VALLEY CITY (VCSU) – Valley City State University recently hosted the inaugural session of the Teacher Empowerment Incubator, a program focused on empowering educators in rural North Dakota to lead change in their schools and communities.

Led by The Educators’ Lab in conjunction with VCSU, the Teacher Empowerment Incubator is an 8-month professional development experience designed for innovative teachers who are ready to design and launch bold, local solutions that meet the needs of their students and communities. The 12 participating teachers receive personalized coaching, collaborative learning opportunities and up to $1,500 in project funding to support an educator-led impact initiative. The incubator is funded by the Burgum Foundation.

“We believe that when teachers are supported as designers and leaders, incredible things happen for students, schools, and entire communities,” said Darcy Bakkegard, Program Coordinator for the Incubator. “We’re thrilled to have a vibrant cohort of 12 rural educators as part of this cohort of change-makers.”

The group met in-person at VCSU on May 28-29 and will continue to support each other via a series of virtual workshops and coaching sessions. Ultimately, each educator will launch a custom-designed impact project tailored to the needs of their classroom or school community.

“I feel so empowered by this course and the group we are working with,” said Megan Margerum, a 3^rd grade teacher at Northern Cass Public School. “It gives me that “spark” back and now I have some time over the summer to do more brainstorming and make connections with people who can help. I love having this creative space to explore, while giving ideas as well.”

The group of 12 participants in the inaugural cohort range from kindergarten teachers to high school science and math teachers to special education teachers.

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