The following is a press release from TrueSchool
TrueSchool is proud to announce the launch of its 2018-2019 Early Literacy Fellowship in North Carolina, one of only two states in the country selected.
The project, funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, will select 20 schools across the state to participate in an intensive, collaborative effort aimed at improving literacy among students, prekindergarten to 3rd grade.
State Superintendent of Education Mark Johnson said TrueSchool represents a “new and innovative approach to learning and teaching, especially when it comes to helping low-income students graduate.”
“The selection of North Carolina as one of TrueSchool’s focus states for the 2018-19 school year will help empower our teachers to better apply techniques, including personalized professional learning and the appropriate use of technology in the classroom,” Johnson said.
Schools can apply for the fellowship through the TrueSchool website starting today (May 1). The deadline for applications is June 1, with chosen participants to be notified by mid-June.
Selected schools will each create teams made up of 3 to 5 teacher leaders and 1 school leader. These teams, with the assistance of TrueSchool’s unique program and experienced coaches, will “lead a school-wide design effort focused on realizing significant gains in student achievement,” said TrueSchool CEO Amy Vreeland. “Educators working on the ground know their school and student needs best. We provide the structured time, process, and support to enable their bold ideas to come to life. We see potential for ground-breaking models to emerge through this fellowship, which will serve to not only inspire other schools in the state, but across the country.”
Katelin Row, principal at Coker-Wimberly Elementary School, part of the Edgecombe County Public Schools system, said they currently don’t have the framework to guide “outside of the box” thinking.
The TrueSchool fellowship provides an opportunity to “intentionally and deeply engage in this work of school redesign and solution-seeking,” she said. “As a school, we know the way we think about education now, especially when considering the development of young children, needs to change to better serve our community,” Row said. “Being a part of a fellowship such as this really has the ability to transform our thinking and allow us to make some incredible strides for children.”
TrueSchool, based in New Orleans, has worked with over 1,500 educators in 108 schools who are effecting change for more than 200,000 students in cities across the United States, including New Orleans, Chicago, Los Angles, and Oakland.
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation, founded in 1930, is one of the world’s largest private foundations. It works with communities around the world to improve conditions for vulnerable children.
