The Prairie Lands Writing Project at Missouri Western State University has been awarded a $209,000 federal grant to provide additional professional development for teachers in three rural northwest Missouri school districts. The Investing in Innovation (i3) grant from the National Writing Project will fund professional development activities in the Braymer C-4, Breckenridge R-I and Hamilton R-II School Districts. Prairie Lands is one of 12 writing project sites in 10 states selected to participate in the NWP’s College-Ready Writers Program.

“We’re excited to have this support for our work with the teachers and administrators in Braymer, Breckenridge and Hamilton,” said Dr. Jane Frick, Prairie Lands project coordinator. “Over the next two school years, we will offer at least 90 hours of professional development for teachers in the districts. Our goal is to raise student achievement in writing, better preparing them for entering college and pursuing careers.”

Dr. Frick said Prairie Lands will work with school leaders to develop and implement the professional development opportunities, which may include workshops, classroom demonstrations, online learning communities and more. The program launched at Braymer and Breckenridge Aug. 5 and 6 and will launch at Hamilton Aug. 12 and 13.

To measure the program’s effectiveness, students in the three districts will complete writing samples and teachers will complete surveys and submit lesson plans describing their teaching practices for the next two school years while participating in professional development activities.

This is the first of three grant awards for this amount Prairie Lands Writing Project expects to receive from the National Writing Project, Dr. Frick said. Next year’s grant will also be used in Braymer, Breckenridge and Hamilton. The third year of the grant (2015-2016) will fund professional development opportunities for teachers in the Osborn R-0, Trenton R-X and Winston R-VI school districts.

For more information about the i3 grant, visit sites.google.com/site/i3plwp or call Dr. Frick at 816-294-4410.

Missouri Western State University is a comprehensive regional university providing a blend of traditional liberal arts and professional degree programs. The university offers student-centered, high quality instruction that focuses on experience-based learning, community service, and state-of-the-art technology. Missouri Western is located in St. Joseph, Mo., and is committed to the educational, economic, cultural and social development of the region it serves. Visit www.missouriwestern.edu.