Haude Elementary Awarded $7,468 for ‘Mindful Movement Motor Lab’ Educator Grant

KLEIN, TEXAS – Haude Elementary has been awarded a $7,468 Educator Grant from the Klein ISD Education Foundation (KEF) for the "Mindful Movement Motor Lab" initiative, designed to promote emotional well-being, develop motor skills, and foster academic exploration through innovative, hands-on learning experiences.

In a surprise visit from the KEF Celebration Express, the school was honored with the grant alongside Foundation directors, community members, and Superintendent Dr. Jenny McGown. The Celebration Express bus brought excitement and recognition as Haude Elementary was honored as one of this year's deserving recipients of the grants.

Led by grant writers Kim George and Dawn Kirkland, and sponsored by the Klein Education Foundation in partnership with Pogue Construction, the grant will create a dynamic space where students can engage in mindful movement to reduce negative emotions and foster social-emotional awareness. The lab will also be a resource for teachers to enhance science and STEM lessons, offering students unique opportunities to study forces, motion, and action/reaction through play-based, experiential learning.
Located in the center of the school, the lab will be easily accessible to all students.

Activities will be carefully designed to support a wide range of cognitive and emotional needs, combining gross and fine motor development with creative academic engagement. The specialized STEM features, including a magnet wall, chutes, and tubes, will inspire curiosity and support the development of spatial reasoning, cause-and-effect understanding, and logical thinking.

“The Mindful Movement Motor Lab is an exciting opportunity for students,” Klein ISD Education Foundation Director Christy Spisak said. “By combining movement with STEM learning, we’re creating a space where students can grow academically and emotionally, explore cause and effect, and gain valuable skills that support their overall development.”

This spring, the KEF Celebration Express distributed grants totaling $92,569 to support various innovative and impactful educational initiatives. From 3D printers to yearbook club essentials, this year’s recipients exemplify the power of creativity in education.
We sincerely thank all our sponsors for making these initiatives possible, enhancing the educational experience, and fostering the growth of Klein ISD students.

The Klein ISD Education Foundation accepts grant applications biannually. It supports creative projects that enrich student learning and drive academic success.