The Fall grants cycle for Radnor Educational Foundation resulted in 12 grants approved, for a total of more than $48,000 in funding for teacher and student-focused grants. In this cycle, almost as many grant requests were received as grants awarded in all of the 2024-2025 school year! A larger portion of grant requests covered books and arts-related programs. The Foundation continues its 30-plus year tradition of bringing innovation to almost 3,600 students and more than 330 teachers in Radnor Township School District.
To follow are the details of the grants approved in the Fall cycle.
SMART Music Series –Â $2,030 | Wayne Elementary School | 540 students benefited
Think xylophones and other instruments that students can play daily, with easier transport and storage! The Sonor SMART Series instruments elevate performance with their enhanced sound developed through acoustical research and innovative resonance chamber designs. The instruments will fit in seamlessly to current educational standards of providing a depth of sound creating abilities focusing on the use of Carl Orff’s Instrumentarium and pedagogy.
Instructional Rigor Book Collection –Â $11,145 | RTSD | 330 teachers benefited
This grant will allow teachers across all five of Radnor’s public schools to prioritize high-impact strategies that create observable improvements in student learning by shifting instructional practices from surface learning to deeper experiences where students synthesize knowledge and engage in creative, original thinking. The grant benefits a significant number of K–12 students by strengthening administrative and instructional capacity, fostering shared leadership, and embedding high-leverage practices across the district.
Tabletop Hydroponic Growing Gardens –Â $300 | Radnor Middle School | 800 students benefited
The grant will kickstart a small indoor garden at Radnor Middle School’s cafeteria using small hydroponic gardens with grow lights. The plan is to grow herbs, vegetables, and fruit to use in student meals. School gardens offer a fantastic opportunity to promote healthy eating habits in children. By involving students in the process of growing their own fruits and vegetables, they develop a deeper appreciation for fresh, nutritious food.
Building Literacy Through Instructional Design –Â $2,500 | Radnor Elementary School | 560 students benefited
Teachers will use new, small-group reading materials that align with both Common Core ELA standards and Michael McDowell’s Rigor Redefined instructional tools. The selected texts will be short, high-interest, and purposefully chosen to promote deep learning and transfer, working in tandem with electronic devices in the classroom. These texts will serve as anchor materials for inquiry-based small group instruction, Socratic seminars, and interdisciplinary projects, setting the stage for innovative strategies that cultivate original, critical, and creative thinking.
Spin, Shape, Sustain: Growing Radnor High School’s Ceramics Program – $7,260 | Radnor High School | 120 students benefited
The arts program at Radnor High School has been recognized for its level of excellence. 3 new pottery wheels, stools and supplies will spark student creativity, perseverance and confidence as the current two functioning pottery wheels are at capacity. This grant enriches students’ learning experiences and provides innovative educational opportunities.
Outdoor Musical Instruments & Sensory Garden Add Ons –Â $4,650 | Radnor Elementary School | 560 students benefited
The existing dedicated space that supports student well-being, emotional regulation, and hands-on learning will offer birdhouses, rain drums, wind chimes, butterfly stations, a decorative water feature, a pathway, and plants, as well as yoga mats and blocks to support outdoor wellness practices. These features will encourage hands-on learning in science, social/emotional development, and mindfulness while engaging families, staff, and volunteers in the garden’s creation and care.
Nationally Recognized College Placement Author/Speaker: Jeffrey Selingo –Â $7,500 | Radnor High School + 8th grade @ Radnor Middle School | 1,150 students benefited
A grant to bring Dr. Jeffrey Selingo, nationally recognized higher education author and journalist, to speak about making thoughtful choices in the college search process for students in grades 8-12. The author of Who Gets In and Why, There Is Life After College, and most recently Dream School, Dr. Selingo challenges families to look beyond rankings and prestige, offering a more meaningful framework for finding the right college fit. Drawing on decades of research and reporting, he helps demystify admissions and highlights the many pathways to success after high school. His message will empower students and families to approach the process with confidence, clarity, and a healthier perspective on what truly matters in higher education.
Ukeleles for the Music Classroom –Â $1,205 | Ithan Elementary School | 100 students benefited
This grant provides a class set of 25 ukuleles and a storage rack to offer an extension of the current music curriculum. Integrating the ukulele into music classrooms will offer another extension to song accompaniment, as well as basic chordal knowledge. Music concepts such as matching pitch, steady beat, triple and duple meter, form and songwriting can all be enhanced and supported through the use of ukuleles.
Pathfinders After-school Activities Program –Â $5,000 | Wayne Elementary School | 20 students benefited
This after-school initiative is designed to support our most at-need students – those facing socioeconomic challenges, academic hurdles, and limited access to enrichment opportunities. The program provides a safe, nurturing space for students to receive academic support after school hours end, engage in collaborative play, develop social-emotional skills, and participate in meaningful enrichment activities. Funds will be used for nutritious food during seasonal celebrations and milestone events to foster community and joy, as well as outdoor programs and other environmental learning experiences that promote wellness and curiosity.
Casseroles for a Cause *Student-requested grant –Â $950 | RTSDÂ | 3,590 students benefited
Casseroles for a Cause is a Radnor High School club that was formed during the 2024-2025 school year. Its mission is to eliminate hunger in Philadelphia by making casseroles at various school events (such as the MLK Day of Service) and educating the community about food insecurity, one club, one casserole, and one meal at a time. Casseroles for a Cause plans 2 casserole-making days, which can accommodate students from all five Radnor schools to help in casserole production.
Measure Mobility Physical Education Devices –Â $2,800 | Radnor Elementary School | 400 students benefited
Completed laps walking or running within a set time is a standard measure used in Physical Education class to assess aspects of a student’s mobility and physical development. These funds will provide an individual, portable RFID reader for students to wear on the wrist during PE class, which is then tracked as it passes a reader, registering lap counts and times. This improves assessment accuracy and frees the teacher’s attention to engage in instruction and observation. Collected lap count data can be used at the individual and group level for progress monitoring and goal setting with assurances of high accuracy.
Ancient History Picture Books –Â $3,500 | Radnor Middle School + Ithan, Radnor and Wayne Elementary Schools | 2,450 students benefited
The grant will cover books for a literacy sharing project between our 7th graders and all three sets of 2nd graders in Radnor elementary schools, where the 7th graders will pair two-on-two with the 2nd graders to read a picture book tied to our curriculum in Ancient World History. Each 2nd grader will hear two stories from their older schoolmates and complete a literacy activity with the 7th graders. In addition to the curricular connection, this provides the opportunity for 7th graders to be in a leadership position and to model good literacy behaviors to younger students.
Based on the grants listed, the quantity of students and teachers benefited = 10,620. With more than $1.5 million in grants funding distributed since 1994, the Radnor Educational Foundation has provided benefits that last long past graduation.