**Improving Literacy Through School Libraries FY 2006**

## Abstracts

**Arranged in State Order and Numerical Order**

**Alabama**

S364A060342

Board of Commissioners of Mobile County

P.O. Box 1327

Mobile, AL 36633-1327

Katherine T. Bekurs

\(251\) 221-4056

Recommended Grant: \$299,118

The Mobile County Public Schools System will implement Students and
Parents Actively Reading Are the Keys to Success (SPARKS!) in 10
elementary library media centers serving over 4,600 students. Using
funds from the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries grant
program, the district will improve student reading skills and
achievement by increasing the library media centers' collections with
current books and materials, acquiring up-to-date technological
resources, extending the hours of operation of the centers, offering
parents the use of family literacy kits for at-home reading experiences,
organizing family literacy events to be held at each school, providing
training for parents in the use of digital technology and on-line
resources, and collaborating with local public libraries by providing
student incentives for participation in the Mobile Public Library's
summer reading program.

S364A060491

Franklin County Board of Education

500 Coffee Avenue

Russellville, AL 35633

Susan Hargett

\(256\) 331-0005

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Franklin County School System serves 3,022 students in grades pre-K
through 12 in six rural schools. Through the Family Involvement Reading
Services Time (F.I.R.S.T.) program, the district will open the school
libraries during evening hours, summer months, and on rotating weekends
for students, teachers, parents, and community members; purchase print
and non-print materials to expand the library collections; establish
better connectivity and Web links to public and university collections;
provide classes and activities for all ages to ensure that the libraries
are fully utilized; and recognize the Franklin County Schools Libraries
as community centers for lifelong learning. Librarians will be trained
to collaborate with teachers about technology to stress the link between
the schools and their communities in creating an environment rich in
information and building literacy for all.

**Alaska**

S364A060358

Iditarod Area School District REAA #1

P.O. Box 90

McGrath, AK 99627

Karen Ladegard

\(907\) 524-3033

Recommended Grant: \$206,055

The Iditarod Area School District (IASD) is headquartered in McGrath,
Alaska in Alaska's interior on the Kuskokwim River, 221 miles northwest
of Anchorage. IASD serves eight communities and eight schools ranging in
size from 10 to 60 students, and enrolls 346 students in grades K
through 12. The communities are linked by air travel only; there are no
roads connecting the eight schools. Funds from the Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries grant program will be used to support the
hiring of a certified library media specialist who will identify
existing resources at the schools, order new materials, and train staff
on ways to improve literacy by integrating non-fiction trade books,
magazines, and multi-media materials into all content areas. The library
media specialist will also provide training in library skills and
information literacy to all library aides and classroom teachers,
primarily by video and audio conference delivery, but also through
district-wide in-service trainings and occasional site visits.

S364A060371

Kashunamiut School District

985 Ksd Way

Chevak, AK 99563

Gary Stevens

\(907\) 858-7713

Recommended Grant: \$277,525

The Kashunamiut School district is a one-site school district housing
Chevak School, a school that serves a remote rural community of 900
Cup'ik Eskimos located in the wilderness 650 miles west of Anchorage.
The school itself serves 328 students. There is no public library; the
school library is the only repository of the written word in the village
of Chevak. With funds from the Improving Literacy Through School
Libraries program, the school district will add to the collection, add
technology to the library media center, hire a library media specialist,
and offer the library media center's resources to students, families,
and community members during extended hours.

**Arkansas**

S364A060161

Augusta School District

320 Sycamore

Augusta, AR 72006

Richard Blevins

\(870\) 345-2241

Recommended Grant: \$282,029

The Augusta School District's Project SuccesStory will improve the
literacy skills of students at two elementary schools. Using funds from
the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, the district
will expand library hours of operation for an additional hour during the
school week and four hours on Saturday, acquire up-to-date and high
quality print and non-print materials to enhance the existing library
collection, and install state-of-the-art technology and equipment in the
library media center. The district will also increase the number of
family literacy nights from two to four per year. Finally, the program
will provide professional development for teachers and library media
staff in library/classroom collaboration, early childhood literacy,
technology integration, and curriculum construction.

S364A060405

Hoxie School District #46

305 S.W. Alice

Hoxie, AR 72433

Glenda Jones

\(870\) 886-9537

Recommended Grant: \$231,697

The Hoxie School District's Books and Beyond (BAB) program will serve
478 students at the Hoxie School (K-6). The program seeks to increase
students' technological skills, increase parental involvement, reduce
the number of students performing below instructional reading level, and
increase students' oral reading fluency. In order to achieve these
objectives, the district will update the collection of books in the
library media center; install new computers and software programs that
address phonemic awareness, letter recognition, and fluency; and
establish after school and summer library programs. It will also provide
district library media specialists and teachers with professional
training to help them effectively develop and deliver collaborative
lesson plans, assessments, and assignments.

**California**

S364A060138

Kings Canyon Unified School District

675 W. Manning Ave.

Reedley, CA 93654

Carol Doerksen

\(559\) 626-5910

Recommended Grant: \$299,384

Kings Canyon Unified School District's Bridging the Achievement Gap
through Strong School Libraries (BAGSSL) project will serve 8,800 K
through 12 students at 16 schools. The district will purchase books and
other resources that are aligned to the core curriculum, including early
reader books that assist K through 8 English language learners in their
independent reading; create a centralized Web-based library management
system; support collaboration between library media specialists,
teachers, and students on standards-based research projects; and expand
the hours of the school library media centers.

S364A060247

Lindsay Unified School District/Global Learning, Inc.

519 East Honolulu

Lindsay, CA 93247

Tom Rooney

\(559\) 562-5111

Recommended Grant: \$287,753

The Lindsay Unified Schools District's Cultivating Library Access and
Student Success (CLASS) Project will help close the achievement gap by
providing needed resources and technology focused on the unique needs of
English learners and children in grades K-3. Through this project, the
district will add over 4,200 new books, 100 periodicals, and other
essential print resources to libraries at five schools; ensure that each
school library has a fully networked computer lab, and other advanced
technology to support literacy development. The district will offer 80
hours of training and other professional support to all library staff
and selected teachers in media literacy, research skills, library
science, learning technology, and literacy skills. The district will
also increase library access before and after school and in the summer.

S364A060259

Lamont Elementary School District

7915 Burgundy Avenue

Lamont, CA 93241-1350

Dianne Eash

\(661\) 845-5170

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Lamont School District is a K through 8 district located in an
unincorporated rural farming community of Lamont, California. Presently,
the Lamont Elementary School library has less than 16 books per
students, less than 600 books in Spanish, and cannot provide adequate
technology training for staff, students or parents. With funds from the
Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, the district will
purchase new books, in both English and Spanish, in order to bring the
student/book ratio to federal standards (1:20); acquire new technology;
provide training to library staff, teachers, and students in utilizing
the new technology; provide professional development to library staff,
parents, and teachers on collaborating to support student literacy; and
expand library hours during the evenings, the summer, and during Winter
Academy (a 6-week special session).

