Community Organizations Partner Together to Bring Making Spaces Programming into Madison’s Public Schools

posted October 2, 2017 – 10:04am

Madison, Wis. – Making Spaces is an exciting new partnership between the Bubbler at Madison Public Library, Madison Metropolitan School District, and the Foundation for Madison Public Schools that supports maker education in our schools. The program aims to develop a national strategy to sustainably integrate making into schools across the country.

Supported with professional development, planning, and community connections from the Madison Public Library, our schools are now looking for community support and help in spreading the word about their new initiatives. Each school has created a fundraising campaign with the support of the Foundation for Madison Public Schools that will help fund these innovative new projects.

Partnership is a key component of the project, and integral to the organizations involved. “The Foundation is committed to partnering with other community organizations to provide the best educational experiences for our students and more opportunities for families and the community to support our schools,” says Foundation Executive Director Melinda Heinritz.

The Bubbler is excited to introduce its six 2017 partners in the Madison Metropolitan School District and their ambitious plans for the future of making and learning in their spaces! These schools include: Sandburg Elementary, Whitehorse Middle School, Franklin Elementary School, Toki Middle School, Huegel Elementary School, and Capital High School.

The Bubbler became one of 10 national hubs in the Making Spaces initiative, led by Maker Ed; the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh; and Google, in 2016.

With the support of the Madison community, the Bubbler will continue to support the Making Spaces project with 5-7 new schools included in the 2017-2018 school year. Applications for school involvement will be released in early November.

Learn more about each school’s vision and donate to support their initiatives at www.madisonbubbler.org/bubblermakingspaces
Direct Donations can be made to the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools by selecting the Making Spaces Fund at: fmps.org/donate/making-spaces-fund/

Partner Organizations

About Madison Public Library

Madison Public Library’s tradition of promoting education, literacy and community involvement has enriched the City of Madison for more than 140 years. Nine locations throughout the City of Madison are open six days per week and welcome over 2.2 million visits each year. For more information, visit madisonpubliclibrary.org, Madison Public Library on Facebook, or @madisonlibrary on Twitter.

About The Bubbler at Madison Public Library

The Bubbler is a new programming model for Madison Public Library. Whether offering the basics of animation, screen printing, music, clothing design, dance, or painting (to name a few), The Bubbler’s hands-on workshops introduce participants to a variety of local experts who share their talents and physical resources. For more information, visit madisonbubbler.org, Madison Bubbler on Facebook, or @madisonbubbler on Twitter.

About the Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools
The Foundation is committed to supporting the education of every student in the Madison Metropolitan School District by raising private funds, awarding grants, developing community partnerships, and advocating for Madison’s public schools. For more information, visit fmps.org, Foundation for Madison’s Public Schools on Facebook, or @supportFMPS on Twitter.

About the Madison Metropolitan School District
Madison Metropolitan School District is home to a beautiful and diverse population of 27,000 students. As a school district, we are on a mission to close the gaps in opportunity that lead to disparities in achievement, and to ensure every child is academically challenged in a safe and supportive environment. We have a simple but bold vision – that every school will be a thriving school that prepares every student to graduate from high school ready for college, career and community. Together with our teachers, families, staff and community, we want to be the model of a successful public school district. For more information, visit madison.k12.wi.us, Madison Metropolitan School District on Facebook, or @MMSDSchools on Twitter.