WARWICK — Thanks to a $2,000 donation, Warwick Community School will have some extra assistance in updating and enhancing its science curriculum, Principal Elizabeth Musgrave says.
According to Musgrave, the donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, has financially supported the Warwick Community School in four or five other academic years, allowing the school to pay for field trips and invite guest presenters.
“One year we used it to get our gardening and greenhouse going,” she said. “All sorts of extra things for kids that classrooms can’t afford these days.”
Musgrave said the school has a learning theme every year, and explained that the gift is generally used to support the theme. For example, when the theme centered on Warwick’s anniversary, the students explored history. That year’s donation helped the children learn about colonial life through Historic Deerfield.
With this and next school year’s focus being on meeting new science standards, Musgrave said she is putting the money aside to enhance classes involving science, math and engineering.
“It means that when my fourth- and fifth-grade teachers wants to do some robotics, and the materials aren’t included in the budget, it means sometimes I can say ‘Yes,’” Musgrave said, providing an example. “It goes a long way. We’re a small school, so it’s a powerful gift.”
Regardless of how the money is used, Musgrave said her main goal is to inspire curiosity in the school’s nearly 60 children.
“I always think of it as a gift that’s to be used especially for spiking curiosity, and to help kids be creative and curious,” she said.