JISD Technology learns Grant Specialist Training

On May 29, 2007 through June 1st, 2007, Grant Specialist Training was taught at the JISD Technology Lab. 16 JISD professional staff (teachers) from all campuses in the district, were in attendance and successfully completed the course.

The course consisted of 24 hours of instruction designed to improve grant writing skills, help grant writers locate suitable funding sources, and provided the teachers with the knowledge necessary to write successful grant proposals.

Public school financing provides the very minimum to maintain our schools and provide curriculum and staff to teach our students in JISD the necessary course information enabling them to pass state mandated standards for promotion and graduation.

Grants are an avenue whereby we can secure additional funds for equipment, curriculum materials and staff development. Grants provide the extra funds that are not available through state and local sources.

We now have at least four to five trained grant writers on each campus in the district. In completing a grant proposal, it is imperative that the teaching professionals on each campus participate in the grant writing process because they are the persons who will be implementing the grant requirements in the classroom.

We are looking forward to applying for several state, federal, private foundation and corporate grants during the up-coming 2007-08 school year to supplement our JISD educational program.

Phil Brown, Grant Coordinator, JISD