Grant For Training Conference Approved By Valley School Board
Posted
Jackie Gorski-jgorski@timesuniononline.com
MENTONE – Tippecanoe Valley School Board unanimously approved a grant to pay for an out-of-state conference.
The $5,000 grant from the Kosciusko County REMC RoundUp Fund will pay for a three-day training conference.
On May 20, the school board approved an out-of-state conference request for members of the school corporation to attend a conference titled “Introduction to Positive Education for Educators,” hosted by the Shipley School in Cryn Mawr, Pa.
On June 10, the school corporation board received the grant funding for the trip, according to notes provided by Lori Tilden-Geiger, director of marketing, public relations and grant writer.
“It was a quick turn around. We got the grant money on a Tuesday afternoon and we had to fly out Monday morning,” Tilden-Geiger said.
Maggie White, social-emotional learning teacher at Tippecanoe Valley Middle School, and Emilie Rospopo, fifth-grade teacher at Mentone Elementary School, attended the conference.
“What positive education is, it’s a whole school transformation using well-being science,” Tilden-Geiger said. There’s six domains, which are positive relationships, emotions, health, engagement, accomplishment and purpose.
Keynote speakers and workshop leaders included Dr. Alejandro Adler, international well-being scientist; positive education experts from the Geelong Grammar School’s institute for Positive Education – Australia; and Shipley teachers and colleagues.
Also during the meeting, the school board approved:
• Hiring Andrew Childress as physical education/strength and conditioning teacher for Tippecanoe Valley High School; Justin Goodenkauf, math teacher for TVHS; Joseph Mushalla, English teacher, TVHS; Peggy McQuinn, instructional assistant for TVHS; Alexis Wise, cook, TVHS; Katie Kauffman, physical education teacher for TVMS; Kristie Smith, mental heal therapist for the school corporation.
• The resignation of Shannon Dickey, cook for TVMS; Alan Hoyt, automotive technology teacher, TVHS; Brandon Oswald, custodian for Mentone Elementary School; Tina Berg, math teacher for TVMS; Greg Prater, varsity baseball coach, TVHS.
