Tahlequah Public Schools is extremely fortunate to have so many grants and resources. Because of these resources, we truly can remove obstacles and achieve results. Some grants are for individual teachers, and some are for the entire district. This year we received $18,410.10 from the Tahlequah Community Fund. The Foundation provided grants of different amounts to seven of our teachers to purchase items for their classrooms. The following TPS educators received the grant: Mandi Jordan, Lezlie Gilbert, Jamil Jaser, Tiffany Cacy, Ana Landsaw, Amber Pair, and Brady Hacker. Each of these teachers received grants for varying amounts to use in their classroom.
A few of the grants that we work with help the entire district. The USDE School Climate Transformation Grant was awarded in September 2020. The district is very thankful for the services that this large, five-year grant has brought to our students and staff. This grant provides an additional school-based social worker, two therapeutic counselors, a preventionist, a reconnecting youth teacher, an attendance officer and family and community engagement director. Our District is implementing Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in all elementary and secondary schools. Our district Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) Coordinator/Coach collaborates with school teams and administration to implement, sustain, and continually improve student achievement and behaviors through PBIS and MTSS services. We provide support for schools in the following areas: school wide and classroom resources, problem solving models, professional learning opportunities, and improvement of school climate and culture district wide. Professional learning opportunities have focused on trauma informed practices and the well-being of our students. This grant helped us create a comprehensive plan to support the whole child and meet the needs of ALL students and to reach our goal of “Removing Obstacles, Achieving Results.”
The USDE Innovative Approach to Literacy Grant is a five-year grant that will help increase literacy instruction through the use of Reading Teachers at the middle school and high school, English Language teachers at all grades, library assistants at the elementary schools and a Parent Engagement Specialist. IAL will also help get high quality professional development to ensure that literacy instruction is inclusive, supportive and employs proven methods to increase student literacy achievement. With the help of the grant, TPS will increase access to books through several book distribution methods. All students will receive two books of their choice each year, additionally a partnership with health providers will enable books to be distributed to parents of children ages birth to 4 years old during well child checkups.
There are many other district grants. One is our McKinney-Vento grant. The grant helps provide for a school-based social worker and a Family Service Provider. TPS has identified over three hundred students to assist with this grant. Another is our Strategic Framework Grant. It helps fund a community preventionist, coalition assistant, project director, vape alarms, Swat team/Leadership teamwork at ten districts, and compliance checks with the police department/drug task force.
We also have a USDA Healthy Meals Incentives Grant. The Healthy Meals Incentives Grant allows students to have hands on learning experiences to grow their own produce.
Our Mental Health Awareness Training Grant aims to coordinate services so that students experiencing signs of mental health issues are referred for appropriate services. This grant also provides training to key personnel to employ crisis de-escalation techniques, recognize mental health issues in students, and educate students, parents, and other community members about resources for individuals with a mental disorder.
Tahlequah just received a STOP school violence grant that will make sure that staff are equipped to respond in crisis, this project will also train school personnel and educate students on preventing school violence.
These are just a few of the grants that help us fulfill our vision of Tigers ROAR: Removing Obstacles, Achieving Results!
Submitted by Lacie Wilson, Federal & State Programs and Grants Director