Blount Schools Receive $120K in Grants for Innovative Programs (TN)

June 14, 2010

Blount County Schools has received more than $120,000 in grants to pursue innovative, technology-based educational opportunities for its students.

Alisa Teffeteller, the system’s career and technical education supervisor, recently wrote an application for a Perkins IV Reserve Fund Grant, which is competitive funding earmarked for new, or innovative, programs.

Officials asked for $52,696 to construct a micropropagation lab that will allow students to grow plants from tissue cultures. Students will manipulate plant growth and produce multiple plants without viruses.

Officials also requested funds to create a Heritage High School wireless computer lab, which will used by collision repair teacher Randy Byrd, welding teacher John Davis and career management success teacher Lynette Barry.

The state Department of Education has also allocated $68,000 for officials to purchase 20 interactive whiteboards — one for each of the system’s schools — and permanently install them in special education classrooms.

Prior to requesting grant money, system-level administrators met with special education teachers about how to effectively use the system’s grant funds and help students with disabilities meet benchmarks. Susan Elrod, Buffy Wyrosdick and Scott Kirkham, the system’s special education supervisor, wrote the grant application.

During last year’s state writing assessment, 48 out of 65 high-schoolers identified as students with disabilities performed at the lowest quintile.

Educators plan to primarily use the interactive whiteboards and ceiling-mounted projectors to teach students about the thought processes associated with writing, Kirkham said.