On October 31, the Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation announced that applications had opened for the “Fellowship Program for Teacher Renewal”, encouraging Sarasota County educators to seize this opportunity. The Foundation is willing to support as many as 25 fellowships for local teachers, each totaling up to $12,000, to help pay for projects that are intellectually revitalizing and personally renewing. COVID-19 and Hurricane Ian have only added to the existing pressures on teachers to advance quality education while still prioritizing their own mental health. Hence, the goal of the Foundation’s TIME–Time to Inspire Margie’s Educators–Program is to help rejuvenate each teacher’s curiosity and deepen personal and professional development. Overall, the Foundation wants to advocate for a total teacher TIMEout, so to speak, aimed at helping teachers recharge and remain with their life’s work.

What will teachers be doing? The projects themselves are largely chosen by the individual educators, but must be in pursuit of intellectual and physical journeys. Overall, educators should seek to explore their personal and professional growth by utilizing the resources allocated to them by the Foundation. Teachers may choose to conduct their journeys alone, or travel with a companion. Matt Sauer, the Foundation’s Collaboration and Impact Officer, said that some teachers find company with fellow educators, spouses/partners, family members, loved ones, and more.

“Charles and Margery Barancik were very passionate about teachers, in part because Margie was a teacher and knew how important and hard a job it is,” says Sauer. "We have long focused on teacher retention, wanting the best and the brightest to remain with the Sarasota School District, so this is aimed at them.” To be eligible for fellowship however, one must meet the following criteria: proof of status as a current classroom teacher, principal, or assistant principal with at least three years’ experience teaching in Sarasota County public schools. Part of the agreement for accepting the fellowship is to remain with the district for another three years. Overall, applicants must be established within the Sarasota County Schools community and expect to continue their craft for at least a few more years within the district.

The Charles and Margery Barancik Foundation views teaching as the most important job in the world and because of this belief, they are taking necessary steps to secure the future of their fellows as lifelong learners as well as teachers. Booker High School's Edna Sherrell, one of  last year's winners  spent a month in Africa and came back feeling renewed and ready to get back into the classroom. She says "The program gave me the chance to feel like teachers are special too."

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