Northwest ISD Navigator Magazine Spring 2017-18 | Page 10

Funding new frontiers of education NEF AWARDS INNOVATIVE TEACHING GRANTS By Emily Conklin [email protected] This year, the Northwest ISD Education Foundation awarded $88,000 in innovative teaching grants on Feb. 2, surprising winning teachers with a celebratory brigade. Sounds of cowbells, laughter, chants and cheers rang loudly through the hallways of 17 campuses across the district’s 234 square miles. “There is an exhilaration in the air when the NEF grant brigade walks onto a campus,” said Susan West, special education teacher at Byron Nelson High School. “Every teacher wonders who could it be – who is going to receive a grant? When NEF awarded Byron’s SPED team the Sensory Matter grant, they made it possible for us to support students in a way that is crucial to their learning environment.” To date, NEF has given $1.6 million in innovative teaching grants to educators in Northwest ISD. 10 “Seeing their ideas come to life is what it’s all about,” said NEF Board President Clint Abernathy. “We work with businesses across our region to educate donors about our mission to fundraise for innovative, original ideas that teachers want to bring to their students simply because these funds are not in their current budget.” NEF’s mission is to provide financial support to empower NISD educators, engage the community and encourage future-ready students. That support doesn’t just come from the business community, though – it also comes from teachers themselves. This year, district employees raised approximately $44,000 to support their fellow educators through grants. “It’s our vision to be a recognized leader in providing