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Foundation awards $50,000 in
Leader's Choice Initiative Grants
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READ 180
$4,282.00
900 Freshman Students
Elizabeth J. Fraser, Principal
Durango High School
Unfortunately, some students reach high school with reading
difficulties that prevent them from succeeding in their content
courses. This project is focused upon those students just
beginning their high school careers and is designed to help
them make a more successful transition by assisting them in
becoming better readers. Freshman students will receive focused
reading instruction using the Read 180 software and supplemental
materials three days per week in their English class. The
grant will help to fund the purchase of two of three levels
of the Read 180 program. The school will provide the remaining
resources to complete the purchase of the total program.
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IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT
THROUGH “THINKING MAPS”
$6,678.00
640 Students
Jean A. Serum, Principal
George E. Harris Elementary School
Thinking Maps have been used in schools to provide consistent
instruction across all grade levels and classes in thinking
strategies for learning. This project will provide instruction
for training all teachers in the school in Thinking Maps.
Further, it will provide regular and detailed information
to parents about the program. Finally, teachers will instruct
students in the use of Thinking Maps in their classes. The
grant will fund the training of one staff member and the purchase
of Thinking Maps Manuals for the teachers.
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COMMUNITY LITERACY ACTIVITY
NIGHTS (CLAN)
$9,200.00
800 Students/Parents
Jerri Mausbach, Principal
Tony Alamo Elementary School
This project seeks to improve reading comprehension by increasing
the amount of reading students actually do at home. Project
activities will include bringing parents to school on six
“Community Literacy Activity Nights as well as providing
books for students to own and read at home. Parent involvement
in student reading at home as well as the actual amount
of home reading will be monitored. The grant will fund the
purchase of books for students and transportation for parents
and students to attend the nighttime events.
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FAST TRACK SURVIVAL-FTS
$9,840.00
500 Newly Enrolled Students
Sheri L. Davies, Principal
James Cashman Middle School
Students new to this school need extra assistance in acquiring
the set of organizational and learning strategies used by
students already enrolled. This project will place all newly
enrolled students into a four-week FTS class (strategy class)
with other students in their grade. Here, they will be taught
the strategies for planning and organizing their learning
by teachers in the school. Incentives for participation
and rewards for achievement will be provided. The grant
will pay the instructors to teach the classes after school.
A key objective of the project is to develop a mechanism
to continue the project after the grant is completed.
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TAKING AD-VANTAGE OF LEARNING
CONSORTIUM
$10,000.00
416 5th & 6th Grade Students
Sylvia Tegano, Principal
K. O. Knudson Middle School
Larry McHargue, Principal
Robert E. Lake Elementary School
Writing instruction is often inconsistent between teachers
and schools. This project will train the fifth and sixth
grade teachers of two schools to use Vantage computer software
in their writing instruction. It will provide a consistent
approach to help students learn more quickly and without
confusion. The software has powerful analysis and documentation
capabilities. These capabilities will assist the teachers
in diagnosing and correcting student writing weaknesses
as well as helping them to maintain good student progress
records. The grant will fund the purchase of Vantage subscriptions
for 416 fifth and sixth grade students in the two schools.
An objective of this project is to develop a mechanism for
sustaining the program by funding the ongoing costs of the
Vantage subscriptions.
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