Collegial Collaboration Grant

Each year at the regional and national conventions, participants meet with colleagues from around the nation. And the most common comment heard is "I have learned so much from this presentation. Oh how I wish I could visit other schools and see how they have implemented this program."

It is no surprise that university and college travel money is tight, but the NALS Board wants to facilitate this important collegial learning and connection. We will annually fund four (4) $500 stipends to laboratory schools for use by NALS members for travel and/or expenses to another laboratory school site. The laboratory school site will receive the $500 upon the completion of travel and the monies can be used by the staff involved for reimbursement. In return, the NALS Board requires the participants to write either a newsletter article for the NALS Newsletter, present at the NALS National Conference the year following or write a journal article in the NALS Journal about the experience to be considered for publication.

For example, if two staff members at Laboratory School A in California wish to travel to Laboratory School B in Nebraska to learn about implementation of a new literacy program, the Laboratory School A staff travelers can share $500 from NALS to partially offset these travel costs.

If you would like to participate, please send the following documentation (all may be emailed):

  • Your name, personal and professional contact information and laboratory school affiliation.
  • The name and staff member(s) of the laboratory school you wish to visit with contact information (phone and email)
  • Permission from both laboratory school directors/administrators to conduct the visits. This can be emailed as well on laboratory school stationery.
  • A short 300 word description of visit dates, costs, purpose and outcomes.

Please send or email the above to:

Dr. Marian L. Vollmer
Assistant Director
Falk Laboratory School
4020 Allequippa Street
University of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, PA 15261
Phone: 412 624 8671
Fax: 412 624 1303
mayv@pitt.edu

A committee will convene promptly to consider your request using the attached rubric and you will be contacted in writing as soon as possible so as to plan your travel.