NEA Foundation Announces COVID-19 Response Grants
The NEA Foundation announced in April it will provide three new grant opportunities to support public educators’ emerging needs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on teaching and learning. COVID-19 Rapid Response Grants will support educator-led initiatives to adapt to the unique circumstances during the summer months of 2020. The application process will be open through May 28.
The two additional COVID-19 Response Grant opportunities, Student Success Grants and Learning & Leadership Grants will be awarded in September 2020. They will support initiatives that identify and address pertinent educational equity and opportunity gaps exacerbated by the pandemic. Applications will be available beginning April 30 through July 15. To learn more about the response grants, please visit our website.
Educators Share Tips for Mindfulness and Online Learning During Pandemic
With many teaching from home, two educators in Alabama and New Jersey have shared mindfulness practices and online teaching guidance with their school communities and fellow educators. Benita Moyers, a 2019 NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence recipient, shared tips and guidance for using online tools and supporting colleagues’ well being.
In New Jersey, Tara Lisciandro-Hornich, who has incorporated mindfulness activities into her own classroom routine for more than a decade, is now sharing those exercises with her school community and peers. With school closures due to COVID-19, Lisciandro-Hornich is using those activities in her online classroom and also leading virtual mindfulness sessions to support colleagues and parents.
Music Education Project Hits the Right Note on Earth Day 2020
After connecting while traveling together as NEA Foundation Global Learning Fellows, Dr. Melissa Collins and Loryn Windwehen sought to bring the world a little closer together. They celebrated World Earth Day on April 22 by inviting people of all ages around the world to create musical instruments using household materials and share pictures or videos on social media of their instruments in their own unique way using the hashtag #OneBandOneSound2020.
Participants were able to learn more about sound and increase their scientific vocabulary through an online presentation prior to creating their instruments. To see how it all came together, visit their project website and check out the hashtag on Twitter.
Help Us Celebrate Educator Excellence During Teacher Appreciation Week 2020
Even with widespread school closures, educators’ support of their students remains constant. Online learning, individual phone calls, socially-distanced home visits, and teacher parades are just a few ways that they are staying connected and making a difference, just as they always do. From May 4-8, National Teacher Appreciation Week, the NEA Foundation will be sharing some inspiring stories of public school teachers we have been working with this year. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook as we share inspiring stories of exceptional educators.
The Foundation will also participate in #GivingTuesdayNow on Tuesday, May 5th. Join us on this global day of giving and unity to support educators helping shape students’ lives.
Sponsor Spotlight: American Fidelity
American Fidelity Assurance is dedicated sponsor and friend of the NEA Foundation. They understand the unique needs and challenges that educators face every day both inside and outside the classroom and share our vision of a great public education for every child. Thank you American Fidelity!
