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Bardeen Teacher Incentive Grants

The Teacher Incentive Grant Program has been supporting special teacher training, high tech equipment and unique innovative programs at Vicksburg Community Schools since 1986.

2009 Bardeen Grant recipient Shawn McGuire plays a game of Jeopardy! with students Torey Tibbetts, Troy Halseth and Kathryn Thaman

The purpose of this grant is to fund individual research and personal/professional development activities that will result in new teaching and learning practices. The grant can also be used to purchase materials necessary for implementation of creative and innovative teaching and learning practices where those materials are outside of the scope of normal curriculum materials, supplies or equipment supplied by the District.

The Grant's name is an acknowledgment of the contributions of Maxwell Bardeen. Max was the longtime General Manager of Vicksburg's Lee Paper Company, one of the founders of the Vicksburg Foundation and the Western Michigan University Paper Science & Engineering Department. He was a pilot who also helped start-up the High on Kalamazoo Air Show and a champion of the Vicksburg Community Schools and Vicksburg Teachers.

In 1994 when Maxwell Bardeen passed away, both the Vicksburg Community Schools Foundation and the Vicksburg Foundation voted to expand their support of the Teacher Incentive Grant Program. In acknowledging Max Bardeen and his family as founders of the program, it was officially renamed the Bardeen Teacher Incentive Grant Program. Simultaneously, the Vicksburg Foundation made a five year renewable commitment to the fund and increased their annual donation from $7,500 to $10,000. The Vicksburg Community Schools is grateful to Max Bardeen for his vision and long-standing commitment to the students and teachers of Vicksburg. We are also grateful to the Vicksburg Foundation for supporting teacher innovation and excellence.

The Vicksburg Foundation makes grant funding available in the amount of $10,000 each year. Grant awards are generally limited to $1,000 each although exceptions may be considered based upon the merit of the project proposal and funding availability. That amount may be supplemented by District or private funds.

Grant Guidelines

Expenditures for meals and mileage should fall within District guidelines (meals that are included in conference registration cost would be an exception).

Teaches may include expenses for equipment, supplies and materials; however, all items purchased with grant funds become the property of the District.

Individual teachers may apply each year; however, previous year recipients may receive lower priority in the allocation of grant funds. (The VCSF reserves the right to fund any special funding request throughout the year.)

The Vicksburg Community Schools Foundation Allocations Committee reserves the right to recommend funding for a portion of a grant request.

How to Apply

Bardeen Teacher Incentive Grant forms are available in each school office. It is also available for download here. If you have any questions, please call Amy Manchester @ (269) 321-1006.

Application Deadlines

Applications are accepted annually and due by the first Monday in March.

2010 Grant Recipients

Angela Cox
Assorted tools and materials to create a lending library where teachers can try out tools to help their students who suffer from ADD, ADHD, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome and Anxiety disorders.

Laura Wilson and Teri Negri
Seven video camcorders for students to use to produce book trailers. These short videos will promote books using the same techniques as movie trailers through the introduction of characters and conflict, and setting the mood for the story to come.

Daryl Zartman
Video/data projector and screen to facilitate the effective use of current and emerging technologies into the high school curriculum and to allow for increased instructional versatility.

Stephanie Mallery
A variety of high quality and high interest fiction and non-fiction reading titles in grades sixth through eighth at Vicksburg Middle School for classroom libraries.

Jill Barton
Attend the Wisconsin Mathematics Council Conference in Madison, WI. Focus will be on improving balanced math instruction in the elementary classroom and gathering strategies that can be shared with colleagues.

Jessica Moughton and Kelly Vanlaningham
InterWrite pads for improving classroom instruction and enhancing existing curriculum by using the pads along with current 2nd grade classroom technology.

Kathleen Forsythe and Sharon Moyle
Five Nooks (eBook reader) for the Bulldog Book Club at the high school along with book titles, thus providing an opportunity to suggest to club members and other students that reading is relevant and important.

Troy Smith
Attend the Advanced Screenwriting class at the Maine Media Workshop in Rockport, Maine. Material gained from this advanced workshop will improve both the scripts and films that students produce.