Koshkonong Trails Awarded DPI Implementation Grant

This summer has been a busy time for all involved with the beginnings of Koshkonong Trails. This was made more so by the exciting news that the new Cambridge school was the recipient of a DPI Implementation Grant as part of the first round of recipients from the $95 million dollar grant they received from the federal government.

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Last October, as Koshkonong Trails planning group members were appealing to the Cambridge School District to contract for the opening of the new school, Wisconsin's Department of Public Instruction announced that they had received a federal grant which they would be responsible for dispersing for the purposes of opening high quality charter schools especially targeting students at the secondary levels. (https://dpi.wi.gov/news/releas...) The Koshkonong Trails planning group submitted an application for the subgrant opportunity in the spring alongside 45 other new or expanding charter schools in Wisconsin. Finally, in July, the Cambridge School District was notified that Koshkonong Trails was awarded their requested subgrant in the amount of $486,492. 

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What will Koshkonong Trails do with these funds? The primary purpose of the funding is to ensure that all our students' needs are adequately met. This will happen through staff professional development with the Place Schools Network and curriculum materials purchases. Everything from new microscopes to mountain bikes, canoes, and transport vans will truly enrich the student experiences at Koshkonong Trails. Students and teachers will have the means to conduct meaningful research out in the community without the need to rent and borrow equipment in order to make their ideas a reality. The funding also allows the new building at Severson Learning Center to have some new, multi-functional spaces (mini library, food storage/prep area, and gathering room) added which will be a benefit to all who use the building. The staff and governance board look forward to the start of the school year and working with families, students and the community in Cambridge and beyond!