As the 2026–27 school year approaches, the RCDS Center for Innovative Teaching & Learning is pleased to announce this year’s Research & Innovation Grant recipients.

Each year, the Center invites faculty and staff to submit proposals for student-centered projects that advance the School’s mission and create new opportunities for learning, collaboration, and innovation across the RCDS community.

Selected grant recipients receive support to develop and implement their projects over the summer and following school year. An essential component of the program is sharing insights and outcomes with fellow educators to ensure that the ideas, discoveries, and practices that emerge from these projects benefit the broader RCDS community.

Congratulations to the 2026–27 Research & Innovation Grant recipients!

• Science Instructor, Grade 9 Dean, and Director of Science Research Jen Doran - Strengthening Inquiry and Research Across the RCDS Curriculum
• Drama and Dance Department Chair Kate Henerey and Director of Performing Arts Spaces and AV Technology Jac-que Robinson - Beyond the Canon: Examining the Onstage/Backstage Racial Divide in Independent School Theater
• Director of Learning Support Services and Middle School Learning Specialist Libby Jelliffe and Middle School Study Skills Coordinator and Grade 5 & 6 Dean Sarah Strong - Brain Development, Learning and Wellness
• Director of Academic Technology Daren Khairule & Middle School Computer Science Teacher Maximo Perez - Developing an AI Professional Development Model for Proficiency Without Sacrificing Scholarship