The Janice Thomson Memorial Grant
This grant has been named in honour of the late Janice Thomson, a respected and well-known Ontario teacher, educator, administrator, and author. Throughout her distinguished career, Ms. Thomson remained both an eclectic learner and a passionate teacher who never lost sight of the importance of what went on in the classroom. Long before the term "at-risk" became common currency in education circles, Ms. Thomson was a tenacious advocate for special needs students and programs.
Ms. Thomson taught high school in Hamilton, Ontario, for 17 years before going to work for the Ontario Ministry of Education, first as an Education Officer and later as Coordinator of the Liaison Services Section. In 1997, Ms. Thomson joined the newly formed Ontario College of Teachers as Implementation Project Coordinator and went on to become Manager of Accreditation Services. Ms. Thomson died of cancer in 1999. The grant was initiated by her family and friends.
The Janice Thomson Memorial Grant is given annually to an Ontario secondary school teacher, or teachers, for the development of creative and innovative learning resources. The selection panel assesses each proposal to ensure that it meets the following criteria:
- Supports the existing Ontario curriculum in the Arts, History, "at-risk" programs, or special education programs.
- Assists secondary school teachers.
- Identifies a critical educational need for the resource.
- Uses resources that are readily available to teachers.
- Has the potential to be used by a wide variety of learners.
- Addresses a current or future critical need for student or teacher learning in the areas mentioned above.
- Demonstrates potential for improved classroom instruction and student achievement.
- Shows a potential for sharing and application in other settings or grades (i.e., in schools, school systems, or communities).
The deadline for applications for this grant is April 1st of the year in which you are applying. Your proposal must show how the project addresses all of areas outlined above. The project should be developed in a format that will allow it to be published on the Internet.