NewsUpper SchoolStudent LifeFaculty/StaffPre-K to 8Academics
Parents Association awards faculty grants
Jun 29, 2005 2:13 PM
By Tannika King - Faculty
In March of 2005, the Darlington Parents Association awarded Faculty Development Grants to 28 deserving faculty members. Grants ranged up to $2,000.
Each year, teaching faculty who have made a commitment to return to Darlington in the fall are invited to apply for Faculty Development Grants funded by the School’s Parents Association. This program is designed to enhance faculty effectiveness in the classroom, in campus activities and in the community; to encourage faculty to plan creatively for their own continuing professional development; to provide an incentive to aid in the retention of excellent faculty; and to involve department chairs in enhancing the faculty members’ enthusiasm in their particular area of education and involvement.
“These grants are both an encouragement and a symbol of thankfulness on the part of the parents,” said Jean Bonnyman, co-chairperson of the Faculty Incentive Program.
Middle School Assistant Principal Sally MacLeod used her grant to take two courses. “One was an Algebra class which was designed to give us a review of Algebra I. We shared lesson plans, games and techniques that had worked in our classrooms,” she said. “It was great to have all of these wonderful ideas to bring back to our students. It gave all of us new ways to make our material relevant and interesting to our students.”
Several Middle School teachers, including McLeod, Sally Muschamp, Kevin Ivester, Angela Pieroni, Dee Dee Rhodes, Randy Smith, Susan Stout and Ken Wempe, took an In Tech course at Georgia Highlands College that focused on using technology in the classroom.
“The faculty grant program gives faculty members the ability take some of these important classes that they may not take because of the high cost,” said Muschamp. “I found the In Tech class very helpful and exciting, and was able to learn new and exciting ways that I can use technology in my classroom. We were able to see the advantages of using SMART Boards, and we developed lesson plans to use with our students during the school year.”
Pieroni also found the course to be helpful. “I use the computer and new technology quite a bit in my classroom, but this course taught me several new ‘tricks’ as far as online scavenger hunts, creating review games like ‘Jeopardy,’ and using PowerPoint, as well as lots of new Web sites,” she said. “I think the Parents Association has a fantastic program to help the teachers. This is the first year that I have used a faculty grant, and I know that I will be applying for more.”
Upper School English teachers John Cox and Skip Saunders attended the Melville Society’s Herman Melville/Frederick Douglass conference at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Mass. “We were two of only four high school teachers at a conference dominated by professors and the leading Melville and Douglass experts in the world, including poet and scholar Laurie Robertson-Lorant, author of the definitive Melville biography and with whom we had dinner,” said Saunders.
“We attended about 20 sessions, heard papers delivered by probably a hundred scholars and generally wallowed in Melville scholarship and worship; we also toured the town Melville shipped from on his first whaling voyage and saw three plays based on his work,” he continued. “I bought books and, on a ferry, sailed some of the waters he sailed. A teacher cannot possibly express sufficient gratitude for this sort of gift, one which gratifies and energizes his own curiosity and which will fuel teaching for years.”
Cox was also able to attend a teaching conference at Phillips Academy (Mass.)
Upper School science teacher Owen Kinney used his grant to continue ecological research in which he has been involved with for the past 11 years at the University of Michigan. “Since I was a senior at Berry College, I have participated in a long-term study of turtle ecology and evolutionary biology in southeastern Michigan with a research professor from the University of Georgia,” said Kinney. “I have found my experiences with field biology help stimulate discussion and offer insights that are not found in textbooks. Also, I have brought two of my Darlington students to work with me in Michigan over the past few summers.”
Other faculty members who received DPA Faculty Development Grants for use this year are Betsy Awsumb, George Awsumb, Dan Bishop, Bailey Duncan, Alex Ezell, Greg Foreman, Tim Garrett, Greg Griffeth, Brian Inman, Jim Linos, Patti Maffett, Leanne Mann, Bob McGraw, Carl Paxton, Rachel Rice, Donald Sweeney and Nathalie Welch.
Grants must be for projects beginning on or after May 1 of the granting year and completed by May 1 of the following year. The maximum award available is $2,000, paying up to 50 percent of any required tuition and the cost of travel, boarding expense, supplies, etc. within reason.
All applications should be turned into the Upper School headmaster’s office before spring break of the granting year. All grants, including those for graduate study requiring several summers, will be evaluated each year. Applicants will be notified by late March of the DPA Grant Committee’s decision.
The Parents Association strives to enhance student life and supports faculty, staff and administrative efforts to assure Darlington students the best education possible. The association sponsors a variety of School functions, including the Back-to-School Bash, Pigskin Picnic, Upper and Middle School Christmas dances, Appreciation Week, Junior-Senior Prom and Used Book Sale. All Darlington families are invited to join.
