(New Plymouth) - Thanks to a grant from the Åcahand Foundation, the New Plymouth School District is able to offer grants for up to $5,250 for school district employees to further their education to qualify for certificates and/or endorsements from the Idaho State Department of Education. Recipients of theses Grow Our Own Grants commit to work for the school district for an additional two school years.
During the first round of Grow Our Own Grant application reviews, which took place in September, four grant applications were approved. Of those four school district employees, one is currently an office staff member who is working towards a teaching certificate. The other three are currently working for the school district with preliminary teaching and pupil service staff certificates and working towards full certification. A second round of Grow Our Own Grant application reviews will take place in November. The school district plans to keep the grant application window open for as long as funding for these grants are available.
"Our Grow Our Own Grant program is one of the efforts that our school district is making to recruit and retain high quality teachers, counselors, and support staff for our kids," said superintendent David Sotutu. "We are extremely grateful for the support our school district receives from the Åcahand Foundation, which allows us to offer these kinds of benefits to our school district employees."
For more information the school district's Grow Our Own Grant program click here.
For more information on the Åcahand Foundation visit acahand.org.