This month, the Center for Civic Learning & Community Engagement launched its pilot teacher academy providing professional development on integrating Community Engaged Learning into Civics and History curriculum in high schools.

Supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, the teacher academy is part of an overall effort to increase the number of civic engagement activities and enhance students’ and teachers’ understanding and involvement in history and civic affairs.

The grant supported the development of the two-week summer teacher academy for Pinellas County teachers and staff. The first participants in this pilot program include teachers from SPC’s collegiate high schools and two of Pinellas County’s dropout recovery high schools, Enterprise and MyCroschool.

Educator participants will earn one SPC credit hour as they work through a course co-created by SPC SBSHS faculty and Collegiate high school teachers. The course invites participants to join as co-creators as they learn how to integrate high impact teaching strategies into their classrooms and give feedback on best practices that may help other teachers.

The grant also supports the development of a six-week History and Civics Academy for students in SPC’s three collegiate high schools, which is under development and will launch in the fall of 2025.

For more information and program updates, visit the Becoming Titans webpage or contact Tara Newsom at newsom.tara@spcollege.edu.