New charter school breaks ground
Construction on Future Public School, a new public charter school in Garden City, is underway. The new school will focus on STEM curriculum. Co-founded by Amanda Cox and Brad Petersen, Future Public School is now enrolling students in K-3, and will eventually serve K-8 students. Cox and Peterson are the first beneficiaries of Bluum’s Idaho New School Fellowship — a program designed to recruit and develop innovative education leaders who go on to create new, high-quality schools in Idaho.
Future Public School will open its doors to students in fall of 2018.
Grants available for educators and schools
Applications are being accepted for three grant programs in support of excellence and innovation in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education at Idaho National Laboratory. INL will accept proposals for the Statewide STEM Mini Grants, Southeast Idaho Extreme Classroom Makeover Grants and the East Idaho Ultimate STEM Grants from Nov. 15 through Jan. 10, 2018.
Funding for the grants comes from Battelle Energy Alliance, which operates INL for the U.S. Department of Energy. This year, INL is offering three types of STEM education grants:
- The INL Statewide STEM Mini Grants will provide funds to enhance public and private elementary, middle school and high school programs. Idaho teachers can apply for up to $500 to purchase classroom instructional resources, materials, and laboratory equipment which will be used to integrate any aspects of STEM across the disciplines.
- The INL Southeast Idaho Classroom Makeover STEM Grant will provide funding to an Idaho educator or school to transform classrooms into 21st century STEM learning environments. The $5,000 grant award is available to support classroom instructional resources, materials and laboratory equipment used to integrate any STEM concepts across multiple disciplines.
- The East Idaho Ultimate STEM Grants will provide up to $10,000 to educators, schools and STEM stakeholders to enhance or implement new STEM programs, fund new equipment, or create opportunities for STEM professional development, career awareness or student outreach.
A panel of judges will evaluate the applications based on specific criteria to competitively award grants. Educators and STEM stakeholders are required to provide information on how project goals, learning objectives and curriculum concepts will be enhanced, and how the project or program will improve student interest in STEM careers and student achievement in STEM disciplines. Grant recipients will be announced by March 2018. Click here to apply.
Fellowships available to artists in performing and media arts
The Idaho Commission on the Arts is accepting applications for fellowship awards, recognizing outstanding achievements in performance or media-based arts. Idaho artists working in any type of film, dance, theater, music, or technologically-based media may apply. Five fellowships of $5,000 will be awarded.
The deadline to apply is Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2018. Applications and more information can be found here.
