IMPACT Grant

 
Innovative Methods for Personalizing Academics, Complemented by Technology

"Igniting a passion for lifelong learning by creating personalized, flexible gateways for students to learn anytime, anywhere."

 

Student work in a small group

Students working in a small group in a Blended Learning classroom  

 
IMPACT Vision: 
Ignite a passion for lifelong learning by creating personalized, flexible gateways for students to learning anytime, anywhere.

 

Overview:
The Innovative Methods for Personalized Academics, Complemented by Technology (IMPACT) project is a bold and innovative initiative to improve the academic performance and success for students within the Iredell-Statesville Schools.  The IMPACT project is funded through an investment of $20 million dollars from a federal Race-to-the-Top District (RttT-D) grant.  Over the next 4 years, the district will revolutionize and transform classrooms into 21st Century learning centers.

The IMPACT project provides Iredell-Statesville Schools the ability to implement an innovative blended learning initiative for our traditional middle and high schools that includes the goal of having a one-to-one technology component for students.  Through the grant initiative, the district utilizes high quality effective educators, digital content and a digital portal to provide a customized and personalized learning experience for all students, every day.  We believe student academic success is improved as teachers utilize real-time feedback and data to individualize instruction for students through a combination of digital instruction and more diverse classroom learning environments.  The IMPACT initiative also provides students with additional skills to be college and career ready.

In order for the district to successfully implement the grant initiative, key personnel have been identified and hired to support our schools.  Grant funds provide a full-time Blended Learning Coach (BLC) or Blended Learning Instructional Facilitator (BLIF) in each traditional middle and high school.  The BLC or BLIF meet regularly with instructional staff and teacher teams to model, demonstrate and work through the implementation of personalized learning.  This includes realigning instructional practices using digital resources and providing multiple ways for students to demonstrate mastery of standards at multiple times in comparable ways, such as capstone projects, project-based learning assignments, digital presentations, simulations and student portfolios. They assist our teachers in using online resources, using student learning profiles and data to design instructional activities, managing digital classrooms and using a variety of communication and assessment tools.