Each year, teaching faculty who have made a commitment to return to Darlington in the fall are invited to apply for Faculty Development Grants funded by the School’s Parents Association. This program is designed to enhance faculty effectiveness in the classroom, in campus activities and in the community; to encourage faculty to plan creatively for their own continuing professional development; to provide an incentive to aid in the retention of excellent faculty; and to involve department chairs in enhancing the faculty members’ enthusiasm in their particular area of education and involvement.
“These grants are both an encouragement and a symbol of thankfulness on the part of the parents,” said Jean Bonnyman, co-chairperson of the Faculty Incentive Program.
Middle School Assistant Principal Sally MacLeod used her grant to take two courses. “One was an Algebra class which was designed to give us a review of Algebra I. We shared lesson plans, games and techniques that had worked in our classrooms,” she said. “It was great to have all of these wonderful ideas to bring back to our students. It gave all of us new ways to make our material relevant and interesting to our students.”
Several Middle School teachers, including McLeod, Sally Muschamp, Kevin Ivester, Angela Pieroni, Dee Dee Rhodes, Randy Smith, Susan Stout and Ken Wempe, took an In Tech course at Georgia Highlands College that focused on using technology in the classroom.
“The faculty grant program gives faculty members the ability take some of these important classes that they may not take because of the high cost,” said Muschamp. “I found the In Tech class very helpful and exciting, and was able to learn new and exciting ways that I can use technology in my classroom. We were able to see the advantages of using SMART Boards, and we developed lesson plans to use with our students during the school year.”
Pieroni also found the course to be helpful. “I use the computer and new technology quite a bit in my classroom, but this course taught me several new ‘tricks’ as far as online scavenger hunts, creating review games like ‘Jeopardy,’ and using PowerPoint, as well as lots of new Web sites,” she said. “I think the Parents Association has a fantastic program to help the teachers. This is the first year that I have used a faculty grant, and I know that I will be applying for more.”
Upper School English teachers John Cox and Skip Saunders attended the Melville Society’s Herman Melville/Frederick Douglass conference at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in New Bedford, Mass. “We were two of only four high school teachers at a conference dominated by professors and the leading Melville and Douglass experts in the world, including poet and scholar Laurie Robertson-Lorant, author of the definitive Melville biography and with whom we had dinner,” said Saunders.
“We attended about 20 sessions, heard papers delivered by probably a hundred scholars and generally wallowed in Melville scholarship and worship; we also toured the town Melville shipped from on his first whaling voyage and saw three plays based on his work,” he continued. “I bought books and, on a ferry, sailed some of the waters he sailed. A teacher cannot possibly express sufficient gratitude for this sort of gift, one which gratifies and energizes his own curiosity and which will fuel teaching for years.”
Cox was also able to attend a teaching conference at Phillips Academy (Mass.)
Upper School science teacher Owen Kinney used his grant to continue ecological research in which he has been involved with for the past 11 years at the University of Michigan. “Since I was a senior at Berry College, I have participated in a long-term study of turtle ecology and evolutionary biology in southeastern Michigan with a research professor from the University of Georgia,” said Kinney. “I have found my experiences with field biology help stimulate discussion and offer insights that are not found in textbooks. Also, I have brought two of my Darlington students to work with me in Michigan over the past few summers.”
Other faculty members who received DPA Faculty Development Grants for use this year are Betsy Awsumb, George Awsumb, Dan Bishop, Bailey Duncan, Alex Ezell, Greg Foreman, Tim Garrett, Greg Griffeth, Brian Inman, Jim Linos, Patti Maffett, Leanne Mann, Bob McGraw, Carl Paxton, Rachel Rice, Donald Sweeney and Nathalie Welch.
Grants must be for projects beginning on or after May 1 of the granting year and completed by May 1 of the following year. The maximum award available is $2,000, paying up to 50 percent of any required tuition and the cost of travel, boarding expense, supplies, etc. within reason.
All applications should be turned into the Upper School headmaster’s office before spring break of the granting year. All grants, including those for graduate study requiring several summers, will be evaluated each year. Applicants will be notified by late March of the DPA Grant Committee’s decision.
The Parents Association strives to enhance student life and supports faculty, staff and administrative efforts to assure Darlington students the best education possible. The association sponsors a variety of School functions, including the Back-to-School Bash, Pigskin Picnic, Upper and Middle School Christmas dances, Appreciation Week, Junior-Senior Prom and Used Book Sale. All Darlington families are invited to join.
