MARYVILLE, Mo. — The Regional Professional Development Center at Northwest Missouri State University is the recipient of grant funding aimed at closing the learning gap between urban and rural school districts to ensure students throughout the region are equipped with critical skills, credentials and experiences necessary to thrive in their post-secondary education, careers and communities.
In July, the Patterson Family Foundation awarded $315,000 to support the RPDC’s Success Ready Students Network–Northwest Missouri Collaborative (SRSN-NW) and launch of Real-World Education for All Learners, a three-year initiative to foster a collaborative network of school districts, business partners, higher education institutions and community leaders that builds a regional ecosystem for future-ready learning.
The initiative will be facilitated by the Northwest RPDC and the Northwest Foundation Inc. in partnership with local districts and business and industry representatives.
“This effort addresses a critical need across our 15-county region by expanding real-world learning opportunities that prepare students for life beyond high school,” Jennee Gregory, the director of the Northwest RPDC, said in a news release. “We are deeply grateful for the generosity of the Patterson Family Foundation and their mission of ‘working together to help rural communities thrive.’ Their support empowers us to partner meaningfully with schools, businesses and community leaders to build equitable, future-focused learning ecosystems across northwest Missouri.”
Building on the statewide SRSN effort supported by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the Northwest RPDC initiative embraces real-world learning and competency-based education strategies that have proven successful in urban and suburban areas.
The project will include monthly virtual professional learning sessions, school and business site visits, in-person fall and spring conventions, and summer institutes. By the end of the three-year funding cycle, the project intends to have strengthened partnerships, disseminated best practices and organized strategic planning sessions to support replication of its work in Missouri and beyond.
“The generosity of the Patterson Family Foundation will support initiatives that further connect northwest Missouri schools with deeper real-world learning opportunities for students at all levels,” Jay Albright, a project assistant with the Northwest RPDC and Northwest Missouri SRSN convener, said. “This inspirational work is helping to reimagine the school experience to ensure all students are 21st-century ready. We cannot say thank you enough for this opportunity to continue building the capacity of students, teachers and administrators.”
The Northwest RPDC supports and provides professional development activities for K-12 educators in 59 school districts in the 15-county Northwest region. The Real-World Education for All Learners project has the potential to serve more than 30,000 students in those school districts, the news release stated.
While educators and administrators throughout the region will receive sustained professional development and support, the Northwest RPDC and the school districts it serves also expect the initiative will positively impact families, local employers and civic partners who play a role in supporting student success.
“The Patterson Family Foundation grant will allow us to expand real-world learning opportunities across the entire Northwest region, equipping educators with the tools, resources and confidence to connect classroom learning to future careers,” said Sandy Steggall, superintendent of the Clinton County R-III School District and a Northwest Missouri SRSN convener. “This investment will strengthen our schools, build educator capacity and unite our communities in preparing students for the opportunities ahead.”
