In April, the Dalio Foundation awarded Fund for Teachers (FFT) professional learning grants to educators across Connecticut, including four from Stamford. According to the organization, the foundation provided some $875,000 in grants this year.  

As FFT Fellows, grant recipients will embark on self-designed professional learning odysseys this summer.  This year, Stamford’s FFT Fellows will be traveling across Vietnam and the United Kingdom and will return with new insights, connections and tools to benefit their students.

Stamford’s 2019 FFT Fellows are:

• Miranda DePoi, Alternative Routes to Success: Retrace the footsteps of Alpha Company from Tim O'Brien's "The Things They Carried" across Vietnam to enhance a literary analysis unit on the novel that is authentic, historically educational and engaging.
• Daria Van Nostrand and Linda Marchisio, Stamford High School: Explore how fashion and storytelling are connected in Scottish culture to create collaborative lessons that increase students' engagement and encourage creativity.
• Melissa Hadsell, Stamford High School: Explore the historical and cultural influences of William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and the Bronte sisters across the United Kingdom to connect modern students with classic authors and experiences.

A complete list of 2019 Fellows, their schools and their fellowships can be found here.