The Public Education Foundation and the Hamilton County Department of Education are in need of business and nonprofit leaders to mentor K-12 educators for the new Teacherpreneur Incubator.
The Teacherpreneur Incubator is a teacher leadership initiative which offers teachers support, time and space to incubate big ideas and execute them in the best interests of their students and their profession. PEF and HCDE are partnering with the Benwood Foundation on this initiative.
In May, HCDE teachers submitted 60 proposals to the Teacherpreneur Incubator. These submitted proposals were narrowed to 28, and these proposals will enter the Teacherpreneur 48Hour Launch based on the Co.Lab 48Hour Launch model.
The diverse Teacherpreneur proposals include:
• An internet café at a local high school for students who do not have access to the internet at home
• A virtual book club where students all over Hamilton County can participate and share
• An outdoor mobile classroom where students learn the science and math of kites
• A maker space in an elementary school library
• An app for parents so they can help children with their math homework.
Friday, Aug. 1 through Sunday, Aug. 3, the participating HCDE educators will "compete" in a 48Hour Launch at the Society of Work. On Sunday night, the HCDE educators will pitch their ideas to a panel of judges at The Church on Main. 10-12 proposals will be chosen to receive funding and on-going support.
Business and nonprofit leaders are needed to mentor and support educators either for a few hours during the 48Hour Launch or the entire school year if they like.
Contact PEF's Keri Randolph at krandolph@pefchattanooga.org or 423-648-2426 if you are interested or for more information.