Professional Development Grant
Transformative impacts often result from staff members who choose to attend professional development programs. Typically, these opportunities are funded through the town’s annual school budget. However, the district may not be financially able to meet each request. Through the Professional Development Grant program, the Wallingford Education Foundation (WEF) provides additional funding for employees of Wallingford Public Schools to attend conferences hosted outside the district.
The Professional Grant program offers paired grants of $1,000 each for two Wallingford Public Schools staff members to attend the same professional development opportunity together OR single grants of up to $2,000 for an individual to attend a conference alone. Multiple grants are awarded yearly.
Victoria Bright received full funding to attend the Summer Institute for Educators held at Landmark College, Vermont. This conference will provide her with information on current research and practical strategies to improve the success of her students, many of whom are neurodivergent, have learning disabilities, and autism, as well as improve her ability to teach them successfully.
Meaghan Hartmann will be attending The Hanen Centre’s Learning Language and Loving It Program thanks to a professional development grant from the Wallingford Education Foundation. This program will provide her with practical, research-based strategies for facilitating language-learning in pretend play and fostering emergent literacy skills.
Kristina Jensen will be a virtual attendee at the School Mental Health: Treating Students K – 12 Conference sponsored by the Cambridge Health Alliance and Harvard Medical School. Participation in this conference will help her stay current with the latest knowledge and skills that enhance the emotional well-being of students.
Wallingford staff members (any employee of Wallingford Public Schools) who wish to request financing are asked to complete an application and submit it to the WEF via email anytime between March 1 and 4:00 p.m. on April 1. Applicants are urged to read the entire application packet carefully and to pay particular attention to all terms and conditions.