Zeeland Public will use $15K state grant to train future educators

Mitchell Boatman, The Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

ZEELAND — Zeeland Public Schools is using a grant from the Michigan Department of Education to help students learn about careers in education.

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The district was one of 18 recipients of a Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE Grant from MDE, receiving $15,000. Zeeland will use the grant to develop a pair of high school courses.

Zeeland Public was one of 18 recipients of a Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE Grant from MDE, receiving $15,000.
Zeeland Public was one of 18 recipients of a Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE Grant from MDE, receiving $15,000.

Exploring Education, a one semester class, will provide a “high level overview,” while the Zeeland Aspiring Educator Academy, a full-year class, will helps students "delve deeper" over multiple enrollments in the course, if they wish. Both classes will start in the fall.

“Both classes would be fairly similar to what a college freshman might take as they enter into the education program at one of our local colleges or universities,” said ZPS Assistant Superintendent of Administrative Services Jon Voss.

“We are still working through some of the final curricular details, but both classes will allow students to explore careers in education ... and learn about topics related to education, including things like child growth and development, lesson design, state content standards, special education and much more.”

Voss said the district hopes to give students an opportunity for in-classroom experience when appropriate. ZPS is also looking into additional partnerships with local colleges to allow for an easier transition into teacher prep programs.

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Voss said the teacher shortage is a “very real thing." Districts are seeing fewer applicants for open positions than in the past, he said.

“We are hoping to spark the flame of passion for teaching in our students, (to) better prepare them to move into this field, and hopefully maintain connections with them that will lead to them returning to ZPS to start their career after college,” Voss said.

“No one understands the Zeeland experience like our graduates, so they make the perfect candidates to guide the next generation of Zeeland students through their educational journey.”

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com. Follow him on Twitter @SentinelMitch.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Zeeland Public will use $15K state grant to train future educators