S364A060281

National School District

1500 N Avenue

National City, CA 91950

Ellen C. Curtin

\(619\) 336-7751

Recommended Grant: \$299,988

The National School District's Cultivating Library Access and Student
Success (CLASS) project will create 10 CLASS Project Library Centers to
serve as focal points for literacy development and reading support at 10
participating schools. These centers will improve the literacy skills of
6,230 students in grades K-6. To create these centers, the district will
add over 4,000 new books, 100 periodicals, and other essential print
resources to the libraries. To ensure that each school library has a
fully networked computer lab, computer projectors, digital video
cameras, state-of-the-art software, and other advanced technology to
support literacy development will be purchased through the grant. The
National School District will deliver training and other professional
support to all library staff and selected teachers in media literacy,
research skills, library science, learning technology, and literacy
skills. Finally the program will expand library access hours; and
facilitate quarterly trainings and monthly meetings to increase
collaboration between library staff and teachers.

S364A060291

Sonoma County Office of Education/Roseland Elementary School District

950 Sebastopol Road

Santa Rosa, CA 95407-6872

Rebecca Packer

\(707\) 545-0100

Recommended Grant: \$166,395

The Roseland Elementary School District's Information Partnership
project will provide additional media, technology, and print resources
to Roseland's 824 K through 3 students, particularly the 629 English
Language Learners enrolled at the district's elementary schools. The
district will utilize grant funds to augment Roseland and Sheppard
Elementary Schools' existing K through 3 comprehensive plan of early
literacy instruction. It will purchase new fiction and non-fiction books
that are aligned with the schools' research-based reading curricula,
acquire new technology, increase its online reference and information
resources for teachers and students, expand library hours during summer
school, and provide professional development for the school library
staff consistent with the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards for Media Literacy.

S364A060324

Glendale Unified School District

223 North Jackson St.

Los Angeles, CA 91206

Joanna Junge

\(818\) 241-3111

Recommended Grant: \$297,360

The Glendale Unified School District's Libraries = Literacy (L2) project
will address the needs of all 14,033 elementary school students in the
district's 20 elementary schools. The district will reorganize the
schools' library collections by weeding the out-of-date books and
ordering new materials that conform to national and state standards and
to the California State Curriculum guidelines. This will reactivate the
Sagebrush Spectrum Union Catalog, linking all 29 school libraries. The
project will also provide one-on-one professional development for
library paraprofessional staff and patron training for teachers,
students, administrators, volunteers, parents, and other stakeholders in
the use of the Union Catalog.

S364A060391

Merced Union High School District

3420 A Street

Atwater, CA 95301

Sylvia Smith

\(209\) 385-6572

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Merced Union High School District, located in California's San
Joaquin Valley, serves 9,631 students in five high schools in the cities
of Merced, Atwater, and Livingston. The district will procure 8,021 new
books for the five high school campus sites, distributed by student
enrollment. The books will be chosen for maximum impact upon student
test scores and in consideration of the student demographics, and will
include "high interest" fiction for low reading levels, multi-cultural
novels by Hispanic and East Indian authors, titles recommended for the
Accelerated Reader Program, and foreign language fiction. The district
will not utilize grant funds for the purpose of advanced technology,
providing professional development, or facilitating internet links, as
those needs have already been met through other sources.

S364A060422

Ukiah Unified School District

925 South Street

Ukiah, CA 95482-3470

Dolores Fisette

\(707\) 463-5213

Recommended Grant: \$154,219

The Ukiah Unified School District's Literacy Links program will increase
the reading and academic achievement of Ukiah High School's 1,914
students by providing new print and non-print materials, new online
resources, a Library Links Web page, and a technologically advanced
library media center computer lab. These activities will be accomplished
through collaborative efforts of the library media specialist, teachers,
students, and parents. The hiring of a part-time library technician will
extend the library hours, enabling the library media specialist to
provide professional development to teachers on the use of resources to
improve student achievement. All schools in the district will benefit
through the training of K-8 library technicians to support reading in
their libraries by the district's library media specialist.

**Georgia**

S364A060488

Troup County School System

200 Mooty Bridge Road

LaGrange, GA 30240

Pat Barton

\(706\) 812-7900

Recommended Grant: \$266,502

The Troup County Library Literacy Initiative will update inadequate,
out-of-date resources in 13 elementary school libraries, aligning the
new resource materials with Georgia State Performance Standards and
supporting content enrichment in the areas of science and nonfiction.
The program will also build a technology infrastructure to support an
expanded presence for the libraries in instruction and professional
development, expand periods of time when access to library materials are
available, and provide professional development that will more
effectively align trained library staff with school faculty. The program
will serve over 5,200 low-income students in rural, Title I elementary
schools.

**Idaho**

S364A060336

Canyon County School District

1101 Cleveland Blvd.

Caldwell, ID 83605-3896

Norma Jean Sprouffske

\(208\) 445-3300

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

Canyon County School District's Libraries and Literacy through New
Connections (LLiNC) program will ensure improved student reading skills
and overall academic performance for the district's 6,108 students. The
program will increase access to up-to-date school library materials and
provide well-equipped and technologically advanced school library media
centers. Activities will include purchasing curricular-aligned library
books and materials, enhancing access through extended hours to school
library media centers, and acquiring equipment and software to support
resource-sharing networks.

**Illinois**

S364A060180

Kankakee School District 111

240 Warren Ave.

Kankakee, IL 60901-4319

Kristen Ross

\(815\) 929-8832

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Kankakee School District's Improving Literacy Through School
Libraries program will address the needs of all 5,277 students in the
district's 11 schools. The district will use grant funds to improve
library media center resources and ensure that the new resources are
aligned to both the district curriculum and the Illinois Learning
Standards. It will also support an independent reading program to
improve student achievement in reading and increase the availability of
media staff to students and teachers by expanding the library hours. In
addition, it will provide staff development to increase effective
collaboration and the integration of media services into the curriculum
and instruction.

S364A060370

Chicago Public Schools

1326 West 14th Place

Chicago, IL 60608

Paul K Whitsitt

\(773\) 553-6215

Recommended Grant: \$298,678

Chicago Public Schools District #299's ABC's of Library Literacy
Programming initiative seeks to improve (A) Access, (B) Best practice
professional development, and (C) Collaboration in 10 elementary schools
serving 6,728 students. The district will specifically target improved
literacy among first and second graders. The initiative will add
up-to-date media resources to the schools' libraries, increase the
amount of time students in lower grades can spend in the library,
provide professional development to assist librarians in more
effectively enhancing student reading achievement, to educate parents in
supporting student literacy at home, and increase collaboration among
librarians, classroom teachers, and Lead Literacy Teachers (site-based
reading coaches).

**Kansas**

S364A06032

Kansas City Kansas Public Schools

635 Minnesota Ave.

Kansas City, KS 66101

Wendy J. Donnell

\(913\) 627-4355

Recommended Grant: \$292,976

The goal of the Kansas City Kansas Public School System *Zap the Gap:
Read to Succeed* program is to increase the reading achievement of all
17,085 students in the district's 37 schools. This will be done through
increasing access to reading resources, empowering students to choose
their own reading materials, having culturally and topic relevant
materials, increasing recreational reading, and ultimately bringing back
the power of reading for young people. As a year round program, it will
also eliminate the "summer slump" that occurs when students are away
from the educational setting for months at a time.

