Friday, November 21, 2008

Palouse Prairie School Awarded Startup Grant

On November 21, Shirley Rau at the Idaho State Board of Education announced that Palouse Prairie School was awarded a Federally funded Charter school startup grant (pre-opening/post-charter) of slightly more than $650,000 over three years. This is the second part of the startup grant process, Palouse Prairie School received a $20,000 Vision grant (pre-charter) in March 2008.

The grant will fund many startup activities, including training in Expeditionary Learning for the Principal and teachers, and other professional development for Principal and school board members. It also funds materials for the school library, computers and classroom furniture.

While it funds ADA-related remodeling, it does not fund facilities or remodeling in general. Those funds still need to be secured.

You can read the grant materials at this link

http://www.box.net/shared/ergm44q8t3

Summit Trip a Success

We ended up with 13 people. There were a wide variety of reasons people visited, from students studying Interior Design and Education to parents wanting to know more.

The Summit staff was incredibly inviting and friendly. I felt very welcome and free to observe and talk to the staff. I was very impressed to see that there was a program on Fridays where the 7th /8th graders were tutoring the Kindergartners. There was also a
kind of assembly where kids of all ages got into groups and were given tasks they had to keep working to figure out the best way to achieve their goals ( getting a beanbag to a partner across the room).

I enjoyed seeing the level of respect the children were given. I and four others had a very nice Q & A with the Principal [Krislock]. He was absolutely amazing. He is so knowledgeable and friendly. ( I wanted to steal him for our school !!) He also spoke separately with the design students. I am really glad I went. --Gabrielle