Berrien County educators will have the opportunity to put their ideas to the test thanks to ten (10), $1,000 Berrien RESA Classroom Innovation Grants. The grants are open to all Berrien County educators and are designed to encourage innovative thinking that will maximize student achievement in the areas of reading, math and belonging.
“It is the mission of Berrien RESA to optimize student outcomes through collaboration and transformation,” said Eric Hoppstock, Berrien RESA Superintendent. “This means that our district encourages educators to work together, put their best ideas into play, and make the biggest impact possible relative to student success. The Classroom Innovation Grants further that collaborative spirit by offering seed money to help even more of those innovative ideas become reality.”
The grants, approved as part of the district’s 2024-25 budget, will be awarded to Berrien County school staff to help achieve the area’s three countywide goals. The goals focus on:
Building educator capacity around common literacy standards, the Science of Reading, and delivery of explicit foundational skills and strategies;
Building educator capacity around math standards, the 8 mathematical practices, and delivery of explicit foundational skills and strategies; and,
Building educator capacity around fostering belonging and engagement, where ALL are connected and accepted.
Applicants who are employed by a Berrien County school district must submit their grant concept jointly with a Berrien RESA staff member. Berrien RESA staff are eligible to apply if their application is submitted in collaboration with a staff member from another Berrien RESA department. Once awarded, grant funds will be directed to the applicant’s school district for disbursement.
Grant application forms can be found on the Berrien RESA website. Submissions are due September 20, 2024 with awards being announced in early October. Implementation of the grant must begin in October 2024. Award winners will be asked to highlight the impact of their innovations at the end of the school year.
