Brooklyn Park Charter School Receives Grant to Train Special Ed Teachers
As the new school year approaches, a Brooklyn Park charter school learned it will receive a funding boost.
“It was just amazing that we actually got the grant for our small little charter school,” said Susan Scheller, the academic director of Spero Academy in Brooklyn Park.
Spero Academy is one of more than 35 schools across Minnesota to receive an Education Pipeline grant from the Minnesota Department of Education to help support and train special education teachers.
Scheller worked with colleagues Brittany Crouse and Diane Pangal to secure the grant.
Spero Academy, located at 7444 N Humboldt Ave., will receive a $700,000 Education Pipeline grant from the Minnesota Dept. of Education.
Spero received $700,000, which will help train six of its staff members. Those staff members will enroll in a special education training program at Augsburg University and receive an Academic Behavioral Strategic License once they finish their training.
Spero Academy has 124 students in grades K-6. About 90 percent of them are on an individualized education program.
“We know that this will benefit our children greatly to have people that we already know can do the work,” Scheller said. “Special ed is a challenging job and you have to have the right demeanor. You have to have the right knowledge, you have to have a passion for our kids.”
Spero Academy plans to put four other staff members through the training over the next two years.
The state awarded nearly $10 million in Education Pipeline grants.
Related: Robbinsdale School District Tries To Fill Staffing Voids in Special Ed