**Kentucky**

S364A060213

Monroe County Board of Education

309 Emberton Street

P.O. Box 10

Tompkinsville, KY 42167

Kirk Biggerstaff

\(270\) 487-6217

Recommended Grant: \$127,728

Monroe County School District's Literacy Enabling Achievement of
Proficiency (LEAP) Project will improve literacy and library services at
the district's five schools, serving 1,985 students. The goal of Project
LEAP is to increase reading scores on the Kentucky Core Content Test by
5% for all students tested in reading and close the reading achievement
gaps based on gender and socio-economic status of students at all levels
by 5%. This will be accomplished by updating the library collections
with new materials that are aligned with each of the school's
curriculum; updating each library with instructional, literacy-related
technology; facilitating Internet links and resource sharing networks
that will allow students to access curriculum-related information in a
more efficient manner; providing professional development to reading
teachers, library media specialists, and administrators on reading and
literacy strategies; and increasing access to the libraries by extending
school library hours during after-school hours, selected Saturdays, and
during the summer.

S364A060255

Hart County Public Schools

511 W. Union Street

Munfordville, KY 42765

Karen S. Birdwhistell

\(270\) 524-2592

Recommended Grant: \$297,143

The Hart County School District's Helping All Readers Thrive by Engaging
Actively with Technology (HARTBEAT) Project will increase student and
family access to library services and facilities by upgrading outdated
print collections; extending library hours before and after school and
during summer, fall, and spring breaks; implementing a Web-based catalog
so that students, faculty, parents, and community members can search
holdings from school or home; plan meaningful literacy activities that
engage students and their families; employing full-time library
assistants to assist library media specialists; and providing extended
hours so that media specialists can devote more time to teacher and
student collaboration. It will also advance the school library media
center's technology by providing updated student workstations and
laptops and by securing district licenses for selected online resources.
This program will place emphasis on the Pre-K through 8 levels in this
rural community.

S364A060417

Wayne County School District

534 Albany Road

Monticello, KY 42633

Debra Bristow

\(606\) 348-8484

Recommended Grant: \$293,072

The Wayne County Public School system serves 2,692 students in an area
that is extremely economically depressed, undereducated, and has an
exceptionally high rate of illiteracy. The district will implement the
Reading Improvement to Achieve (RITA) program, a program that is
designed to improve student reading skills and academic achievement,
foster a love of reading that extends beyond the school day, and extend
literacy improvement opportunities for families and the community. The
district will update and expand its library media collections, expand
the hours at all campus libraries so they are open one hour before
school begins and during extended afternoon and evening hours, and host
special events and programs such as family reading nights and story
hours. The district will also offer adult literacy classes at elementary
libraries.

S364A060503

Jackson County Public School System

U.S. Highway 421 South

McKee, KY 40477

Elizabeth H. Norris

\(606\) 287-7181

Recommended Grant: \$115,831

The Jackson County School district serves 2,198 students in grades K
through 12 at five schools. The district's Journey into Learning:
Literacy Leads the Way project will acquire current, curriculum-relevant
print and non-print library resources; acquire and incorporate advanced
technology into the curriculum; provide extended library access to
students during non-school hours; and promote collaboration between the
library media specialist and the classroom teachers. Program activities
will include updating the current library collections, updating computer
workstations to improve information access and retrieval, providing
access to electronic white boards to enhance instruction, sponsoring
"Meet the Author" nights, developing collaborative units and lessons,
developing and implementing an information literacy curriculum, and
sponsoring a county-wide reading celebration.

**Louisiana**

S364A060286

Lafourche Parish School Board

805 East 7th Street

Thibodaux, LA 70302

Louis Voiron

\(985\) 435-4635

Recommended Grant: \$296,661

Lafourche Parish's Expanding Paths to Literacy project will increase the
reading achievement and literacy skills of 7,152 students in 17
elementary schools. The Parish will increase the collection of
non-fiction books and resources at the school library media centers,
acquire up-to-date technology, provide professional development to
library media specialist on elementary literacy strategies that support
reading and writing instruction, and extend library hours for summer
library use at six elementary schools.

**Massachusetts**

364A060408

Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School

One Commercial Place

Adams, MA 01220

Ellen Ennis

\(413\) 743-7311

Recommended Grant: \$69,592

The Berkshire Arts and Technology Charter Public School is in its second
year as a full-school Title I program serving 240 students in grades 6
to 11. A full middle and high school (grades 6 to 12) is planned for
September 2007, with anticipated enrollment to reach 304 students.
Berkshire's Reading All Your Life project is a data-driven program
designed to improve literacy for all students in grades 6 to 12.
Berkshire will expand the current library collections to improve the
student/book ratio, develop a systematic acquisitions policy based on
the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks, fund a school library media
specialist, provide training and facilitate the integration of reading
strategies across the curriculum, and expand the library media center's
hours of operation to include family reading programs on Saturdays and
during the summer. The program will also create an online catalog with
access to Web-based electronic resources.

**Michigan**

S364A060092

Inkster Public Schools

29115 Carlysle

Inkster, MI 48141

Thomas G. Maridada

\(734\) 722-5310

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

Inkster Public Schools' Literacy Improvement for Everyone (LIFE) program
will serve 1,285 students at two elementary, one middle school and one
high school in high-needs, urban neighborhoods. The district will
provide new books and periodicals for each school library media center;
create computer learning centers in each library to link and share
resources; provide professional development for classroom teachers,
library media specialists, and principals in best practices to increase
literacy; and offer extended library hours at each school for students
and parents.

S364A060234

Center Academy

310 Oakley

Flint, MI 48503

Elizabeth Jordan

\(810\) 341-6944

Recommended Grant: \$210,971

Center Academy is a public school academy in Flint, Michigan, serving
375 students in grades K through 8. The school will acquire new and
engaging books, media resources, and technology; employ a certified
library media specialist to work collaboratively with teachers,
administrators, students and parents to positively influence teaching
and learning opportunities; expand library hours of operation to
accommodate access before, during, and after school hours, including
summer months; and acquire literacy consultants and coaches to provide
professional development for library and classroom staff.

S364A060377

Lansing School District

519 West Kalamazoo

Lansing, MI 48933

Sharron Norman

\(517\) 325-6000

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

Lansing School District's Library Excellence and Reading Needs (LEARN)
project will serve 1,534 students in grades K through 5 at five
elementary schools. The district will acquire up-to-date books and
materials; purchase new hardware and software; develop database
applications to increase access to resources and establish an electronic
catalog system; provide literacy training to classroom faculty, library
media specialists, and principals; and extend library media center hours
after school and during weekends and summers.

**Minnesota**

S364A060061

Minneapolis Public Schools, Special School District #1

807 NE Broadway

Minneapolis, MN 55413

Donna Von Lehe

\(612\) 668-0263

Recommended Grant: \$286,396

The Minneapolis Public Schools' Improving Literacy through School
Libraries program will serve approximately 5,000 students at 10
elementary schools that have aged and inadequate media center resources
and whose students demonstrate below-average reading achievement on
Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments. The district will improve student
reading by integrating engaging reading materials, complementary
technology resources, and home/school/community literacy initiatives
into a comprehensive, research-based reading program. Key project
activities will include high quality professional development, site
assessments, and collaborative curriculum planning, which will inform
the purchasing and use of books and technologies.

