Newly licensed teachers struggling to find housing in Caldwell County now have a new option. The Education Foundation of Caldwell County has built the Grover and Alma Triplett Teacherage at 1015 Ashe Ave. in Lenoir. A teacherage is a place where teachers can apply to live for their first three years as initially licensed teachers, foundation Executive Director Pat Triplett said.
First-year teachers can start learning how to finance themselves and live on their own with that safety net of support from the Education Foundation, Triplett said. “We want to be able to bring in more new graduates and have them here to support them,” she said. “We want to get them involved in the community. … We can be that family that gives them support and experience staying here in Caldwell County.” Foundation Director Ben Willis agreed. “Our whole mission (at the Education Foundation) is to support the whole Caldwell County Schools system,” he said.
The teacherage has three living units with two floors each. Downstairs has a kitchen, bathroom, living room space with a television and is fully furnished. The upstairs area has a bedroom, bathroom and office space. Triplett said that Kincaid Furniture and Bernhardt Furniture provided the furniture, and all the technology has been provided by Google. Google also provides the technology at the foundation’s Angel Center technology training center and meeting space, which is across the street from the teacherage. Lilyn Hester, Goggle’s head of external affairs for the Southeast, said, “Google believes access to technology helps students unlock their full potential. We’re proud to work with our Lenoir and Caldwell County partners to support teachers and students with the resources they need to develop essential digital skills.”
The teacherage construction started in 2019. The teacherage will be available to live in beginning at the end of August, Triplett said. Rent will be $800 a month and will include all utilities. Teachers can apply for one of the three living spaces on the Education Foundation website, www.caldwelleducationfoundation.com, under the “Programs” tab.
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Article by Carmen Boone
Photo by David Prewitt