Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. (ROI) is please to announce that Linton-Stockton SChool Corporation has been awarded a $250,000 Ready School implementation grant.

The Ready Schools implementation funding will be used to support multi-year district-wide strategic plans with prekindergarten-12 initiatives focused on project-based learning, STEM curricula, career awareness activities, and skill development to prepare students for post-secondary educaiton and regionally-relevant employment.

A portion of the funding will be used to implement pathways for students in computer science, biomedical science, and engineering along with educator development programs. Project Lead the Way curricula, makerspaces, digital fabrication labs and student-run enterprises will also be incorprated to provide students at all grade levels with enhanced hands-on learning experiences.

The award of the implementation grants follow a 10-month development grant to support the ROI Ready Schools design-thinking process. The Ready Schools initiative is a framework to help school districts prepare students for success by aligning preK-12 curricular and programmatic offerings to educational and workforce needs within the Indiana Uplands, an 11-county region that encompasses Brown, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Greene, Lawreance, Martin, Monroe, Orange, Owen and Washington counties.

The goal of Ready Schools initiative is to enable school districts to engage business leaders, educators, community stakeholders, parents, and students in meaningful dialouge about what school success means and to develop a strategic plan to obtain success. The result is a collaborative approach and a comprehensive planning process designed to support students in achieving academic and career goals aligned with the region's key industry sectors: advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and national security and defense. For a complete descriptioin of activities at each Ready Schools phase, go to:

http://regionalopportunityinc.org/details-of-the-ready-schools-initiative/

Linton-Stockton will add a Career Coach to work directly with students in college and career planning, oversee career awareness activities, connect students to work-based learning opportunities, and develop postive relationships with community and employer partners.

The Career Coach will be housed in what will soon be a new Connection Center at Linton-Stockton High SChool. In this re-imagined learning envioronment, students will receive college and career preparation. This new space will also feature a presentation stage for students, designated programming for career-related progranning such as guest speakers, collaboratioin stations for class projects and research, and opportunities to connect with current and future resources.

In addition to the high school Connection Center, Linton-Stockton will add a digital fabrication lab in the middle school and a flex-lab makers space at the elementary. Renovation in these spaces will provide resources for hands-on learning, creative design, and project-based learning.

Linton-Stockton Middle School

LINTON-STOCKTON SCHOOL CORPORATION AWARDED $250,000 IMPLEMENTATION GRANT

Thank you!