Teacher Development Grant 2026-2027 Project Summary

Arlie Harris

Central Park School for Children • Durham, NC

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation has awarded a Teacher Development Grant to Central Park School for Children (CPSC) for Cultivating Teacher Leadership for Child-Centered Project-Based Learning, an innovative professional learning initiative that strengthens teacher leadership while expanding the school’s nationally recognized model of child-centered learning. Serving 575 students in grades K–8, CPSC will develop a cohort of six Teacher Leaders who will coach colleagues, facilitate professional learning, and document instructional practices that can be shared with educators throughout North Carolina and beyond.

Building on the work of the school’s Teaching and Learning Center, Teacher Leaders will guide coaching cycles, collaborative planning sessions, and professional learning communities focused on designing rigorous, joyful learning experiences that inspire curiosity, creativity, and student ownership. Representing multiple grade levels and subject areas, the Teacher Leaders will strengthen instruction across the school’s core educational pillars, including learning designed for all learners, outdoor education, social-emotional learning, integrated arts, family partnerships, and high standards that empower every child to thrive. Through peer coaching, demonstration lessons, and collaborative curriculum development, participating teachers will deepen their instructional practice while expanding their capacity as facilitators, mentors, and instructional leaders.

Throughout the project, the Teacher Leader team will create a growing collection of model project-based learning units, curriculum resources, workshop materials, and student work exemplars that demonstrate how meaningful, student-driven projects foster deep academic learning while meeting rigorous standards. These resources will be shared through the Central Park School for Children Teaching and Learning Center, providing practical tools for educators seeking to cultivate engaging, child-centered classrooms. By investing in teacher leadership, the project strengthens instructional excellence within the school while creating a sustainable model for professional learning that extends its impact to educators and students far beyond the CPSC community.

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