Innovative Jackson County teachers receive classroom grants
Educators Elizabeth Wright and Jenna Spain from Maquoketa Community Schools and Joseph Bormann from Bellevue Community Schools were awarded a total of nearly $2,500 from the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Thomas Determan Classroom Grant program.
The grants support classroom activities that prepare students to thrive in our rapidly changing world. Teaching global perspectives helps students understand the world beyond their own community. It builds empathy and critical thinking and helps them become thoughtful citizens. Students learn to appreciate different cultures, adapt to new ideas, and tackle big challenges that affect everyone.
This year’s grants will support unique educational experiences for students, like the classroom canine mentioned above, a woodworking skills workshop, and hands-on African drum lessons.
The grants are an extension of the Community Foundation’s Rural Teacher Corps, a partnership with the Rural Schools Collaborative (RSC) to enhance the quality of life in small towns through a focus on supporting educators and public schools.
“We really focus on retention of teachers in rural areas, because we know how important your rural schools are to our communities,” Josie Manternach, Community Foundation Program Manager and former Aplington-Parkersburg teacher, told summit attendees. “Without all of you, we wouldn't have our rural schools.”
Through the Teacher Corps, this year’s grant recipients joined 80 rural educators who gathered in Maquoketa this summer for the annual Rural Teacher Summit, a day-long retreat hosted by the Community Foundation. This year’s event was built around the theme of “thriving where you teach,” with breakout sessions and speakers focused on topics like burnout prevention, brain health and social-emotional learning.
"This is my third time attending since the start of the Rural Teacher Summit. I really believe rural teachers in our area need extra support to bring fresh ideas to their students,” says Spain, who teaches TAG and Title I at Cardinal Elementary. “With the Thomas Determan Classroom Grant, the Pawsitive Connections Program and therapy dog Mesa can keep creating a welcoming space that helps students feel calm and connected, making it easier for them to come to school and learn. It’s exciting to have resources that truly make a difference for kids in our rural communities."
“Attending the Rural Teacher Summit was an incredible opportunity to connect with educators who share a passion for education and hands-on learning,” says Bormann, an Industrial Technology Instructor in Bellevue. “Receiving the Thomas Determan Classroom Grant will allow us to launch community woodworking workshops right here in Bellevue. These workshops will engage adults and, eventually, elementary students — helping bring attention to the skilled trades and the opportunities offered through SkillsUSA.”
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque hosts affiliate foundations in seven counties, including the Community Foundation of Jackson County. To learn more, visit dbqfoundation.org/cfjc or contact Lori Loch, executive director, at lori@dbqfoundation.org.