The Rowland Fellowship
The Rowland Foundation’s mission is to invest in Vermont teachers to positively change the culture and climate of schools. Each year the Rowland Foundation awards up to six Rowland Fellowships to Vermont middle grade and secondary school teachers. The number of Rowland Fellows selected from qualified applicants varies from year to year, because some teachers apply with a colleague from their school to share a Fellowship.
The Rowland Fellowship is a grant of $125,000 for individuals and $150,000 for partners, but the Fellowship is much more than a monetary award. Predicated on shared leadership, our Two-Year Cohort Cycle provides training, structures, and support to help Fellows make lasting, systemic changes in their schools.
The Rowland Foundation is a network of optimism and hope
The Rowland Foundation believes that teachers have the potential to be powerful change leaders. Every Rowland Fellowship begins with a teacher’s vision to improve the culture and climate of their school.
The Fellowship grant award goes directly to the Fellow’s school to support this change work. The majority of the Fellowship funds cover long-term substitute coverage so that the Rowland Fellow can be released from teaching duties in order to develop their school change Fellowship initiative as a teacher on special assignment. The remainder of the funds support research, site visits, the development of strategic partnerships, and activities to build community support for the work. Meeting regularly with their Cohort of Fellows and a Collaborative Work Group in their schools, Fellows learn shared leadership skills and develop their projects collaboratively in order to make them sustainable over time.
Apply for a Rowland Fellowship!
All Vermont middle and secondary grade teachers are warmly invited to submit a proposal for a Rowland Fellowship. To be eligible, teachers must currently be teaching in a Vermont school and working directly with students on a daily basis. This includes Vermont teachers practicing in the secondary and middle grades in all subject areas, as well as special educators, guidance counselors, mental health counselors, or healthcare professionals who are full-time staff at a Vermont school.
Administrators, coordinators, and instructional coaches are not eligible to apply. Schools with a Rowland Fellow currently in the two-year cohort cycle are also ineligible. The Rowland Foundation accepts proposals only from Vermont schools that 1) are eligible for public funding, and 2) do not have selective admissions. The Rowland Foundation’s selection process does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identification, language, (dis)ability, or national origin.
The Rowland Foundation seeks candidates who demonstrate:
- a capacity for shared leadership and innovation
- a commitment to supporting meaningful and lasting change in their school
- a willingness to take risks and adapt to emerging challenges
- the ability to work collaboratively and develop key partnerships with others
- a sincere commitment to their school, their chosen discipline and their students
- a deep curiosity and ongoing enthusiasm for professional learning
- the strong desire to improve the culture and climate of their respective schools.
The Rowland Foundation seeks proposals which:
- will lead to a positive, systemic change in their school’s culture and climate
- are innovative and schoolwide (i.e., benefit many students)
- are sustainable after the Rowland Foundation completes its funding
- are exportable to other schools. The Rowland Foundation is interested in affecting change throughout Vermont.
- have the complete support of the principal. This will be a key element of the interview process led by the Executive Director prior to selection.
A Two-Year Commitment
PRE-FELLOWSHIP WORK:
The new cohort of Rowland Fellows is selected each February by our Board of Trustees. As soon as new Fellows receive the good news in early spring, they undertake the exciting work of preparing for their Fellowship. With their principals, they participate in a series of spring on-boarding events to celebrate their awards, plan their Fellowship work, and refine their visions for change at their schools. Fellows and their principals sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Rowland Foundation that outlines the obligations and responsibilities of all parties in the work ahead.
YEAR ONE:
Fellows are released from their teaching duties to work for their schools as teachers-on-special-assignment. Fellows meet weekly with the Collaborative Work Groups they’ve assembled in their schools. They also meet monthly with their Rowland Fellows Cohort to develop skills and practices to make their school change work successful. Events such as the Shared Leadership Retreat, the All Fellows Retreat, and the Annual Rowland Conference create further opportunities for professional development and shared learning. By the end of Year One, the full grant amount has been disbursed to the school, but the Foundation continues to support Fellows through a second year of implementation work.
YEAR TWO:
Most Rowland Fellows return to their teaching duties with some built-in release time to allow them to continue to lead their Fellowship work. Regular meetings of the Collaborative Work Groups and Cohort continue as the Fellows’ school change initiatives advance through stages of implementation. The Rowland Foundation provides opportunities such as the All Fellows Retreat and the Annual Rowland Conference to consolidate new learning and build on progress made so far.
By the spring, Fellows may be actively implementing aspects of their work; planning how to sustain their Fellowship work beyond the Cohort cycle; or sharing their change models with other schools. Even beyond the Two-Year Cycle, Rowland Fellows are encouraged to continue participating in the statewide network of Fellows and sharing their innovative ideas with other educators. Many Rowland Fellows seek out new leadership opportunities supported by the Rowland Foundation and available to them as veteran Fellows, such as the Rowland Leadership Grant, the Rowland Encore Grant, and the Rowland Women’s Leadership Retreat.
The Cohort Experience
The Rowland Foundation’s approach to school change is predicated on shared leadership and deep collaboration. The Rowland Cohort Model provides critical support for the challenging school transformation work that Fellows undertake.
For teachers, the Rowland Fellowship provides important recognition and resources — and it is also a commitment. Each year’s Fellows commit to attending monthly meetings of their Cohort, led by the Rowland Foundation’s Senior Associates and Executive Director. Fellows take turns hosting Cohort meetings at their schools, which gives them the opportunity to experience the culture and climate of different schools around the State. This commitment to their peers gives Fellows an opportunity to develop a network of innovative educators invested in each other’s growth and success.