**Mississippi**

S364A060049

Clay County School District

205 Court Street

West Point, MS 39773

Mae W. Brewer

\(662\) 494-2915

Recommended Grant: \$140,731

The Clay County School District's Technology Literacy Center (TLC)
program will serve the 200 K-6 students at West Clay Elementary School
in West Point, Mississippi. The goals of the project are to decrease the
number of students performing below proficiency in reading and language
on the Mississippi Curriculum Test and help students develop the skills
necessary to use information technology. The district will provide a
larger, more diverse, and up-to-date collection of print and non-print
materials; offer access to new technology resources; support a full-time
professional library media specialist; offer professional development to
support increased collaboration among teachers and librarians; and
expand library media center hours during the school week, on weekends,
and during the summer.

S364A060122

Winona Separate School District

218 Fairground St.

Winona, MS 38967

Marsha N. Cummings

\(662\) 283-1026

Recommended Grant: \$201,586

Winona Separate School District's Improving Literacy Through School
Libraries (ILTSL) project will serve 1,395 students in the district's
two schools. The district will improve students' literacy and reading
achievement by purchasing story and information books that are timely,
relevant, and topical; acquiring advanced technology in the media
centers for student and teacher access; providing students with
increased access to electronic resources through reputable databases;
training media specialists and teachers to use the books and library
resources effectively to develop students' literacy skills and content
knowledge; and increasing access to the school media centers during
out-of-school hours. Advisory committees at each school will support the
project's efforts.

S364A060139

West Bolivar School District

909 Highway 8

P.O. Box 189

Rosedale, MS 38769

Judy Cutts

\(662\) 759-3525

Recommended Grant: \$251,537

The West Bolivar School District serves 455 students at West Bolivar
Elementary School in Rosedale, Mississippi. The district's Project
DECLARE will use the elementary school library as a hub for literacy
building and professional development. The district will purchase new
books and materials that support the district's reading program;
purchase state-of-the-art technology, including videoconferencing
equipment that will provide teachers and library staff with a way to
connect to sources of professional development for increasing knowledge
of literacy development and collaboration techniques; provide
specialized training for faculty and library staff, parents and
community members on student literacy and collaboration; hire a
certified library media specialist; and increase library hours both
before and after school and during the summer.

S364A060147

Holly Springs School District

840 Highway 178 East

Holly Springs, MS 38635

Jones Mays

\(662\) 252-2183

Recommended Grant: \$243,651

Holly Springs School District's Developing Education and Literacy
Towards Achievement (DELTA) project seeks to increase the literacy
skills of students at Holly Springs Primary School by updating the
collections in the school library media center, adding state-of-the-art
technology and equipment, providing professional development for the
current librarian and teaching staff in effective literacy development
and collaboration as well as literacy training for parents and community
members, and extending library hours to include before and after school.
It will also provide instructional materials and "book bags" with
literacy materials for parents to check out, a monthly newsletter for
parents describing what their children are currently studying, and
family literacy events at school.

S364A060158

Kemper County School District

P. O. Box 219

Main Street

DeKalb, MS 39328

Pinkie Raymond

\(601\) 743-2657

Recommended Grant: \$290,757

The Kemper County School District's Kemper Literacy Links (KLL) program
will complement and enhance ongoing district-wide efforts to provide all
students with the skills they need to become academically successful.
The district will provide updated literacy materials and advanced
technology to enhance the district's three school libraries; offer
computer and multimedia training for students, teachers, and parents;
foster collaboration between library staff and teachers to promote
student reading; and offer expanded library access before and after
school and on Saturdays.

S364A060250

Quitman County School District

P.O. Drawer E

Peach Street

Marks, MS 38643

Jean Briggs

\(662\) 326-7186

Recommended Grant: \$258,557

Quitman County School District's Reading for Educational Achievement and
Curriculum enHancement (REACH ) Project will serve 486 students in
grades K through 3 at Quitman County Elementary School in Lambert,
Mississippi. The district will weed the library media center's current
collection of print and non-print materials and enhance the collection
support the district's curriculum; acquire state-of-the-art technology
that will be integrated into classroom curriculum; provide quality and
sustained professional development for school staff, parents, and
community members; and increase access to the library media center
through extended hours and an additional library aide.

S364A060262

Starkville School District

401 Greensboro St.

Starkville, MS 39759

Joan Butler

\(662\) 615-0033

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Starkville School District's Reading Enhances All Disciplines (READ)
Project will improve student reading skills and academic achievement for
more than 3,900 rural students in grades K through 12 by acquiring a
well-balanced collection of print and non-print resources, extending
library hours, enhancing technological access and networks, and
providing students with individualized literacy instruction. K-3 media
specialists and teachers will be trained on effective strategies in the
use of library resources. In addition, strong collaborations will be
established between media specialists and teachers to ensure
curricular-driven collections and services. A literacy support team,
including district personnel, parents, and students, will monitor the
progress of Project READ and will work to ensure its sustainability.

S364A060287

West Point School District

429 Commerce Street

West Point, MS 39773-2924

Eddie Odom

\(662\) 494-4802

Recommended Grant: \$269,775

West Point School District's Improving Literacy Through School Libraries
project will serve 3,654 students in grades K-12 at seven schools. The
district will utilize grant funds to extend library hours to allow extra
time for student remediation, tutoring, research, lesson preparation,
and pleasure reading. The district will also acquire new print and
non-print materials; develop a district-wide library Web site; provide
professional development to ensure that teachers and library media
specialists have the training and knowledge required to collaboratively
work to improve student literacy; and purchase new computers, printers,
and multimedia equipment to be used in information access, project
preparation and presentation, and lesson planning and presentation.

S364A060409

Noxubee County School District

15867 Highway 14 East, West of the 45 Bypass

P.O. Box 540

Macon, MS 39341

Drucilla Russ-Jackson

\(662\) 726-5203

Recommended Grant: \$299,797

Noxubee County School District's Noxubee Library Network program will
serve 1,762 students at Earl Nash Elementary School, B.F. Liddel Middle
School, and Noxubee County High School. The district will provide
updated literacy materials and advanced technology to enhance student
learning environments; foster collaboration between teachers, library
staff, and school task forces to expand the use of technology;
facilitate resource sharing networks; and create a hub for literacy
efforts for students and parents through increased hours of access,
expanded learning opportunities, and coordination with community
resources. Project outcomes will include higher rates of reading among
students; increased access to online library resources for at-risk
students; increased academic achievement in reading, science, and social
studies; and increased collaboration among librarians and classroom
teachers.

**Montana**

S364A060182

Ronan School District #30

221 4th Ave. SW

Ronan, MT 59864

Lana Hunter

\(406\) 676-3390

Recommended Grant: \$284,996

The Ronan School District #30 is located on the Flathead Indian
Reservation in Ronan, Montana. The district's goal is to have every
child be at reading level by the third grade, and it has been involved
in school-wide literacy reform for several years. With funds from the
Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program, the district will
weed the current collection and acquire new materials, including
enhancing the cultural books collection with more current Native
American-themed books. They will also develop a well-equipped,
technologically advanced school library media center; foster
collaboration between the certified library media specialists and
classroom teachers; and expand access to school libraries during
non-school hours, including the hours before and after school, during
weekends, and during summer vacation periods.

