Don Goff Professional Development Fund

Purpose: Enable Cleveland City Schools classroom teachers or teacher teams to pursue professional development experiences that enhance instruction, enrich teaching skills, and empower professional growth.

Geographic Scope: Cleveland City Schools, Tennessee

Focus Areas:

• Conference registration and attendance
• Workshop participation
• Virtual conferences
• Professional development materials (books, manuals, online resources)
• Travel and lodging for professional development

Eligibility:

• Full-time, certified classroom teachers (individual or team application)
• If applying as a team, all members must be full-time certified teachers
• Minimum 3 years of teaching experience in Cleveland City Schools preK-12 classroom at end of current school year
• Student teaching and substitute teaching do not count toward experience requirement
• Must commit to return to Cleveland City Schools classroom for 1 year to implement learning from professional development
• Approved by school principal

Expenses Covered:

• Registration fees for conferences, workshops, virtual conferences
• Materials associated with professional development (books, manuals, online links)
• Travel and lodging

Expenses NOT Covered:

• Substitute teacher costs
• Food

Team Applications: Teachers may apply individually or as a team. Team definitions include: by grade level, by subject area, or teachers from another school in CCS (e.g., two music teachers as a team)

Additional Requirements:

• Any funds not spent must be returned to the fund
• BCPEF Executive Director must approve any changes in use of funds
• Recipient must write thank you letter to Don Goff Professional Development Fund Committee

Contact Information:

• Principal approval email: [email protected]
• BCPEF Phone: (423) 476-0034
• Address: 833 N Ocoee St, Cleveland, TN 37311
• Mailing: PO Box 4354, Cleveland, TN 37320

Application Process

Step 1: Read guidelines

Step 2: Check scoring rubric

Step 3: Start your application

Required Materials

• Applicant Information:
  • Name (first and last)
  • Email
  • School
  • Teaching Assignment
  • Indication if application represents two or more recipients
  • Names of all involved if team application
• Project Details - Narrative Questions:
  1. Professional Development Title, Date, and Location
  2. How will this professional development benefit student learning and success in your classroom and how will you assess the benefits?
  3. What aspect of your School Improvement Plan or which Tennessee Standards will be addressed by the concepts/strategies gleaned from this experience?
  4. How will this professional development enhance your professional skills/expertise?
  5. What activities or classroom project do you anticipate pursuing that this professional development will support?
  6. What is the timeline for implementing changes or enhancements that were learned from this professional development?
• Budget:
  • Provide an itemized budget of how funds will be spent
• Optional:
  • Additional materials or attachments may be sent by email to [email protected]
  • Include your name and Professional Development Title in subject line

Application Requirements

• All applications submitted by deadline will be evaluated by a team of evaluators
• All applicants will be notified by email when application is received by Foundation
• No word count or character restrictions
• Principal approval is REQUIRED - submission is not complete until principal sends confirmation email to [email protected] stating project title and applicant name(s)
• Use of AI: AI can be used to generate drafts, but personalization with specific examples is crucial. Fact-check and proofread carefully if using AI