Two additional HPS Teachers awarded $25k through Teachers Live Here program.
Holland Public Schools is proud to introduce the following teachers as recipients of a Teachers Live Here grant. These teachers will receive $25,000 toward the down payment of a home in or near the school district.
- Christine Boatman – Holland High School, Math
- Ashlyn Ruffner Rowell – Holland High School, English
Holland Public Schools hopes to award three additional $25,000 grants to teachers in the district before June 30.
Holland Public Schools is proud to introduce the following teachers as recipients of a Teachers Live Here grant. These teachers will receive $25,000 toward the down payment of a home in or near the school district.
Christine Boatman – Holland High School, Math | “Living in the school district helps to build familiarity and camaraderie with students and families. It shows the students that you support them outside of the classroom…. I would love for my future children to attend Holland Public Schools and live among their peers and within the community.”
Ashlyn Ruffner Rowell – Holland High School, English | “It's no secret that housing in Holland is hard to come by and hard to afford. I thought once I was ready to buy a home, it would have to be somewhere else. Until the Teachers Live Here program was announced. Now, it's a real possibility to continue to live where I teach.”
Since being announced in January, Teachers Live Here grants have been awarded to seven HPS teachers. Five of those teachers have closed on the purchase of a home or had offers accepted on a home in the area. Three of the homes are within walking-distance of the building where the teacher works.
Holland Public Schools hopes to award three additional $25,000 grants to teachers in the district before June 30. On July 1 a second Teachers Live Here cycle will begin with additional 10 grants available for teachers who want to live in the Holland-area. The 2023-2024 cycle concludes on June 30, 2024. HPS Administrators and members of the Holland Educational Foundation meet each month to review applications.
An investment from an anonymous donor in the City of Holland is funding the Teachers Live Here program at Holland Public Schools. It is aimed at retaining and recruiting the best educators to the district. Each year, 10 HPS teachers will receive $25,000 each toward the down payment of a home in or near the school district. In exchange, teachers who receive the funding will stay in the district for at least the next five years.
More information about the program, eligibility requirements, and an application are available at www.teacherslivehere.org.
Photos of the recent Teachers Live Here grant recipients are available at hps.smugmug.com/Holland-Public-Schools/2022-2023 and can be used in publications or broadcasts with a credit to Holland Public Schools.