Staff - POPLAR GROVE ELEMENTARY (2024)

Grants

The FSSD uses grants and federal programs to support the district’s mission, vision, and goals by actively seeking resources that enrich the lives of the stakeholders of the Franklin Special School District.

Grant representatives are located in each school. The grant team representative assists faculty and staff in the grant application process as grants are written for classrooms or schools. For more information on grants and the grant funding process, please speak with your building representative.

Grant Team Representatives

• Franklin Elementary:
  Kortney Genaro
• Johnson Elementary:
  Rebecca Granstaff
• Liberty Elementary:
  Kim Jefferson
• Moore Elementary:
  Danette Cravens
• Freedom Intermediate:
  Marie White
• Freedom Middle:
  Aleesha Hoag
• Poplar Grove Elementary School:
  Jessamyn Gray
• Poplar Grove Middle School:
  Mala Womack

Grant Process

Before You Apply

1. Plan a project that meets a real need for students at your school.
2. Contact your Grant Team Rep for possible funding sources.
3. Present your project idea to your principal or supervisor.
4. CompleteIntent to Applygrant form
5. YourGrant Team Repand FSSD Grants Consultant Joanna Salce will provide feedback on your proposed project.

While You Are Writing
Work with your Grant Team Rep to complete theProject Profile Planning Sheet.

1. Identify the need
2. State the goal
3. Describe the objectives
4. List the activities
5. Prepare the evaluation
6. Build the budget
7. Consider dissemination and sustainability

Grant Team Reps have access to additional online resources and can help you access data on the school and district. If you make changes to your original plan, please change theIntent to Applyform to reflect these changes. All grant proposals must be submitted to Joanna Salce, Grants Consultant, for review at least five working days prior to being submitted to the funder.

When You Have Finished
A grant consultant will review your proposal to ensure it meets the high-quality standards expected from Franklin Special School District and its staff. Contact the Associate Director for Teaching and Learning,Dr. Mary Decker, to arrange for any required signatures from the district. Whether or not signatures are required, send a copy of the completed grant application to Joanna Salce.

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FSSD Grants
Joanna Salce
Grant Consultant
507 Highway 96 West
Franklin, TN 37064

National Board Certification for Teachers

The Franklin Special School District truly believes that great schools begin with great teachers whose instructional leadership can positively impact children. National Board Certification supports its vision ofExcellence in Teaching and Learning for All; therefore, the FSSD supports its teachers who pursue this rigorous process beyond year one to ensure all district NBCT candidates become fully certified. This is an investment that will have a far-reaching positive impact not only for the teachers who participate in this process but also for quality of instruction we offer the children of the Franklin Special School District.

National Board Certification

Total Cost for the Process: $1,975
Teacher Cost (Including $75 application processing fee): $690
District Cost (allocated over 3 years): $1,285
NBPTS Candidate Center

District funding will not be dependent upon the achievement of the National Certification. However, if the teacher does not complete the process, the district will require the $1,285 to be repaid to the district. The $690 fee paid by the teacher is not refundable from the National Board.

Once a teacher achieves National Certification, the teacher will receive a $4,000 per year supplement (southeastern average) for the life of the certificate as long as 100% of his/her day is devoted to direct classroom instruction.

Additionally, any teacher who accepts district funding for payment of the National Board Certification process shall sign an agreement that states that she/he will remain a teacher with FSSD for three years or repay, on a pro-rated basis, any district expenditure for the program.

Process

Teachers interested in pursuing National Board Certification should email the following two National BoardCertificationcoordinators.All details of teacher and district cost and responsibilities will be conveyed to those interested in pursuing NBC.

• Leslie Duke, Human Resources Supervisor

• Mary Decker, Ed.D., Associate Director of Schools, Teaching and Learning

What Professional Learning Means to FSSD

The Franklin Special School District's mission statement is “Teaching and Learning for All,” which simply means it is our goal to provide high-quality teaching and learning opportunities for all students, parents, teachers, and administrators. Research has shown that high-quality professional learning for all teachers improves the learning of all students. With professional learning, teachers can design more meaningful learning opportunities for their students, enabling students to meet high academic standards. This data-driven, ongoing, research-based, and high-quality professional learning program is designed to raise the academic performance and achievement of all students, including one year or more academic growth.

To learn more, please visit theProfessional Learning section of the website.

