The Dalton Education Foundation is once again opening a window of opportunity for faculty and staff of Dalton Public Schools to receive awards and grants.
Two educator awards are open for nominations and four categories of grants within the Grants for Instruction program are open for idea submissions from teachers.
The Grants for Instruction program involves teachers submitting grant idea applications for “innovative and excellent things that they want to do in their classrooms or in their schools,” said Don Amonett, who serves as a liaison between the foundation and the school system.
The program typically provides up to $60,000 in grants for staff.
“I get a committee together of school personnel such as administrators, media specialists and teachers, to review all of the applications and make recommendations back to trustees as to which ones will be funded each year,” Amonett said.
The committee will convene in April, when members will make a final decision on grant ideas for the 2024-25 school year.
“They go through and find out which grant applications serve the most kids and are really unique ideas,” Amonett said.
The four grant categories include the Tom Jones Grants for Excellence, which places a focus on next-level engagement for students and is named after the former Dalton Board of Education chairman who served in the position for almost 20 years, and the Rowena Martin Innovative Teaching Grants, which provide the opportunity for creative involvement and engagement in the classroom and is sponsored by the family of Martin, who was an elementary teacher at Westwood School.
Also included are the Janice Meadows Grant for U.S. History, designated for U.S. history class ideas and sponsored by the family of Meadows, a long-time teacher within the school system, and the Payroll Deduction Teacher’s Wish List. Given by Dalton Public Schools (DPS) employees, the Teacher’s Wish List helps supply much-needed supplies and materials to classrooms.
“Every year, the foundation does a fundraiser within the staff of DPS,” said Amonett. “Some staff give donations and some staff do payroll deduction. Every penny that we collect for a year and through the Teacher’s Wish List process goes back to the teachers.”
Last year, $25,000 was collected through the Teacher’s Wish List program.
“That’s the amount of money we will assign to Teacher’s Wish List ideas this spring for next year,” Amonett said. “It can be for anything, whether it’s innovative ideas or basic classroom needs.”
Throughout January and February each year, teachers submit grant ideas within the four categories through a provided form. The deadline for submitting grant applications for the 2024-25 school year is Friday, March 1, at 4:30 p.m.
In the coming weeks, the foundation will open the window for another grant opportunity, the Charles E. Bowen Leadership and Service Grant, named after the former Dalton High School principal and school system superintendent.
“It’s sponsored by an anonymous donor and it goes to student-led organizations that do leadership and service activities throughout the school system,” said Amonett.
Two awards from the foundation are open for nominations, including the Tom Jones Educator of the Year Award and the Dale Cook Support Educator of the Year Award.
Recognizing certified educators and classroom paraprofessionals within Dalton Public Schools, the Tom Jones Educator of the Year Award is given to someone who has “made significant contributions to the education of children in Dalton and who symbolizes excellence in teaching,” the school system website states.
Nominations for the award can be submitted by individuals both inside and outside of the school system. To qualify for nomination, educators must have been employed by the school system for a minimum of three years.
The winner will receive a “crystal apple award” and $3,000 from the foundation, while the winner’s school will receive $1,000. Last year’s Educator of the Year was Park Creek Elementary School Assistant Principal Krista Paige.
Nominations for the Tom Jones Educator of the Year Award must be received by Friday, March 22, at 4:30 p.m. Nomination forms can be found at www.daltoneducationfoundation.org.
The Dale Cook Support Educator of the Year Award, named after Dalton High School’s former media specialist, is given to individuals within the school system in student support staff roles such as office personnel, custodians, non-classroom paraprofessionals, school nutrition workers and maintenance workers.
The winning support staff member will receive an undisclosed monetary award from the foundation. In 2023, the award was given to Dalton High School media center clerk and mainstay Melanie Franey.
Nominations for the Dale Cook Support Educator of the Year Award must be turned in by Friday, April 19, at 4:30 p.m. Nomination forms can be found at www.daltoneducationfoundation.org.
“Another award that’s given each year is the Hale-Bowen Excellence in Teaching Award, named after Clifford Hale, who was also a superintendent, and Charles Bowen,” said Amonett. “It’s a $3,000 award that goes to a Dalton High School teacher and the teacher is selected by the National Honor Society each year.”
“The high school works with their student council and the student National Honor Society,” he said. “Through them, that group selects the person they want to win it.”