The Collaborative Workgroup
Any successful Rowland Fellowship initiative is based on shared leadership and draws on the strengths of the school community to create lasting change. This is why the Rowland Foundation requires each Rowland Fellow to convene, organize, and lead a Collaborative Work Group in their school, to help design and implement their school change proposal.
The Collaborative Work Group consists of 7-10 people who are available to do the side-by-side, hands-on work of the Fellowship with their Rowland Fellow. Collaborative Work Groups typically include a cross-section of teachers, students, community members, and the Principal (or designee). The Collaborative Work Group meets weekly with a planned agenda for each meeting. Rowland Fellows use the collaborative practice strategies that they learn in their Cohort meetings with their Collaborative Work Group.
Application Process
FAQs
Some frequently asked questions about the Rowland Fellowship:
- Who is eligible to apply?
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Any teacher currently teaching middle or secondary grades in a Vermont school in any subject area is eligible to apply. This includes those working directly with students on a daily basis such as special educators, guidance counselors, mental health counselors, or clinicians who are full-time staff at their school. Administrators, coordinators, and instructional coaches are not eligible to apply. Schools with a Rowland Fellow currently in the two-year cohort cycle are also ineligible. The Rowland Foundation accepts proposals only from Vermont schools that 1) are eligible for public funding, and 2) do not have selective admissions.
- How do I create a budget for my application?
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Applicants are asked to submit a preliminary budget with their proposal. Since release from teaching duties is usually a Fellow’s largest expense, it makes sense to ask your district’s business office for the average cost for a long-term substitute in your district. You should also include any conferences, site visits, and other planned travel– as well as the cost of meetings, gatherings, or retreats you wish to host for your Collaborative Work Group and school community. We recognize that these numbers are subject to change. Budgeting is an iterative process that, when done well, helps improve Fellowship strategies. Fellowships are $125,000 for Fellows working individually and $150,000 for Fellows work in pairs. Please budget for the full amount. The Rowland Foundation wants to see the grant award make an impact.
- What if my school already has a Rowland Fellow?
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Great! There is no limit on the number of Rowland Fellowships a school can receive over time. Veteran Rowland Fellows can be a great resource to learn about the Fellowship experience, and they may be able to give you ideas for your own proposal.
Your school is not eligible to apply for a new Rowland Fellowship if your school’s Rowland Fellow is still in the Two-Year Cohort Cycle. We want to give Fellows the opportunity to substantially complete their Fellowship work before the school launches into something new.
Also, we limit each school to a maximum of two applications per year, each requiring the principal’s enthusiastic support. We welcome applications from multiple schools from within the same district.
- Could you provide clarity on the time away from the classroom? What do Fellows do during that time?
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When asked what the most important part of their Fellowship experience was, most Rowland Fellows say it was the “gift of time”. During the release time provided by the Rowland Fellowship grant award, which pays for a long-term substitute, Rowland Fellows conduct research, consult with experts, and learn more about organizational change strategies. Rowland Fellows use this time away from the classroom to visit schools and institutions around Vermont, in other states, and even in other countries. Rowland Fellows also often connect with veteran Rowland Fellows to learn from their work at Vermont schools. While Rowland Fellows stay connected with their school during this release time through Steering Committee meetings and other work, doing work outside the classroom gives them new perspectives and insights on their practice, as well as their role as educational leaders.
- How do I create a budget for my application?
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Applicants are asked to submit a preliminary budget. Since release from teaching duties is usually a Fellow’s largest expense, it makes sense to ask your district’s business office for the reasonable average cost for a long-term substitute in your district. You should also include any conferences, site visits, and other planned travel, and the cost of meetings, gatherings, or retreats you wish to host for your steering committee or school community. We recognize that these numbers are subject to change. Once selected, Rowland Fellows will meet with their Principals and the Rowland Foundation’s Executive Director to finalize their budgets. Budgeting is an iterative process that, when done well, helps inform Fellowship strategies. Rowland Fellows are required to submit their updated budgets to the Executive Director twice a year during their two-year cohort cycle.
- What if my school already has a Rowland Fellow?
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Great! They can help give you ideas for your proposal. There’s no limit on the number of Rowland Fellowships a school can receive. However, we do limit each school to a maximum of two applications per year, each requiring the principal’s enthusiastic support.
We don’t accept proposals from schools who have Rowland Fellows still in the two-year Cohort Cycle. We want to give Fellows the opportunity to substantially complete their Fellowship work before launching into something new.
- What schools have already received Rowland Fellowships?
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Please visit this page for a list of schools who have had a Rowland Fellow.
- How often do Rowland Fellows meet with their cohort?
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During the Two-Year Cohort Cycle, Fellows meet with their cohort each month, except for July and August. These meetings are organized and facilitated by our Senior Associates and Executive Director, and incorporate collaborative practice strategies and other resources to support the Fellows’ work.
The Rowland Fellows Cohort model is a cornerstone of the Rowland Foundation’s approach to school change. Rowland Fellows learn to rely on their cohort as a trusted peer group. During cohort meetings, Rowland Fellows help each other articulate challenges, share new work, explore new strategies, and celebrate successes during their Fellowship work.
- How should I submit the creative digital artifact with my application?
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All Rowland Fellowship proposals now include a creative digital artifact that allows applicants to represent their vision for their school in a different way — through video, audio, an infographic, a slide deck, a podcast, or any other media that can be reviewed in 5-7 minutes. Please provide a tiny url or QR code to access this material at the bottom of the School Information Sheet portion of your application.
- What if I have more questions?
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Please join our Executive Director, Michael Martin, for a Rowland Fellowship Info Session. Hop on Google Meet to connect with Mike, learn about the Fellowship, and get your questions answered. It’s never too early to start developing your Fellowship proposal! Register for our next Info Session here.
Contact us anytime at: info@therowlandfoundation.org or 802-230-7879