on campus New grant awarded to NMU to fund community research

Northern Michigan University education assistant professor

Kristen White is among collaborators from 10 partner universities and K12s — including Marquette Area Public Schools—to receive an award from the National Association for Family, School and Community Engagement (NAFSCE) to participate in its Family Engagement Educator Preparation Innovation Project. Only nine collaboratives were selected from a nationwide pool of 76 proposals to receive grants totaling more than $150,000.

The nine collaboratives will implement select components of the Educator Preparation Framework for Family and Community Partnerships, released by NAFSCE in December 2022, and engage in a learning community through June 2023. The grants will incubate new ideas, uncover how the framework sparks innovation to prepare educators for family and community engagement in diverse communities, and create a platform to share and disseminate ideas and knowledge.

White’s group will focus on “systems change.” Her collaborators include representatives from Michigan State University, Ball State Universi- ty, the University of Southern Maine and Bowie State University, along with Lansing, Marquette, Muncie, South Portland and Prince George’s public schools.

“One of the strengths of this project is that educators across the U.S. and in various contexts — for example, urban, suburban and rural — will have an opportunity to read and discuss scenarios for problem-solving with caretakers and families,” White said. “Participants will choose the issues they are currently grappling with. For example, some topics include families with incarcerated caregivers, caregivers of students who have suffered trauma, and connecting caregivers with community resources.”

White said a desired outcome of the study is to seek practices that professional teacher preparation programs can implement to enhance collaborating teachers’ competencies in mentoring pre-service teachers in family and community engagement.

“NMU’s participation in the project will help the School of Education, Leadership and Public Service to facilitate how collaborating teachers think about and approach working with culturally and linguistically diverse families,” she added. “The

Finlandia to host faculty art exhibit through April

Finlandia University’s International School of Art and Design is presenting a faculty exhibit at the Finlandia University Gallery, located in the Finnish American Heritage Center in Hancock through April 13.

Recent works by full-time, adjunct, and emeritus faculty –– representing a diverse range of media and concepts –– will be on display. Artists include Carrie Flaspohler, Phyllis Fredendall, Gini Gesler, Levi Grannis, Kenyon Hansen, Lindsey Heiden, Joyce Koskenmaki, Laura Smyth, and Denise Vandeville. Ceramics, fiber art, digital art, sculpture, drawing and painting are several of the media that will be represented in this exhibit.

“This exhibit is a great opportunity to share and celebrate the talents of our faculty with the community and Finlandia students, faculty and staff,” said Carrie Flaspohler, gallery director/curator. “Their creative works are an inspiration, bringing insight, inquiry and poetry into our lives.” study’s results will impact how educators, families, caretakers and local businesses establish and strengthen relationships to support the social and academic development of children and youth.”

Call 906-487-7500 or email gallery@finlandia.edu to set up an appointment to view the exhibit.

The Educator Preparation Framework was developed by NAFSCE in partnership with the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation, MAEC, the National Education Association and the Family Engagement Consortium on Educator Preparation.

“Engaging families in their children’s learning is the most comprehensive, cost-effective and culturally responsive way to enhance student learning and build strong communities,” stated the NAFSCE website in explaining the impetus for the framework. “But we can’t assume that educators have had opportunities to learn the practice of family and community engagement and that they will automatically build relationships with families without training and support. Ensuring that educators are equipped to Reflect, Connect, Collaborate, and Lead with Families requires intentional preparation.”

MTU to work with University of District of Columbia

Michigan Technological University and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) have signed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on the values of diversity, equity, inclusion and sense of belonging (DEIS).

With the shared understanding that DEIS contributes to a thriving and innovative workforce and society, Michigan Tech and UDC inked an MOU that empowers both universities to tap into each other’s strengths and expertise. The agreement was signed Feb. 3 at UDC’s Van Ness Campus.

The MOU’s scope includes student exchanges and graduate study articulations, faculty collaborations and visiting professorships, joint funding proposals and philanthropy.

Under the MOU, Michigan Tech will also provide mentorship in helping UDC attain R2 status within the Carnegie Classification system for research universities. In return, UDC will provide cultural responsiveness mentorship to MTU.

CHEAP THRILLS REPRINTEd fRom THE New York Times

By Christina iverson and samuel a donaldson/edited By Will shortz

79 Little squealer

83 Fencer’s score

86 Hebrew version of the English pronoun ‘‘I’’

6 Maker of the Nitro

5 gaming laptop

7 ‘‘The year’s at the spring/ And day’s at the ____’’: Robert Browning

8 Yankees manager before Girardi

9 Zealous activist

10 C-note

11 Tranquil discipline

12 Former name of a Kansas arena that commemorated a 1976 U.S. anniversary

13 It helps make a stew a goo

14 Poached fruit

15 Garnish for una margarita

16 Source of many a name on a campus building, informally

17 Starts eating

20 Poli ____

25 Reply to the Little Red Hen

26 Name hidden in ‘‘before long’’

It makes a red velvet cake red cash

115 Bad-sounding creatures?

116 Ditto, in footnoteslegal

118 Word that means ‘‘ocean’’ in a religious title

119 Large crowd 120 It’s cried on a slide 121 Check 122 Classical poem

123 Beast with recurved horns

124 Triumphant shout at a crossword tournament

125 Freshness

126 Like some morning lawns

127 Smokey spot, for short

DOWN

1 Sharpens

2 ‘‘How ____ Your Mother’’

3 Work out

4 Some garlic prep

5 Regarding beef? some ancient highlighter colors

82 Relish

84 Plant whose name derives from Quechua

85 Devious snicker

89 Barely gets the words out

92 Pros with deliveries, in brief 95 Painter Jan van 96 ‘‘Let’s do this!’’ 97 Civil rights icon ____

BurroughsHelen

98 Power structure?

100 Capers

104 Shakespeare’s ‘‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?’’ has five of them

105 Beaming, as with joy

106 Liberal arts college in Kentucky

107 Locally focused lecture franchise

108 Pac-12 player

109 Santa’s favorite Hostess dessert?

110 Wilson of film

112 Carded at a bar, informally

113 Common spot for a sunburn

114 Gaggles

115 Chain email abbr.

117 Grammy winner ____ Lipa

Answer Key

To check your answers, see Page 60.