Tech Contact Survey 

The Rural School Initiative needs your help! We are looking for tech coordinator contacts, especially those who works with curriculum planning & implementation, staff support, and classroom use. Please fill out this survey:  https://forms.gle/wsrYtMSfbwpz7vxV7 

Teacher Mini-Grant Winner Stories 

Alicia Henning: "Thanks to our grant funding, I was able to purchase a bouncy band for each student desk in my classroom.  With movement being restricted due to COVID, students have been seeking movement and activity.  The bouncy bands have been a great, and noiseless, tool to help them stay stimulated and focused during class.  We were also able to purchase 10 graphic novels for the classroom library.  As a spread-out district, and once again due to COVID, our students are restricted to my classroom library until we are able to have library time with the district librarian.  As a result, many students had read all of the graphic novels in the classroom, and they are thrilled to have 10 new ones to choose from."    

New Teacher Grant Nomination 

It is time to submit application for the New Teacher Grants through the Central Illinois Rural Teacher Corps Fund! This grant is for future or new teachers in rural communities, especially those who were involved in Rural Teacher Corps at the high school, community college, or EIU level. The Deadline is March 1st. Click here to apply now. 

Spring Networking Night 

The EIU Rural School Initiative has begun to plan a virtual networking night for the spring semester. In order to ensure that the evening runs smoothly, a planning committee consisting of EIU students, area administration, and staff has been established and will meet on March 10th. If you have a concern, question, or suggestion about the Networking Night, please send to jmnorton@eiu.edu. Keep an eye out for more updates about this opportunity! 

Outstanding RTC Member 

This month, the Rural School Initiative would like to recognize Brianna Gaston as an outstanding Rural Teacher Corps member. Brianna has volunteered to take-over the Rural Schools’ Instagram story, participated in “Why Wednesday” videos, and volunteered for the Rural Teacher Corps Forum.

Brianna is a senior Elementary Education major from Shelbyville, IL. Her favorite part of the RTC is “the opportunity for professional development. The Teacher Tech Tuesdays are beneficial because it allows me to become familiar with the newest technology and how I can utilize it in my future classroom.” She also writes, “Although I have not received a placement yet, I am looking forward to student teaching next semester in the Charleston area. I have had many influences growing up in a rural area and I am looking forward to gaining new perspectives during this next journey. As I wrap up my time at EIU, I am reflecting on what I have experienced and how it will benefit me for my future.” 

Upcoming Events

• February 25th: Accessibility Tools Tech Workshop @ 4pm

• March 9th: EIU Rural Teacher Corps Mtg @ 6pm

• March 10th: Rural Networking Night Planning Committee Meeting @ 4pm

• March 10th: New Teacher Corps Meeting @ 6pm