Berrien RESA honors seven schools for classroom innovation

Seven Berrien County school districts have each been awarded a $1,000 Classroom Innovation Grant thanks to a new initiative being implemented by Berrien RESA. The grants are designed to provide seed money to help bring new education ideas to life.

“One of Berrien RESA’s goals is to improve outcomes through groundbreaking strategies,” said Eric Hoppstock, Berrien RESA Superintendent. “The Classroom Innovation Grants offer a catalyst for such innovation. By removing funding barriers, Berrien RESA is able to help make educators’ ideas become a reality.”

The grants also focus on the education community’s three countywide goals:

1. Literacy – Building educator capacity around common literacy standards, the Science of Reading, and delivery of explicit foundational skills and strategies;

2. Math – Building educator capacity around math standards, the 8 mathematical practices, and delivery of explicit foundational skills and strategies; and,

3. Belonging – Building educator capacity around fostering belonging and engagement, where ALL are connected and accepted.

This year’s winners are:

• Benton Harbor Area Schools – Early Start for Bright Smiles (Belonging)
  Builds a foundation for good oral health from an early age

• Benton Harbor Area Schools – Creating Communication for All (Belonging)
  Provides communication devices for student who are nonverbal

• Brandywine Community Schools – Book Vending Machine (Belonging)
  Honors students on their birthdays with a book of choice from a vending machine

• Buchanan Community Schools – Library of Things (Literacy)
  Creates a collection of items designed to inspire students and reinforce their learning as part of a reading series

• Lakeshore Public Schools – Building a Thinking Classroom (Math)
  Incorporates vertical non-permanent working surfaces in classrooms to keep students engaged

• Niles Community Schools – Every Student WINNS (Literacy)
  Incorporates a Walk to Read program for a kindergarten and second grade classrooms using the “What I Need Now” (WINN) reading support strategy

• St. Joseph Public Schools – Student Led Courtyard to Connections (Belonging)
  Establishes a “brain break” and connection space for students in underutilized outdoor spaces at the high school

“Berrien RESA is excited to partner with our area school districts and educators to help deliver these unique learning ideas,” said Superintendent Hoppstock. “With these resources at hand, students will now have even more opportunities to feel connected in their school buildings and improve their literacy and math skills.”