Get On Board grant guidelines

Eligibility

Gear pod grants will only be awarded to:

  • Traditional or charter public schools.

  • Applicants must provide/upload a signed letter of support from administration, school level or higher.

If your program does not meet this eligibility, please reach out to discuss potential options.

Expected term of grant commitment

  • Grant recipients will be required to participate in annual surveys for a minimum of two(2) years.

  • Recipients must agree that all gear remains the property of the school district in which it was originally acquired.

Selection Criteria

  • Get On Board schools will be chosen with several considerations in mind:

    • The number of teachers willing to be trained.

    • The overall number of potential students that will be able to skateboard.

    • A plan for program longevity with a thoughtful eye on the succession of teachers.

    • Extra selection weight will be given to schools that serve any combination of 4th through 8th graders.

    • A school’s ability & willingness to incorporate other subject areas and experiences with skateboarding.

      (We have a robust and growing library of cross-curriculum lesson plans).

    • In the event a teacher leaves the school/district, recipients will agree that all gear remains the property of the school district in which it was originally acquired unless the program is discontinued. If the latter happens, we will work to help find a new home for the gear and provide training for the new teachers.

    • A show of community support.

Where to run Get On Board

Indoor gymnasiums, cafeterias, and hallways have all played home to our programs. Outside spaces like a tennis court, basketball court, vehicle free driveway, and sidewalks are also epic! Our gear is designed to be used on wood, vinyl, or rubberized floors with no fear of damaging the floor with wheels that extend beyond the axle and a no-mar urethane in case a skater enjoys an occasional powerslide. They will also provide a super smooth ride on asphalt or concrete, we just suggest a good wipe-down before using them inside again.

Teachers & their development

  • Training will not begin until all agreements are signed.

  • All Get On Board gear pod grant sites must have a minimum of two current teachers willing to be trained.

  • We will provide all sites with a teacher specific complete skateboard that has all the parts listed along with key teaching points. This is one of the most valuable tools our teachers use.

  • Get On Board teachers must not be volunteers or observers, they need to be the individuals directly providing instruction to the students. (This does not mean you need to skateboard, in fact, one of our best teachers never stepped on a skateboard, she just had amazing classroom management skills and ultimately enlisted students who knew how to skateboard as helpers.

  • The training process is expected to take up to six(6) hours total although we are here for you if you feel you need more once the core program is completed. Training will include but not be limited to select reading, videos, welcome webinar, online training with assessment and a final 1:1 virtual meeting before gear is shipped.

  • Additional resources can be provided when possible and as needed.

Curriculum & Evaluation

  • You will be trained in our Core Four curriculum, a comprehensive and step by step process to take learners from zero experience to safely skateboarding from point A to point B with some fun skills built along the way.

  • The Core Four is designed to be taught over four separate classes but can be expanded or condensed with ease and we will show you how.

  • If you want to take skateboarding beyond PE and incorporate other subject areas we have you covered! Please checkout our resource page for some inspiration.

  • We currently only collect participation numbers in relation to quantitative data through our surveys BUT are always open to qualitative data. Nothing hits home more than getting an email full of quotes from participants.

  • While we do not currently survey program participants, that might be an option in the future if we secure a research partner. At that point all research will be run through an IRB and be opt-in.

The gear pod & its care

We will make every effort to be thoughtful with the allocation of gear to fill needs while also maximizing the availability of items on hand.

Each gear pod may include a combination of the following:

  • Complete custom skateboards - max 20(twenty)

  • Adjustable helmets in a range of sizes, color coordinated by size - max 20(twenty)

  • One size fits all elbow pad sets - max 20(twenty)

  • One size fits all knee pad sets - max 20(twenty)

  • Miscellaneous parts to refurbish existing skateboards - decks, grip tape, hardware, trucks, truck parts, bearings and wheels.

  • Adaptive gear Accessories like skate tools.

Each school will be responsible for the care and maintenance of their gear, we are here for you if you have questions or for resupply.

Liability

First Push Syndicate is not liable for activities related to the implementation of Get On Board. All sites will be required to sign an agreement before training starts.

Applications will be reviewed as they are received.