Springfield College Partners with Springfield Public Schools to Offer Employee Grants
Springfield College has partnered with the Springfield Public Schools in providing employee grants to full and part-time employees of Springfield Public Schools, who are enrolled in either undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or certificate of advanced graduate study programs at Springfield College.
Springfield College has partnered with the Springfield Public Schools in providing employee grants to full and part-time employees of Springfield Public Schools, who are enrolled in either undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, or certificate of advanced graduate study programs at Springfield College.
Springfield Public Schools employees are eligible to receive scholarships, which have been established by Springfield College to support its members being educated for leadership in service to others. Students must provide employment information to confirm their eligibility. For more information, check out springfield.edu/partnership.
“We are excited to continue to grow our menu of options for Springfield Public Schools employees interested in furthering their education,” said Springfield Public Schools Senior Administrator of Talent and Diversity Development Matthew J. Grimes. “The synergy that exists between SPS, Springfield College, and other organizations in Western Mass is exactly what is needed to address critical issues impacting education in the region, including the lack of racial diversity that exists in our workforce. Partnerships like this allow us to leverage our resources to provide opportunities for meaningful engagement and retention. Our goal is to not only attract highly qualified, diverse employees to SPS, but also keep and develop them. Being able to support employees on their own learning journeys is critical in strengthening our workforce.”
Employees of Springfield Public Schools can receive the employee grant for each degree pursued at the College, and participants will be awarded potential transfer credits who have completed trainings and certifications as outlined in the College’s experiential learning handbook.
In addition, the College will provide a pathway for Springfield Public Schools employees, once enrolled, to earn additional credits for their degree program through the College’s prior learning assessment portfolio program.
Springfield College Has Long-Standing History with Springfield Public Schools
The latest Springfield College and Springfield Public Schools collaboration adds to a rich history between the two institutions partnering for more than two decades. Springfield College Educator Preparation and Licensure Director Dr. Linda Davis-Delano has been integrally involved in the Springfield College and Springfield Public Schools partnerships for over 25 years dating back to 1993.
“Springfield College is delighted to enter into yet another partnership with Springfield Public Schools,” said Davis-Delano. “This one is designed to help all employees of Springfield Public Schools benefit from a Springfield College education. All academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate level are part of this partnership program. Our rich history of partnering with Springfield Public Schools continues with this great program.”
Under Davis-Delano’s leadership, all of the following partnerships have occurred and/or are still active between Springfield College and Springfield Public Schools. Springfield College has displayed a long-standing commitment to diversifying the teacher workforce throughout the Connecticut River Valley, programs that include:
(Accelerated Certification for Educators) ACE Project - Paraprofessionals to teacher pipeline housed in the Springfield College School of Human Services.
Project S.A.G.E. - Graduate program preparing Springfield Public School teachers and counselors to work in Springfield Public Schools alternative schools.
Project SPIRIT - Undergraduate program for Black/Latinx Springfield Public High School graduates aspiring to be teachers.
In addition, the Springfield College S-Cubed (S3)/Working Teachers Program (WTP) continues to assist working teachers through this graduate program that increases teachers of record in Springfield Public Schools, who are fully licensed. This program also includes the Paradigm Shift, which is a paraprofessional to teacher pathway with a goal of diversifying the teacher workforce.
The Springfield College AmeriCorps program also remains committed to assisting youth in Springfield Public Schools through the usage of student support specialists, working to provide mentoring, academic coaching and support, and social-emotional reinforcement. Started in conjunction with Project S.A.G.E., the AmeriCorps Program members serve in Springfield schools (grades K through 12), where they can facilitate interventions targeting risk factors that lead to dropping out of school, low attendance, behavioral/disciplinary issues, and course failure in English and math.
Historically, Springfield College graduates have been hired and are well respected, with more than 600 Springfield College graduates serving as teachers, coaches and administrators in local greater Springfield area schools.
Springfield College is an independent, nonprofit, coeducational institution founded in 1885. Approximately 4,100 students, including 2,500 full-time undergraduate students, study at its main campus in Springfield, Mass., and at its regional campuses across the country. Springfield College inspires students through the guiding principles of its Humanics philosophy – educating in spirit, mind, and body for leadership in service to others.
