Learning Spaces Grant
GEF Funds $150,000 Grant to District 34,
New Learning Spaces Coming Fall 2018
Thanks to generous donations and continued support from District 34 families and local businesses, Glenview Education Foundation was able to grant $150,000 to District 34 to bring to life its vision of 21st Century learning in the form of six pilot classrooms that will be unveiled in the fall.
Focused on cultivating creativity, flexibility, collaboration, and problem solving, the pilot classrooms will be spread through all six of the primary and intermediate buildings in the district.
D34 Learning Spaces: Thank You GEF!
“As a district, we are energized by the opportunity to physically adjust our learning spaces. More importantly, we are inspired to engage in a transformational shift in our instructional practices for all students,” said Superintendent Dr. Dane Delli. “We are grateful to have our foundation not just involved in the funding of this pilot, but also be true advocates for reimagining our classrooms and approach to teaching and learning.”
Through this partnership, the district will be able to test different aspects of learning space design in order to better understand the needs of students and teachers. Different types of furniture models, configurations, paint colors, and materials will be experimented with in order to determine what has the greatest impact on the learning experience.
The six pilot classrooms were selected following an extensive application process that was open to all teachers in grades K-5. The teachers were notified in April, and work immediately began to bring the group together to study what instructional changes need to be implemented to embrace this type of learning experience. Construction will begin over the summer and will include a complete transformation of the classrooms, entirely funded through the $150,000 grant from GEF.
“The opportunities we can provide for D34 students, through this collaboration, truly reflect the strategic direction we are taking as a district to help ensure all learners and learning styles are afforded an opportunity to maximize their learning,” Dr. Delli said.
GEF is excited to see the administration turn this pilot into a district-wide initiative to improve learning spaces across all eight schools. With continued donor support, GEF is able to fund innovative, high-impact pilot programs like this that benefit all District 34 students.