S364A060209

Montana Department of Corrections

1539 11th Avenue

P.O. Box 201301

Helena, MT 59620-1301

Jim Hunter

\(406\) 233-2290

Recommended Grant: \$134,392

The Montana Department of Corrections' Pine Hills Youth Correctional
Facility served 120 students in grades 6 through 12. Pine Hills' Just
Read It program will improve students' reading and academic achievement
by acquiring up-to-date school library media resources and books,
contracting the services of a part-time certified library media
specialist, purchasing reading software and software to simulate an
Internet environment, creating an automated cataloging system, acquiring
new computers, increasing the skills of youth who need to apply advanced
technology, creating a sustained silent reading class, and expanding the
library hours of operation to include weekend hours.

**New Mexico**

S364A060188

Magdelena School District

200 Duggin Drive

Magdelena, NM 87825

Mike Chambers

\(505\) 854-2241

Recommended Grant: \$299,245

The Magdalena School District is located in Magdalena, New Mexico, the
only area in the United States that has a language comprised of the
combined Navaho and Ute languages. To improve English literacy among all
489 students, with special emphasis on the youngest readers (K-3), the
district will establish a well-equipped, adequately staffed library
media center with state-of-the-art technology. To accomplish this, the
district will expand the library media center's hours before and after
school, during school vacation, and during summer hours; purchase new
print materials; purchase new technology and train faculty, library
media center staff, and the community to how to use it; and hire a
certified library media specialist to work year-round and provide
specialized tutoring, instructional support to students, and
professional development for teachers.

S364A060427

Espanola Public Schools

714 Calle Don Diego

Espanola, NM 87532

Gloria Trujillo

\(505\) 753-2391

Recommended Grant: \$292,108

Espanola Public Schools will improve students' academic achievement by
creating reading laboratories at four library media centers that will
become centerpieces for literacy activities. The district will add
research-based reading software programs to each center's resources;
expand and update the existing inadequate collections; extend the
library media centers' hours to increase accessibility for students,
parents and teachers; and facilitate collaborative professional
development activities for classroom teachers and library media
specialists that will focus on extending the library and its resources
into the classroom. The program will serve 877 elementary students.

**New York**

S364A060046

Pine Valley Central School District

7755 Route 83

South Dayton, NY 14138

Kit Howard

\(716\) 655-2570

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Pine Valley Central School District's Building on Our Students'
Talents (BOOST) Program will increase student literacy by building and
utilizing library media centers filled with information-rich print and
non-print materials. Through this program, the school district will
purchase fiction and non-fiction books, audio books, and other
materials; provide Web-based reading remediation; purchase laptop
computers for internal and external library media center use; create a
parent resource center; and extend library media center hours. The
anticipated outcomes of the program are increased student reading
proficiency; increased student reading outside of classroom; increased
involvement of parents in their children's learning; and increased
collaboration among teachers, parents, librarians, and administrators to
improve student's basic reading skills.

S364A060029

East Ramapo Central School District

105 South Madison Avenue

Spring Valley, NY 10977

Elie J. Wizman

\(845\) 577-6031

Recommended Grant: \$290,350

East Ramapo Central School District's Libraries Improve Teacher
Effectiveness and Reading Achievement in Children and Youth (LITERACY )
Project will serve 2,370 students in five K-3 schools. The district will
improve literacy skills and raise students' academic achievement by
building state-of-the-art library media centers that support and engage
students in reading, writing, speaking, and listening; offer increased
access to library media center resources for students, families, and
staff; provide professional development to teachers and library media
center staff; and support collaboration among certified library media
specialists, teachers, administrators, parents, and the community.

S364A060392

Rochester City School District

131 West Broad Street

Rochester, NY 14614-1187

Linda Cruttenden

\(585\) 262-8733

Recommended Grant: \$299,502

The Rochester City School District's Resilience Through Reading program
will improve literacy skills and academic achievement in six of the
district's highest-need elementary schools. The district will provide
new print books and materials for each school library media center,
upgrade each center with new technology, and purchase upgraded modules
for the Web-based library automation system. In addition, the district
will offer professional development for the schools' library media
specialists, facilitate collaboration between library media specialists
and teachers, and provide an additional 140 hours of access to each
library media center.

364A060112

Board of Education, Buffalo NY

807 City Hall

Buffalo, NY 14202

June S. Barrow

\(716\) 816-3966

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Buffalo City School District's Resource Advancement = Reading
Enhancement (RARE) project will serve 4,219 students at seven elementary
schools. The district will purchase new books, magazines, and materials
that are aligned with the curriculum; acquire new hardware and software
for the school library media center; redesign and update a library
resources Web site so that it is accessible by students, parents, and
teachers from both school and home; and provide professional development
for teachers, administrators, and library media specialists in utilizing
the new technology and increasing collaboration to support student
literacy.

S364A060228

Jamestown City School District

201 E. 4th Street

Jamestown, NY 14701

Patricia Windsor

\(716\) 483-4394

Recommended Grant: \$296,715

The Jamestown City School District is a small city district in
southwestern New York. The district will utilize Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries grant funds to purchase new non-fiction
science, social studies, history and reference books that are aligned to
curriculum content for grades 3 through 8; upgrade the library
management system so that teachers and students can search the entire
district library catalog from any location and use the intra-district
mail system to exchange materials; provide professional development to
the elementary-level library media specialist on early literacy
development; and create an integrated, collaborative approach to
information and technology literacy. The project will serve 3,700
students in grades K through 8 and 250 teachers and staff in nine
district schools.

S364A060293

Yonkers Public Schools

One Larkin Center

Yonkers, NY 10701-7044

Fern Eisgrub

\(914\) 376-8181

Recommended Grant: \$299,473

Yonkers Public Schools will create resource-rich, multimedia literacy
centers in the school libraries of six elementary schools. These early
literacy "Reading Dens" will serve to reinvigorate the library media
centers and re-conceptualize them as literacy centers at the schools. To
accomplish this, the district will infuse the library media centers with
high quality, research-based multimedia and reading resources; expand
access to the centers before and after school and on Saturdays; provide
focused professional development for library media specialists,
classroom teachers, and school support staff; and increase parental
knowledge of literacy practices through a Saturday family literacy
program. The initiative will serve 1,436 Pre-K -- 2 students and their
families.

S364A060515

Mount Morris Central School District

30 Bonadonna Avenue

Mount Morris, NY 14510-1498

Patricia Martire

\(585\) 658-3331

Recommended Grant: \$186,969

The Mount Morris School District, a rural school district housed in one
building, serves grades K through 12, and the Mount Morris School
Library Media Center serves 585 students. Funds from the Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries program will be used to purchase a
minimum of 10 books per student, other print and non-print materials,
and 30 computer workstations. In addition, this program will purchase a
mobile lab cart, two LCD projectors, a minimum of two on-line database
subscriptions, and additional staff hours for after school access and
project implementation will the awarded funds. Six performance measures
will be evaluated: 1) increased use of the media center; 2) increased
use of online databases; 3) increased use of online card catalogues; 4)
increased academic achievement in reading, science, and social studies;
5) increased collaboration between library staff and classroom teachers;
and 6) decreased age of the library collection.

**Ohio**

S364A060445

Trimble Local Schools

1 Tomcat Dr.

Glouster, OH 45732

Cindy Johnston

\(740\) 767-4444

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

Trimble Local Schools' Improving Literacy Through School Libraries
project will serve 1,015 students in three schools. Through this
project, the district will increase the number of print and non-print
library volumes by 30 percent; increase the number of high-speed
computers connected to the Internet by 70 percent; increase the number
of librarians by 25 percent; increase the number of librarian hours by
150 percent; increase the number of hours librarians will have to help
plan collaborative, curriculum-based instructional units with teachers
by 200 percent; extend the libraries' hours of operation by 40 percent;
and increase the number of hours of staff development for literacy by
300 percent.

