Teacher Support Framework, $1,500
  • Purchasing and Materials Management, Wendi Randall, Staff Engagement, $800
  • Round Rock ISD Teen Parent Program, Karen Confer, Empowering Futures: Teen Parent Care Packages, $500
  • Assessment Department, Laura Teran, Campus Testing Staff Incentive Project, $1,000
  • Human Resource Services, Mariela Banda, Guest Educator Folders and Incentives, $3,000
  • Human Resource Services, Rene Eakins, RROAR (Employee Recognition Program), $4,000
  • Gifted and Advanced Academics, Michelle Moak, AVID Senior Celebration, $1,500
  • Human Resources Benefits, Chelisa Gray, Employee Wellness, $2,000