Taylor School District outlines plans for Title IV "Stronger Connections" grant

Stacy Vesperini, the district's director of state and federal programs, told the board on Aug. 7 that Taylor was recently awarded its portion of the federal Title IV competitive Stronger Connections grant and described how the district will spend the money.

Vesperini said the funding will support Hope Squad, a student peer-mentoring program; provide adaptive physical-education equipment for students with special needs; supply marching-band musical equipment; and fund incentives tied to PBIS (positive behavioral interventions and supports). She said teacher stipends will support local data review and activity planning and that professional development funds will cover training such as CPI nonviolent de-escalation and QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) suicide-prevention instruction.

"The Stronger Connections grant is part of Title IV," Vesperini said. "Our part of that was just about over $200,000." She added staff will "work with the schools to get these funded and start getting some things for our schools."

The district said materials and some software purchases are eligible to be paid from 31a at-risk grant funds where applicable, and that professional-development costs will be charged to Title II where permitted. Vesperini told the board that some expenditures are targeted to three elementary schools initially with possible expansion to middle and high schools.

There was no formal vote tied to the presentation; staff said they will move forward with implementation steps and return to the board as required by purchasing and grant-accounting rules.