**Oklahoma**

S364A060022

Coalgate Public Schools

P.O. Box 368

Coalgate, OK 74538

Allen Hicks

\(580\) 927-4022

Recommended Grant: \$170,648

Coalgate is a rural community (pop. 2,000) in the middle of the Indian
Nations Enterprise Community in eastern Oklahoma. The district's schools
serve approximately 800 students at three sites. Funds from the
Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program will be used to
provide a wide variety of modern library media resources, including
advanced technology and curriculum support options that are incorporated
into all content areas. They will also be used for extensive training
for teachers, the library media specialist, and students in
research-based programs proven to improve adolescent literacy, refine
information retrieval/usage skills, and raise performance levels; and
will provide increased access to library resources and literacy
activities through extended library hours, literacy activities designed
to encourage a love of reading, and outreach to bolster parental
participation.

S364A060088

Heavener Public School District I-003

West 2nd Avenue C

Heavener, OK 74937

Janie Hairrell

\(918\) 653-7223

Recommended Grant: \$294,498

Heavener, Oklahoma, population 3,201, is located north of the Quachita
Mountains in southeastern Oklahoma. Fifty-five percent of the school
district's students enter Kindergarten with learning skills below
normal. Pre-Kindergartners and Kindergartners lack a library at their
own school and must cross a busy highway and a railroad track to reach
the elementary library. The school district will utilize building fund
revenue to construct a new library and provide adequate shelving;
however, the district lacks funds to provide the books, technology and
services necessary to meet the rigorous literacy and academic goals
required by the No Child Left Behind Act. Monies from the Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries program will be used to establish a
library in the PreK-K building and improve library holdings at the
elementary school library, increase preschool literacy, and raise
students' reading skills, test scores and academic achievement, placing
special emphasis on PreK-3 literacy.

S364A060097

Dewar Public School District

P.O. Box 790

506 S. Roy St.

Dewar, OK 74431-0790

Billy Green

\(918\) 652-9625

Recommended Grant: \$123,150

The Dewar Public School District will implement a systemic program of
literacy development that will be guided by research-based models and
Oklahoma State Department of Education guidelines. The program will
serve 465 elementary and high school students at Dewar School. Funds
from the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program will be
used to weed more than 3,400 old, unused books from the school library
media center and replace them with over 1,700 quality volumes; upgrade
the library's technological capabilities; offer professional development
to library staff, teachers, and administrators in reading, technology,
and resource development; and expand the school library media center's
hours both before and after school and on some weekends. The district
will also partner with the local library, Green Country Vo-Tech, and
Oklahoma State University to present seminars in reading; library media
center usage, and computer literacy. In addition the Dewar Public
Schools will organize a Book Buddies youth reading program and PEER
(Parents Educate Every Reader) group.

S364A060118

Boone-Apache Public Schools I-056

P.O. Box 354

522 East Floyd Street

Apache, OK 73006

Sheryl Rexach

\(580\) 588-3577

Recommended Grant: \$196,577

The Boone-Apache School District's 21st Century Library program will
serve 322 students at Boone-Apache Elementary School. The district will
turn the library into a modern, technology based media center that will
provide all students with the needed skills to achieve academic success
in reading. This will meet the school's goals of raising student
achievement in reading with a concentration on special needs and Native
American students, and improving literacy and research skills for all
students with an emphasis on literacy for students in grades K through
3. The district will upgrade the collection of books and other
materials, introduce new technology, and provide targeted professional
development for the library media specialist and Pre-K through 3
teachers on scientifically-based reading research. It will also extend
the library hours to include after school and Saturday morning
activities.

S364A060178

Anadarko School District I-20

1400 South Mission Street

Anadarko, OK 73005-5813

Cindy Hackney

\(405\) 247-6605

Recommended Grant: \$218,448

The Anadarko School District's Link2Literacy program will serve 1,017
students in grades Pre-K - 5 at three elementary schools. The district
will build the schools' non-fiction book collections and media
resources, ensuring that they are closely aligned to the curriculum;
provide information technology tools for accessing Internet links and
instructional materials; facilitate resource-sharing networks with the
Metropolitan Library System and other public libraries; engage in
scientifically-based reading research strategies through professional
development; and extend opportunities for students to use the library
after school. Family nights and Saturday events will help make the
school-to-home connection.

S364A060202

Salina School District 16

212 East Ferry Street

Salina, OK 74365

Vol Woods

\(918\) 434-5091

Recommended Grant: \$139,949

The Salina School District is located 56 miles northeast of Tulsa,
Oklahoma. Sixty-five percent of the students are Native American and
many of the students' families speak the Cherokee language at home. The
district's Literacy Is For Everyone (LIFE) Project will provide
up-to-date book titles aligned with district curriculum, integrate
Internet-ready technology tools to supplement reading instruction,
facilitate public library links, and implement professional development
and shared activities to increase collaboration between the library
media specialist and Pre-K - 3 teachers. The project will serve 426
students at Salina Elementary School.

S364A060255

Skelly Elementary School

Rt. 1 Box 918

Watts, OK 74964

Paul Thompson

\(918\) 723-5572

Recommended Grant: \$169,904

Skelly Elementary School is a small, rural district that serves 88
students in grades Pre-K through 8. The goal of Skelly's Reading Project
is to increase the amount and quality of print and non-print reading
materials available to Skelly students in order to improve their
literacy skills and in turn, increase their academic achievement. The
school will select a diverse selection of fiction and non-fiction books
that will be linked to the school's curricular areas, acquire new
hardware and software, and provide professional development to the
library media specialist, library assistant, and pre-K through 3
classroom teachers. In addition, the school will offer expanded access
to the library after school and during summer hours to enable students,
teachers, and parents to have increased use of library resources.

S364A060266

Porum School District

4th & W. Osage Street

P.O. Box 189

Porum, OK 74455

Mark Calavan

\(918\) 484-5121

Recommended Grant: \$147,889

The Porum School District's Library Enhancement and Reading Network
(LEARN) program will improve student literacy for 512 students K through
12 in this rural community by weeding its out-of-date book collection
and purchasing new books that are aligned with the school's curriculum,
increasing the number of library computer stations and expanding access
to advanced technology, and increasing library hours after school,
during evenings, weekends, and summers. The district will also train
librarian and early childhood teachers in evidence-based practices for
early literacy and reading skills development and engage community
partners to inform parents about early literacy training and activities.

S364A060335

Achille Public Schools

P.O. Box 280

Achille, OK 74720

Charles Caughern

\(580\) 283-3775

Recommended Grant: \$174,124

The Achille School District's Striving Together to Achieve Reading
Standards (STARS) Project is designed to significantly improve students'
information literacy, vocabulary, and critical reading skills and
motivation to read. The project will impact the frequency with which
they use library media centers on a voluntary basis for 317 elementary
school children in this rural community. The district will purchase new
books and media resources for use by students, staff, and parents;
purchase and install new student computers and circulation/cataloging
computers; equip library media center computers with Internet
connections and networking with elementary classrooms; and establish
networking links between school computers and Durant City and
Southeastern Oklahoma State University Libraries. In addition, the
district will expand library media center hours and offer training to
library media staff and teachers on research-based teaching strategies
and library/teacher collaboration.

