Two Weac Members Win Nea Foundation Grants
By Ryan Hurley
WEAC PR/Comm summer intern
Medford Education Association member Jayne Haenel and Burlington Education
Association member Julie Verhagen are receiving Learning & Leadership
Grants from the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education (NFIE).
The grants provide public educators with opportunities to engage in
high-quality professional development and lead their colleagues in professional
growth. The NEA Foundation awarded grants to more than 190 educators
in 30 states in the spring of 2004.
Jayne Haenel, who teaches third grade at Stetsonsville Elementary School,
received the NEA Foundation's Learning & Leadership Grant for her
work on developing curriculum to help students gain comprehension skills.
Burlington High School English teacher Julie Verhagen received the
Learning & Leadership Grant to continue developing research-based
teaching strategies for at-risk students. Based on the success of her
work, Verhagen's strategies will be implemented throughout her district.
Since 2000, the NEA Foundation has funded hundreds of grants to support
creative projects that significantly improve achievement for underserved
students. Grant recipients collaborate with their colleagues to challenge
their students, experiment with creative instructional ideas and develop
professionally.
All practicing U.S. public school K-12 teachers, education support
professionals, and higher education faculty and staff are eligible to
apply for grants of up to $5,000, though the NEA Foundation gives preference
to NEA members when awarding grants.
The
NEA Foundation's Learning & Leadership Grant is supported in part
by Staples Recycle for Education, a program designed to raise funds
nationwide for public education. Staples donates $1 for every eligible
used inkjet and laser toner cartridge recycled at any of its 1,100 stores
nationwide. Since the program began in July 2003, Staples has raised
more than $1 million. The program will continue through 2004. Each dollar
raised supports public education in the state where the cartridge was
recycled.
In Wisconsin, Staples has donated more than $10,000 to the WEA Professional
Development Academy (PDA). The PDA will use the money to support the
development and delivery of quality professional development programs
for WEAC members. Those programs include certification for education
support professionals, an online substitute teacher training program,
substitute teacher training classes, mentor training modules, and various
in-services and workshops. PDA is now developing two new online classes:
a classroom management course; and a tutorial in reading, writing and
math for paraeducators. For more information on the Staples program,
visit http://nfie.org/staples.htm.
For more information about the Learning & Leadership Grants, including
application materials, visit the NEA Foundation's Web site at www.neafoundation.org.
Applications may be submitted at any time and are reviewed three times
a year: September 15, February 1 and June 1.
Posted July 1, 2004