Aberdeen, WA - Educators from around Washington State will converge in Aberdeen this week, August 25-26, for a teach-the-teacher-style training designed to aid the local school district in its effort to implement personal finance and financial education components across its curriculum and in all grades K-12. The training, a result of the state's financial education push through its Financial Education Public Private Partnership (FEPPP), will be conducted by teachers for teachers. The Aberdeen teachers being trained will take what they have learned and teach other educators in the district so they may implement similar curriculum in their classrooms. "We are very happy that (Aberdeen School District) Superintendent Thomas Opstad, as well as the local school principals and educators see financial education as an important component of public education," says FEPPP Chairman and State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos. "The Aberdeen School District has been a leader in working with community organizations, including NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor County, to deliver this type of education to its students. We applaud its efforts."
The upcoming training is the first step in FEPPP's legislative charge to partner with local school districts in order to make comprehensive financial education available to all K-12 students in Washington. All trainers are current and former educators with specific specialties. They will introduce Aberdeen teachers to a personal finance curriculum, and show them how to incorporate it into their existing lesson plans. "Teachers face tremendous challenges," says FEPPP Vice-Chairman Pam Whalley of the Washington Council of Economic Education "With this training FEPPP will reinforce what teachers are currently teaching and what students are currently learning with a personal finance and financial education curriculum." According to Whalley, this means that whether someone is teaching French, art, social studies, math or science, they will receive all the tools to not only introduce financial education in their classroom, but will have the skills needed to show other teachers how to implement similar curriculum in their classrooms. "It's an each-one teach-one approach that will provide a two-way conversation about how to best educate the student," added Whalley. Lessons begin at 8:30 a.m. at Aberdeen School District No. 5 headquarters, 216 North G Street and each teacher will receive a full day-and-a-half of training. Wednesday, Aug. 25 - high school teachers Thursday, Aug. 26 o 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m.: high school o 12-1 p.m.: lunch Rep. Tomiko Santos is scheduled to deliver a lunchtime address o 1-3:45 p.m.: K-2, 3-5, and 6-8 Friday, Aug. 27 - K-2, 3-5, and 6-8
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