S364A060351

Watts Public School

Route 2, Box 1

Watts, OK 74964-9501

Mildred Queen

\(918\) 422-4707

Recommended Grant: \$114,009

The Watts Public School's Reading Enriches Everyone's Life (REEL)
program will utilize the school's library as a community literacy
center. To accomplish this, the school will purchase five new books per
child that are aligned to school curricula; acquire new hardware and
software; provide training to teachers on utilizing the library media
center and to teachers, library staff, and administrators on
collaboration to teach reading; host monthly literacy and technology
nights for children and their parents; and expand the library media
centers hours after school and during the summer. The target population
for this program is 350 students in grades Pre-K through 12 and any
community members.

S364A060416

Wister Public School District I-49

201 Logan Street

Wister, OK 74966

Vicki Robinson

\(918\) 655-3132

Recommended Grant: \$169,679

The Wister Public School District's Bridging Literacy and Technology
(BLT) program will close the literacy gap that separates advantaged and
disadvantaged children and reduce the barrier of rural isolation by
providing up-to-date library media centers. Wister Elementary and High
School 552 students in grades Pre-K through 12 located in rural
southeastern part of the state. To help the students, the district will
acquire new books, library resources, and advanced technology and extend
library hours after school and during evenings, weekends, and summers.
The library staff will be available to assist students in homework and
special projects requiring library resources, selecting reading
material, and using technology resources for information retrieval,
processing and presentation. The district will also foster collaboration
between the library media specialist and teachers to plan and teach
reading and academic activities, and engage Head Start, daycare
providers, businesses, and other community groups to assist in seeking
out and informing parents of preschool-3rd grade children about early
literacy training and services.

S364A060429

Schulter Public Schools

P. O. Box 203

Schulter, OK 74460

Gwyneth Ayres

\(918\) 652-8219

Recommended Grant: \$124,974

The Schulter Public School District serves 204 students in grades pre-K
through 12 in rural Okmulgee County, Oklahoma. The implementation of
their Schulter's Children's Ownership in Reading Everyday (SCORE)
program will help improve children's academic achievement by providing
students and staff with a wide selection of current print materials that
is aligned with the district's curriculum; acquiring and using advanced
technology that is incorporated into the curricula of the school;
building staff capacity to integrate literacy skills into the
curriculum; increasing access to the library media center services; and
providing professional development to school library media specialists,
teachers, and administrators on scientifically-based reading research.
The district will also provide parent workshops and materials with
"family night" activities that will help improve the reading achievement
of students.

S364A060476

Geary Independent School District I-80

110 SW Embree Dr.

Geary, OK 73040-2426

Marianne Price

\(405\) 884-2442

Recommended Grant: \$104,724

The rural-based Geary Independent School District will address the
literacy needs of approximately 450 students Pre-K-12 at Geary
Elementary School and Geary Junior-Senior High School through
Technologist, Educators, Administrators and Media Specialist Working
Together for Literacy (T.E.A.M.) Project. Through this project, the
district will acquire new print resources; provide new computers,
laptops, software, and other technology at both school sites; and keep
the library media centers open for extended hours and during summer
school. The district will also increase collaboration between the media
center and the classrooms, and provide professional development to
library media center staff and teachers. The program will also offer
community computer nights, and host family literacy activities.

**Pennsylvania**

S364A060072

Wissahickon Charter School

4700G Wissahickon Ave.

Philadelphia, PA 19144-4248

Carrie Higgins

\(267\) 338-1020

Recommended Grant: \$77,430

Wissahickon Charter School is an urban public charter school serving
over 400 students in grades K-8. Wissahickon operates as a single school
in its own individual school district. The school will launch Access For
All, an initiative to provide students with access to up-to-date print
and technological resources that are aligned with the school curriculum
and hire the qualified personnel required to extend the Wissahickon
Library Media Center's hours of operation. Extended hours will give
students greater access to books, periodicals, and databases that are
aligned directly with their classroom curriculum and make a significant
difference in student literacy and academic achievement.

**South Carolina**

S364A060101

Dillon School District Two

405 West Washington St.

Dillon, SC 29536

Paula A. Yohe

\(843\) 841-3604

Recommended Grant: \$212,417

Dillon School District Two, located in Dillon, South Carolina, will
initiate the Literacy for a Lifetime: Creating Literacy Communities
program, a multi-faceted, comprehensive approach to improving literacy
and academic achievement. The objectives of the program are (1) to
foster within all citizens a love of reading and an appreciation for
learning, (2) to help break the cycle of illiteracy in the community,
and (3) to increase academic achievement among district students. The
district will create student book clubs for grades K-12; host author
visits at the schools; update the library collections and align them
with the curricula; host family literacy nights; and provide
professional development for certified library media specialists and
teachers. It will also expand an existing picture book collection at the
high school and encourage teen mothers to share them with their children
as well as provide instruction to teen mothers on the importance of
reading aloud to children and choosing books for children of various
ages.

**South Dakota**

S364A060047

Mid-Central Educational Cooperative

612 S. Main Street

Platte, SD 57369-0228

Sylvia Street

\(605\) 337-2636

Recommended Grant: \$300,000

The Mid-Central Educational Cooperative's Improving Literacy Through
School Libraries in Rural South Dakota program will serve 4,340 students
in eight rural school districts. Through this program, seven of the
eight districts will add high quality contemporary titles to their
elementary library collections; five of the eight districts will
purchase new computers and research software; four of the eight
districts will provide professional development to their library staffs
on developing appropriate library collections and standards-based
collections; and six of the eight districts will offer expanded library
hours, including the addition of a book mobile in one particularly rural
district so that elementary students can have access to a much larger,
rotating collection of books year-round, rather than being restricted to
the highly abridged collections in their school libraries.

**Tennessee**

S364A060378

Memphis City Schools

2597 Avery Ave.

Memphis, TN 38112

Margaret Montgomery

\(901\) 416-5382

Recommended Grant: \$299,280

Memphis City Schools (MCS) is the 21^st^ largest school district in the
country and one of the poorest. Through their Partners in Literacy
program, MCS will improve the literacy level and academic achievement of
21,306 K-12 students in 36 schools. This grant will help to update the
library collections to support current curricular needs and the reading
interests of 21^st^ century urban students; institute planned
collaboration between administrators, teachers, and librarians that is
ongoing, addresses current curricular needs, and builds on the interests
of urban learners; and implement flexible scheduling that allows the
library to be used at the point of need throughout the school day and
during extended hours, including before and/or after school, summers,
and weekends.

**Texas**

S364A060129

Ft. Worth Independent School District

100 N. University Drive

Ft. Worth, TX 76107

Vickye Drury

\(817\) 922-4405

Recommended Grant: \$299,997

The Fort Worth Independent School District's Project READ is a
multi-faceted program that will serve 5,200 students at 11 urban
elementary schools. In order to improve student reading and overall
academic achievement, the district will purchase new, quality
non-fiction materials that will be integrated into collaborative lessons
developed by teachers and librarians; acquire new computers and other
technology; and invite public and academic librarians to participate in
after-school, evening, and weekend programs to educate students and
parents about the databases and resources available to them via the
district's Library Media Services Web site. The district will also
provide professional development for teachers and library staff at each
of the 11 project schools. Finally the Fort Worth Independent School
District will offer expanded access to school libraries during
non-school hours.