Instruction and Professional Learning

Summer Carlton,Supervisor
Lindy Howse, Secretary
Freedom Intermediate School
840 Glass Lane
Franklin, TN 37064

615-472-3113

Employee documents may only be accessed using your Googlelogin credentials.

• Employee Documents
  • Grievance Forms
  • Personnel Directory
  • Tuition Reimbursem*nt
  • Social Media Guidelines and permission form for an official account

The Teacher Calendar breaks down the FSSD school calendar into more specific labels for professional learning and mandatory teacher contract days. The Teacher Contract Days are explained in full below. You are welcome to click on the links below for a printable calendar and contract day explanation:

2023-24Teacher Calendar (pdf)

2023-24Teacher Contract Days (pdf)

NEW (approved 1/8/2024)

2024-25Teacher Calendar (pdf)24-25Teacher Contract Days (pdf)

2023-2024Contracted Days for Teachers

200 Teacher Contract Days

• 177 Student Days
• FSSD Scheduled Professional Learning: 5 days (See below)
• Teacher Professional Learning Days: 3 days (See below)
• Administrative Days: 4 days (See below)
• School Renewal: 1 day (See below)
• Paid Holidays: 10days

FSSD Scheduled Professional Learning Days (5)

All teachers will engage in learning that is critical to the district or the school; therefore, attendance is expected.

August 1:District Professional Learning
August 3: SchoolProfessional Learning
November 7: District Professional Learning
January 2:School Professional Learning
January 3:District Professional Learning

Teacher Scheduled Professional Learning Days (3 days or 18 hours)

Ateacher is responsible fora minimum of 18 hoursof professional learning.Additional hours beyond the required may be applied to license renewal and as additional hours on the Professionalism Rubric.

• Professional learning hours provide time for teachers to engage intopics that support district and school goals. FSSD professional learning offerings are posted in Frontline Professional Growth and offered throughout the year, including after school, on weekends, and during the summer. Professional learning credit is approved through the district.
• Please submit a certificate of completion (via email or interoffice mail) to Summer Carlton for professional learning completed outside FSSD (conferences, workshops, webinars, state trainings, etc.). Mrs. Carlton will determine approval and enter the professional learning credit in Frontline Professional Growth.

Administrative Days (4 days)

Teachers complete administrative duties associated with the opening and closing of school (e.g., student records, reports, etc.).

• Flex dayduring summer (Teachers log time in the classroom, per the direction of their principal, preparing for the beginning of school)
• August 2– Preparation for the opening of school
• January 4– Preparation for the second semester
• May 28– Preparation for the close of school

School Renewal Day (1 day)

Neither teachers nor students attend on this day since time has been logged previously outside of the regularschool hours conducting parent/teacher conferences.

• October 9– This day is included as a part of Fall Break in exchange for logged time outside of the regular school hours conducting parent/teacher conferences.

Early Dismissal Days (6 days)

Students attend in the morning. Teachers engage in school-based professional learning after student dismissal.

• August 4
• September 1
• October 6
• November 17
• February 16
• March 8

*Please note: the 18 hours of required professional learning, as a part of the teacher contract, must be earned outside of the school day (after school, on weekends, and during the summer). However, hours earned during the school day may be submitted as Professional Development Points (PDPs) in TNCompass.

Instruction and Professional Learning

Summer Carlton,Supervisor
Lindy Howse, Secretary

Freedom Intermediate School
840 Glass Lane
Franklin, TN 37064

615-472-3113

Franklin Special School District’s employee childcare center,WeeMAC, is open year-round for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years, offering them a nurturing and caring environment in which they can grow and learn. It is licensed by theTennessee Department of Education. Tuition is comparable to other childcare facilities in the area and the program is self-sustaining. WeeMAC is under the MAC umbrella of childcare services

WeeMAC Office
Melissa Whitehair, Supervisor
c/o Freedom Middle School
750 New Highway 96 West
Franklin, TN 37064
615-591-2559

Sheay Grant, Assistant Supervisor

• Skyward Manual
• District Textbook Links
• Travel Form

Skyward Manual

All district adopted resources for core content area teachers can be accessed through yourClever dashboard.

• McGraw Hill Wonders
• Holt McDougal
• Curriculum Associates Teacher Toolbox
• Studies Weekly
• Gallopade
• Accelerate Learning STEMscopes
• Pearson EasyBridge

Click below to meet the Teaching and Learning Team!

Travel Reimbursem*nt Form