Hansen Inspired Teacher Grants

Hansen Inspired Teacher Grants are available to licensed staff wishing to pursue professional development enrichment opportunities that do not lead to a degree. Applications for a Hansen Grant may also include the cost of materials and resources necessary to bring the learning to fruition within the classroom. Hansen Grants are available thanks to a generous donation from former MAEF board member Jim Hansen.

Spring grant recipients

National Center for School Mental Health Annual Conference

In partnership with an Oliver’s Fund Grant, this grant provides funding for two middle school mental health staff members to attend the National Center for School Mental Health Annual Conference.

Conference attendees will learn the latest research, strategies, and best practices for supporting students’ mental health and emotional well-being in schools by giving them access to current training and evidence-based practices.

Middle school students face many emotional, social, and academic challenges, and schools are seeing increasing mental health needs among students. By attending this conference, staff will gain updated knowledge on:

  • Mental health supports for students

  • Prevention and intervention strategies

  • Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS)

  • School-wide wellness programs, and

  • Ways to better support families and staff

“Get Your Teach On” Conference

This grant provides funding for two 5th-grade teachers to attend the Get Your Teach On conference. The conference focuses on teaching strategies that improve student engagement and learning.

The O.H. Anderson teachers aim to learn new strategies to enhance instruction within the 5th-grade Wit and Wisdom literacy curriculum. The teachers have observed that students need more engaging ways to interact with challenging reading and writing content.

The training will share ways to make lessons more interactive, engaging, and effective for students—providing practical ideas and classroom strategies that the teachers can implement immediately.

Fueling Financial Education in the Classroom

This grant provides funding for three Mahtomedi High School Social Studies teachers to attend the Fueling Financial Education in the Classroom conference. Participants will learn new teaching methods that make financial education more engaging and practical for students.

The conference focuses on helping teachers improve how they teach financial literacy topics such as:

  • Budgeting

  • Investing

  • Taxes

  • Student loans

  • Career and college financial planning

This training is relevant because Personal Finance is becoming a required graduation course for all Mahtomedi students starting with the Class of 2028.

fall grant recipients

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program

Mahtomedi High School staff will be attending the AVID Summer Institute 2026, a nationally recognized professional learning conference focused on college and career readiness practices. This training will deepen staff expertise in AVID’s research-based strategies, supporting the goal of moving from being a school with AVID to fully becoming an AVID school. The targeted participants are teachers and instructional leaders who will bring back new strategies, common instructional language, and resources to strengthen professional learning for all staff. Participation in this institute directly aligns with the district’s Strategic Plan by enhancing exceptional learning experiences, advancing rigorous and equitable instructional practices.

Minnesota Earth Science Teacher Development

Mahtomedi High School science staff will be attending the Minnesota Earth Science Teacher Association Conference, a statewide professional development event focused on innovative Earth and Space Science instruction. This conference provides updated research, hands-on strategies, and networking opportunities that will directly strengthen the 9th grade Earth and Space curriculum serving approximately 300 students each year. The new practices and lesson enhancements—such as groundwater investigations and interactive astronomy activities—will be implemented into classroom work and deepen student engagement and understanding. By equipping educators with cutting-edge instructional approaches, this opportunity aligns with the district’s Strategic Plan to deliver rigorous academics, promote real-world learning, and invest in staff excellence.

Innovative and Inclusive Teaching Strategies

Special Education Teachers and Lead Behavioral Specialists at our elementary and middle schools will attend Innovative School Summit conferences, a professional learning event focused on strategies for students experiencing trauma, mental health challenges, and other at-risk factors. Attendees will participate in targeted tracks, including Innovative Teaching Strategies, At-Risk Students, and Wired Differently, to deepen their expertise in supporting learners identified through special education evaluations. The strategies gained will be integrated into students’ Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and shared with the broader staff to strengthen schoolwide capacity for trauma-informed, inclusive instruction. 

3D Printing and Manufacturing 

Mahtomedi High School engineering and science staff will be attending the RAPID + TCT  Conference, North America’s leading additive manufacturing and industrial 3D printing conference, to strengthen Mahtomedi’s engineering and manufacturing curriculum. This professional learning will equip educators with cutting-edge industry practices, ensuring coursework remains rigorous, relevant, and aligned with the district’s strategic goal of preparing students for future college and career pathways. The conference knowledge, drawn from over 100 industry experts, will directly enhance project-based learning in Design Engineering, Robotics, Metals Manufacturing, and Fab Lab programming.