Project ReImagine is a go.
Superintendent Dr. William Skilling received word on Thursday, Nov. 12 that Oxford School District was among 13 districts across the state to receive Project ReImagine Grant money.
The district will receive $9.6 million to help achieve the goals that were outlined in the application submitted to the State of Michigan on Aug. 26.
‘This is great news for our school district as we continue to strive to become a lighthouse district of innovation,? said Skilling. ‘This is another example of creating new revenue streams to help us through the difficult financial storm while at the same time creating innovation to better help out students compete in a global world 24/7.?
According to Skilling, one of the big initiatives that the grant is going help fund is every school in the district becoming an International Baccalaureate (IB) school.
If the district is successful in accomplishing that goal, it would be the first school district in the world that has every school certified to be IB schools, according to Skilling.
The IB was created back in the 1960’s as a program that created international standards for kids whose parents were diplomats.
Oxford was chosen to receive the grant based on the following reasons:
Their flexible schedules including 24/7 online/blended class offerings using virtual learning management system to allow students to participate in flexible school year, with two 17-week semesters and a 12 week summer term.
Their multiple early transition options, including College Level Examination Program (C.L.E.P.) teaching; advanced placement testing; duel eninadvanced placement testing; duel enrollment; and diploma /college credit/associates degree attainment program through partnerships with Oakland Community College, Baker College and Oakland University.
Their year-round PreK-12 International Baccalaureate program.
Their requirement for all students to be fluent in Spanish or Mandarin Chinese by eighth grade.
Their universal half-day preschool for 3-and-4-year-old students with rigorous standards for students and staff. This program is being designed in coordination with Michigan State University (MSU) and the MSU Confucius Institute.
The grant will also help fund the Fifth Core World Language program. ‘In the grant itself, there is money provided to hire more language teachers, both Chinese and Spanish,? said Skilling.
The grant would also help fund more training in the world languages, professional development and help fund additional technology.
The school district is currently writing curriculum that would require students to be members of international project based teams and problems solving teams with students from many different countries.
‘That’s going to be an important skill set that they (the students) can learn to work well as a member of an international team in the 21st century.?
‘So some of the programs and things that we need to purchase to help make that happen and some of the technology that helps us create those virtual teams is in this grant as well,? said Skilling.
State Superintendent Mike Flanagan said in a press release that the Michigan Department of Education was excited that so many districts worked cooperatively with community patrons to reimagine education and propose system-wide reform.
‘These are incubators of reform that push the current limits and eventually can replicated in schools across Michigan,? Flanagan said.
The ReImagine Grant was a challenge issued by Flanagan over the summer to boldly and dramatically reimagine their school systems to ensure all students learn and achieve at high levels. A total of 71 proposals were submitted.
Skilling would like to thank Jim Schwarz, Tim and Stephanie Throne and Grace Smith for the countless hours they put in writing the proposal.