Thanks to a $1.2 million grant from the Mississippi Department of Education, Mississippi University for Women’s Roger F. Wicker Center for Creative Learning will continue a highly successful program that seeks to improve student achievement in mathematics and critical thinking.

In addition to recruiting teachers within its 18 partnering districts, CHAMPS may also consider educators statewide who would benefit from its intensive professional development training in mathematics, according to Melinda Lowe, CCL associate director and CHAMPS project manager.

“Our goal is to create confident, effective teachers who, through high-quality professional development, learn easy-to-implement strategies that correlate with the rigorous Common Core State Standards (CCSS),” she said.

To do this, CHAMPS offers an intensive two-week seminar for teachers, follow-up weekend mini-conferences working with students in a classroom, online professional learning communities to assist with CCSS implementation, data coaching and a mathematics resource center, among other strategies.

Specific objectives include:

• increase mathematics content knowledge,
• increase knowledge and appropriate alignment of teaching activities of the CCSS
• increase the use of manipulatives and inquiry-based instructional strategies
• increase the meaningful use of data-driven instructional decisions through data coaching
• increase the participants’ involvement in high quality professional development activities
• increase the leadership activities of participants within their schools
• increase middle school mathematics achievement

Teachers will earn seven continuing education units free of charge in addition to teaching resources and a daily training stipend. CHAMPS will provide the district with a $75 per day stipend to defer the costs of substitutes.

The following targeted school districts have made a commitment to participating in the CHAMPS Project: Aberdeen, Amory, Attala, Chickasaw, Columbus, Houston, Kemper, Lee, Louisville, Monroe, Noxubee, Okolona, Oktibbeha, Philadelphia, Starkville, Tupelo, Webster and West Point. Participating private schools include Heritage Academy, Annunciation Catholic School and Immanuel Christian School.

The online application can be found at www.muw.edu/champs. The application deadline is Monday, April 15. For more information, contact Lowe at (662) 241-6088 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..