Two East Hartford Public Schools teachers have been selected as 2024 Fund for Teachers (FFT) Fellows. This prestigious program provides public school educators with grants for self-designed summer fellowships and professional growth and learning opportunities to bring back to their students. Since 2016, East Hartford Public Schools has had 69 FFT fellows.
The 2024 FFT fellows are Noah Bilmes, 5th Grade Teacher at Norris Elementary School and Ryan Jalbert, Physical Education and Health Teacher at Goodwin Elementary School.
District and building leaders surprised them at work on April 4 with the good news that their applications had been chosen.
Bilmes and Jalbert were two of the 77 teachers awarded grants out of the 282 from Connecticut that applied.
Read more about their exciting summer fellowships below:
Noah Bilmes: Mr. Bilmes plans to participate in the Project-Based Learning conference in Napa, California, to learn how to improve PBL in the classroom so students become more motivated and enthusiastic in school, creating in them a lifelong love of learning.
Ryan Jalbert: Mr. Jalbert plans to explore Hawaii's culture and innovative adapted physical education practices to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities and develop a curriculum that not only promotes physical fitness but also celebrates diversity, inclusivity, and empathy among all students.