Volume 1 Issue 2: Teacher Grants
Introducing our Grant Program!
In our previous newsletter, we shared an overview of the Clover Leaders for Educational Advancement Foundation (LEAF). Today, we will delve into how we support Clover School District (CSD) in achieving educational excellence – supporting innovative and imaginative educational programs through grants. Our mission revolves around these grants, which empower educators to bring creativity and innovation into the classroom. We enable educators to explore new teaching methodologies, acquire cutting-edge resources, and develop inventive curricula that engage and inspire students in ways previously unattainable. We firmly believe that by equipping teachers with the means to nurture creativity and
innovation, we ultimately enrich the educational experience for students in the Clover School District. These grants foster an environment where learning becomes an exciting, dynamic, and transformative journey, preparing students to thrive in an ever-evolving world.
GOAL OF GRANT PROGRAM
One of the stated goals in our Strategic Plan is to: Invest in programs and projects that promote educational innovation and academic achievement. While the Grant Program has been in existence for some time, we are refining our processes and improving our outreach to actively solicit more proposals for creative and innovative educational programs and projects from CSD educators. These changes have resulted in twenty-eight proposals from educators representing 10 schools for the upcoming school year.
THE GRANT PROCESS
Our recruitment for proposals for the next school year begins early on to give educators the opportunity to develop ideas and write proposals. Beginning in the spring and throughout the summer there are postings made on the CSD and CloverLEAF FaceBook pages promoting the opportunity and asking, "Will you be holding the Big Check next?"; alongside a picture of a previous winner holding the Big Check.
Once the school year starts, announcements are made on the CSD and CloverLEAF websites, along with reminders on the weekly CSD email. CloverLEAF representatives are also on hand at the new teacher orientation and the Back to School Bash to inform attendees of the Foundation and Grant process. The call for proposals is sent to educators in the first month of the school year. Once the proposals are submitted to and approved by the respective school principals, they are forwarded to the District Office level for review to determine if funds are available within the District budget.
At the District Office level, educator and school identification information is removed from the proposals prior to sending them to the CloverLEAF BoD to ensure anonymity in the selection process. Using the evaluation criteria shown below each member of the BoD evaluates each proposal and submits a scoresheet. The Vice President for Grants consolidates the scores, rank orders the proposals then presents the ordered list to the BoD. After an open discussion about the proposals a vote is taken on which ones will be funded. Once approved, award winners are notified and their names and schools are announced on the CSD and CloverLEAF FaceBook pages. Shortly afterwards, a CloverLEAF Prize Patrol goes to each winner’s school to award the “Big Check”.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE!
As mentioned above, the goal of the grant process is to provide seed funding so projects can develop the momentum to sustain themselves. Madison Stafford of Oakridge Middle School sought to enhance STEM education by incorporating a 3D printer in her classroom. Students used Tinkercad to design, program and print 3D models for projects and demonstrations.
Here is her end of year report:
I am excited to show what my students have been able to accomplish with the 3D printer! Last year was a bit of a learning curve, but my students were able to use the printer to design different types of fossils as part of a geologic timeline project. This year, I have created a series of badges students can earn as they learn how to make designs. Students completed Badge One the first week of school by creating a custom button and painting it. They attached Velcro to the back of their button to stick them on the Badge One poster. As students complete more badges, they get to move their button to the other posters. Each badge requires the students to design a more complicated project – including hollow objects and working hinges. Several students have already completed badges two and three and are very proud of their projects! As the year goes on, I plan to create more badge projects for the students to complete – including making articulated toys or moveable objects. I plan on doing the fossil project again – as well as having students create scale models of objects in space. The students are really enjoying being about to make their own designs and watch them come to life! I am so grateful I was able to receive a grant for my printer, and I look forward to seeing what my kids can accomplish with it this year!
Thank you so much again!
Clover LEAF was honored to be recognized at last night's Clover School District Board Meeting for our sponsorship of the Back-to-School Bash. We'd like to extend a special thank you to the Clover Rotary Club for the grant that enabled us to provide books to students at the Back-to-School Bash
