Teacher Fellowship For Graduate Study In Memory of Richard Gazzola

 

The Teacher Fellowship was established by the New York State PTA in 1961 to encourage excellent teachers to stay in the classroom by providing an opportunity for them to improve their teaching skills, update their professional knowledge, and expand their professional horizons. In 1992, the Fellowship was named to honor a “Master Teacher”, Richard Gazzola, who served on the New York State PTA Board of Directors for many years prior to his untimely death in 1991.

 

Grant:

$1,000 for advanced graduate study.

 

Criteria:

Academic ability, professional promise and relevance of proposed study to improve teaching proficiency and the applicant’s PTA participation.

The following courses shall not be considered:
• Courses being taken to meet initial teaching certification requirements
• Courses being taken to meet certification requirements (or any other courses) for guidance positions
• Courses being taken to meet certification requirements (or any other courses) for administrative positions

Financial need is NOT a consideration.

 

Eligibility:

Applicant must
1. Be a full-time, non-substitute teacher in a New York State public school.
2. Have obtained their masters degree and have completed at least one full year of teaching in the year immediately preceding applying.
3. Be a member of the PTA unit of the school in which they teach or in which their children attend. The PTA unit must be a unit in good standing (membership paid, insurance paid, bylaws valid) by February 1.
4. Not have been a previous recipient of more than one NYS PTA Fellowship. No more than TWO (2) fellowships will be given to any one individual.

 

NOTE

Applying for a grant from another source must be indicated on the application. Receipt of a comparable grant would make applicant ineligible for a Fellowship. Notification of acceptance of such a grant should be sent to the State PTA Office immediately.

 

Applications:

ALL of the following are the responsibility of the applicant: 
1. Official transcripts for graduate degree must be submitted directly to the State PTA Office from the college or university.
2. Application must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from each of the following:
    a) The PTA unit president attesting to the applicant’s membership and participation in the unit.
    b) Applicant’s principal or superintendent.
3. Applications are available by going to www.nyspta.org or calling the NYS PTA office at             1(877)569-7782      .

 

Requirements:

All the following must be met by the recipient:
1. Proposed course of study must be a minimum of six (6) credit hours to be completed within one (1) year of award and shall be supported by a statement of the registrar of the supervising institution of comparable work to be undertaken.
2. Study must be in a field to improve applicant’s teaching proficiency.
3. Applicant must be planning to continue teaching in a New York State public school for at least one (1) year.
4. School must be an accredited college or university within the U.S. or its territories.
5. Fellowship MUST be used by August of the following calendar year.
6. Fellowship winners must sign an agreement acknowledging the requirements of the grant.

 

Special Fellowships:

May be awarded outside the usual requirements of formal classroom attendance, when the applicant can convince the committee of its value by presenting a written plan for a course of study not met by available graduate courses. No more than one such Fellowship will be awarded in any year.

 

Selection of State Winners:

Applications are reviewed by a committee of members of the New York State PTA Board of Directors.

 

Deadline for Applying:

Completed applications including transcripts and letters of recommendation must be postmarked, not metered, no later than June 15 to be considered. Allow sufficient time to obtain the necessary transcripts and letters of recommendation. If the application and all supportive data are not postmarked by June 15, the application will NOT be considered.

 

Winners Announced:

Winners are notified on or about August 15 and receive a contractual agreement which must be signed and returned.

 

Instructions to Applicant:

1. Arrange for your official transcripts to be sent directly to the State PTA Office.
2. Send completed application with two (2) letters of recommendation to:
        Awards Specialist
        New York State PTA®
        One Wembley Court
        Albany, NY 12205-3830.

 

APPLICATIONS POSTMARKED (NOT METERED) AFTER JUNE 15 AND/OR INCOMPLETE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

 

Click here for the 2011 application:

Teacher Fellowship for Graduate Study 2011 application  

Teacher Fellowship for Graduate Study 2011 application