S364A060184

Education Service Center, Region 2

209 N. Water Street

Corpus Christi, TX 78401

Barbara Houston

\(361\) 561-8670

Recommended Grant: \$299,974

The objectives of Education Service Center, Region 2's *Connections and
Collections* program include increased student performance in reading,
increased student access to a balanced and up-to-date library book
collection and other media center resources, and better integration of
advanced technology through electronic databases. The program will also
improve librarian knowledge and integration of research-based strategies
for beginning reading instruction, improve collaboration between
librarians and teachers, increase parents' involvement in their
children's reading activities, and increase schools administrators'
support of collaboration between teachers and library media specialists.
*Connections and Collections* will reach 7,684 students in grades Pre-K
-- 8 at 20 elementary schools in 10 school districts.

S364A060200

Hereford Independent School District

601 N. 25 Mile Ave.

Hereford, TX 79045

Sheri Blankenship

\(806\) 363-7600

Recommended Grant: \$299,125

The Hereford Independent School District's Books Offer Opportunities,
Knowledge, and Skills (BOOKS) will improve student reading fluency,
achievement, and critical thinking skills. Funds from the Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries grant program will be used to acquire
and update library materials for greater student access; create a
staffed library media facility within an alternative campus; provide
professional development activities for library media specialists,
teachers, and administrators; and offer expanded hours of access to
library resources. The success of the project will be evaluated by
student achievement on state and locally administered student
assessments. The funds will service 3,951 students in grades Pre-K
through 12 on eight campuses located in rural Texas.

S364A060201

Wharton Independent School District

2100 N. Fulton Street

Wharton, TX 77488-2825

Kay Shoppa

\(979\) 532-6206

Recommended Grant: \$299,259

Wharton Independent School District's Improving Literacy Through School
Libraries program will serve 2,426 students in grades K through 12 on
five rural campuses. Through this program, the district will increase
the number of print and non-print library volumes, the number of
high-speed computers connected to the Internet, and the number of hours
librarians will have to help plan collaborative, curriculum-based
instructional units with teachers. In addition, the district will expand
the libraries' hours of operations and provide ongoing training and
support to certified library media specialists on fostering
collaboration with teachers and administrators.

S364A060300

Kenedy Independent School District

401 Highway 719

Kenedy, TX 78119-3044

Cindy Haverlah

\(830\) 583-4100

Recommended Grant: \$299,810

The Kenedy Independent School District's Libraries are Essential to
Academic Progress (LEAP) project will increase the use of libraries by
students and teachers by hiring a full-time certified librarian and two
part-time librarian assistants, improving the library collection,
providing advanced technology so that students can access online
resources, offering professional development for K-3 grade librarians
and staff, increasing family literacy activities, and expanding the
number of hours the libraries are open. These services for this rural
community will help over 700 children from grades K-12.

S364A060381

South San Antonio Independent School District

2515 Bobcat Lane

San Antonio, TX 78224

Linda Zeigler

\(210\) 977-7460

Recommended Grant: \$299,998

The South San Antonio Independent School District serves 9,951 students
on 15 campuses. To address declining reading scores in elementary school
students, the district has developed the Classroom and Library
Connection (CLC) Project. The CLC project will target five elementary
school campuses and provide those campuses with updated print and
non-print library volumes; an increased number of high-speed computers
connected to the Internet; an expanded number of hours that librarians
will have to help plan collaborative, curriculum-based instructional
units with teachers; an increased number of hours of library operations,
and an increased number of librarian-staff-development hours. As a
result, the district will achieve increased use of libraries by
students, teachers, and families that will help the district raise
students\' general reading skills, as measured by the Texas Assessment
of Knowledge and Skills.

S364A060384

Robstown Independent School District

801 North First St.

Robstown, TX 78380-2608

Maggie Drillen

\(361\) 767-6670

Recommended Grant: \$204,341

Robstown Independent School District's Striving to Achieve Reading
Success (STARS) program seeks to improve the reading achievement of
2,756 students at five elementary schools and one junior high school in
Robstown, Texas. The district will improve the age and balance of the
school library media center collections; provide access to electronic
databases on state-of-the-art computers; employ a full-time,
highly-qualified certified library media specialist; and provide
professional development to foster reading programs in the district. The
district will also support collaboration between library media center
staff and teachers to integrate instruction, extend library media center
hours for increased access, and conduct family events to actively engage
parents in their children's reading.

S364A060473

Luling Independent School District

212 E. Bowie

Luling, TX 78648

Barbara Price

\(830\) 875-3191

Recommended Grant: \$218,992

The Luling Independent School District's Library Literacy Connection
program seeks to improve student reading skills and academic achievement
among the district's 1,500 K-12 students in five schools. The district
will use grant funds to acquire up-to-date media resources; incorporate
advanced technology into school curricula; establish resource-sharing
and networking with other libraries and community organizations; provide
professional development to increase collaboration among school library
media specialists, teachers, and administrators; and expand school
library hours to allow student access after school.

**Utah**

S364A060385

Salt Lake City School District

440 East 100 South

Salt Lake City, UT 84111-1898

Lesley McLaughlin

\(801\) 578-8391

Recommended Grant: \$192,496

Salt Lake City School District's Literacy Through Increased Library Use
program seeks to improve student literacy skills and academic
achievement by 2 to 3 percent per year as measured by Criterion
Referenced Test scores for 9,754 students in 14 schools for grades K
through 8. The district will increase the number of multicultural and
leveled books in targeted schools, expand school library hours before
and after school, provide professional development to teachers and
library media specialists on collaboration to help struggling readers
increase their literacy levels, and track attitudinal changes around
literacy in students, teachers and families.

**Wisconsin**

S364A060266

Glidden School District

370 South Grant Street

Route 1, Box 1

Glidden, WI 54527

Nancy H. Mair

\(715\) 264-2141

Recommended Grant: \$152,703

The Glidden School District serves 236 students in grades pre-K through
12 in one school building. The district will improve student literacy by
purchasing new print materials; upgrading slow and obsolete computers;
installing new software to support early literacy, math skills, and
presentation work; and installing a video distance learning classroom
and other new technology in the library media center. The district will
also provide professional development to support K-3 literacy and hire
and train a library aide to support the certified library specialist and
allow time for the specialist to mentor classroom teachers.

**Commonwealth of Northern Marianas**

S364A060517

Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Public School System

3^rd^ Floor, Retirement Building

P.O. Box 501370

Saipan, MP 96950-1370

Tim Thornburgh

670-237-3065

Recommended Grant: \$299,972

The CNMI Public School System is an isolated island chain in the Pacific
Ocean that serves mostly indigenous Pacific Islanders, Filipinos, and
other Asians. This program is designed to improve the reading skills of
1,894 K through 6 elementary school students through the provision of a
staffed media center at three targeted elementary school libraries
during school hours, after school, and on Saturdays. It will engage
students with a multi-faceted approach to reading, learning, and
literacy through the use of up-to-date books, audio-visuals, interactive
materials, and Web-based and other non-print media. School library
staff, teachers, elementary school teachers, and peer mentors will
collaborate in guiding students in their discovery of the world of
reading.