Seven RPS 205 teachers from four different schools are the first-ever recipients of the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois' Marion L. Bates Endowment for Faculty Enrichment Grants.
The seven recipients, their schools, and their awarded activities are as follows:
- Jason Judd and Iga Puchalska (Auburn High School) “Sew to Grow: Bringing Professional Design Skills into the Classroom”: Jason and Iga will attend an advanced design and sewing workshop led by an industry expert, to acquire professional-level skills in bag making and industrial sewing. This experience will deepen their expertise in design and equip them with advanced skills in industrial sewing, pattern construction, and material selection, all skills directly applicable to BASA (Business Academy Studio Art) curriculum and to teaching students real-world production techniques.
- Muloko Delphin (Lincoln Middle School) and Susan Griffeth, Melissa Lawson, and Sarah Logemann (East High School), “Congolese Camp – Zambia”: Four teachers will travel to Mehaba, a refugee camp located in Zambia, Africa, where Mr. Delphin lived as a refugee and many RPS students live before coming to Rockford. With Mr. Delphin as guide, the teachers will gain understanding of their students’ experiences to help inform and enhance their interactions with refugee students in Rockford.
- Stacy Wallace (Marshall Middle School) “Flight School”: Ms. Wallace attends Flight School at Cottonwood Airport and will use the grant to pay for flight hours. This experience will bolster her instruction of STEM classes at Marshall including a “Flight and Space” class.
The MARION L. BATES FUND FOR FACULTY ENRICHMENT grant program is designed for RPS 205 teachers seeking financial support to further their intellectual development and interests. The program was established in memory of Marion Bates, lifelong educator and longstanding member and secretary of the Rockford Public Schools Board of Education.
Grants up to $4,000 per individual are available to teachers who have three (3) or more years of employment with Rockford Public Schools District 205. Eligible enrichment activities are those that:
1. Involve personal or professional growth for the applicant.
2. May include additional study or pertinent travel.
3. Show educational linkage to inspire students to be more engaged in their studies, whether through an applicant's classroom, extracurricular, community education, or teaching activities.
4. Demonstrate quality and creativity in pursuing enrichment activities.
5. Provide opportunities to expand and extend the applicant's range of personal experiences.
View full program details at https://cfnil.org/grants/bates