Abstracts in Order by State

S364A040479

Board of School Commissioners of Mobile County, Alabama

P.O. Box 1327

504 Government Street

Mobile, AL 36633-1327

Katherine T. Bekurs

251-221-4056

Recommended Grant: \$349,953

The Mobile County Public Schools System has selected ten elementary
schools in this rural area that serve students in grades Pre-K--5 for
Project SPARKS! (Students and Parents Actively Reading are the Keys to
Success!). Over 5,185 students will benefit from this project with
improved reading ability and academic achievement. The objectives of
this project are to improve student reading skills and achievement by
extending the hours of operation for all library media centers,
increasing collection size with current books and materials, acquiring
up-to-date technological resources, offering parents the use of family
literacy kits for at-home reading experiences, organizing family
literacy events to be held at each school, and collaborating with local
public libraries by providing access to the research-based Accelerated
Reader Program throughout the summer.

S364A040073

City of Opelika Board of Education

P.O. Box 2469

300 Simmons Street

Opelika, AL 36803-2469

Betty Wingo

334-741-5606

Recommended Grant: \$349,446

Literacy Connections, the Opelika City School District (OCSD) Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries (ILTSL) project, will connect media
centers, classrooms, homes, and the community to increase student
literacy skills and academic achievement. The project targets the urban
district's nine schools serving 4,458 students in grades Pre-K--12 who
do not receive sufficient out-of-school reading instruction and lack
critical literacy skills. Literacy Connections will improve students'
literacy and reading achievement by purchasing story and information
books that are timely, relevant, and topical; acquiring advanced
technology in media centers for student and teacher access; providing
students with increased access to electronic resources through reputable
databases; using high-quality, intensive Scientifically Based Reading
Research professional development in 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 school media centers during out-of-school hours.

S364A040094

Wilcox County Board of Education

P.O. Box 160

2210 Highway 221

Camden, AL 36726

Teresa Beardsley

334-573-2550

Recommended Grant: \$199,502

Wilcox County, Alabama, is a rural area with six schools serving 2,450
students in grades Pre-K--12. The achievement gap in Wilcox County is
incredibly wide and literacy is a significant problem. To correct these
insufficiencies, this project will encourage collaboration between
teachers and media specialists through a series of professional
development workshops; establish a procedure for acquiring books that
requires teachers and media specialists to examine curricular needs in
relation to current holdings; increase technological resources; and
extend library hours so that access is more compatible with the needs of
parents, teachers, students, and community members.

S364A040518

Southwest Region School District

P.O. Box 90

Dillingham, AK 99576

David Piazza

907-842-5287

Recommended Grant: \$328,912

The goal of the Southwest Region School District's Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries Project is to improve the literacy skills and
reading achievement of 231 students in the rural district's nine K-12
schools. The project has identified four objectives: 1) update and
increase each school's library media resources; 2) facilitate the use of
advanced technology to develop and enhance information literacy and
retrieval; 3) increase student and community access to the school
library during after-school hours; and 4) train library personnel in
strategies for improving student literacy grades in K-3.

S364A040166

Aguila Elementary School District

P.O. Box 218

50023 North 514^th^ Avenue

Aguila, AZ 85320

Steve Nielsen

928-685-2222

Recommended Grant: \$82,548

Aguila Elementary School District is the local education agency (LEA)
for one rural school, Aguila Elementary School, which is located in
Aguila, Arizona, and serves 175 students. The school district plans to
provide opportunities for parents and students to increase literacy
levels and achievement by creating an effective media center. The
components include expanding library hours to evening and weekend times
for student, parent, and community access to resources; obtaining an
extensive library collection of print and non-print materials that
correlate with the school's curriculum; and providing intensive,
ongoing, collaborative training for the media specialist and
instructional staff on effective strategies in the use of library
resources to increase literacy achievement.

S364A040411

Gila Bend Unified School District

308 North Martin Avenue

Gila Bend, AZ 85337

Chad Ransom

928-683-2225

Recommended Grant: \$144,070

The Gila Bend Unified School District is the Local Education Agency
(LEA) for two schools: Gila Bend Elementary and Gila Bend High School,
which are both located in Gila Bend, Arizona. The district will target
the achievement of the 387 students in the K-8 elementary school by
implementing Project DREAM (Developing Reading Excellence through all
Available Methods). This project focuses on the development of a dynamic
library media center and a collaborative literacy program to improve
student academic achievement. The DREAM project entails recruiting a
highly qualified library media specialist; extending library hours;
acquiring an expanded library collection of print and non-print
materials; and promoting collaboration among students, staff, parents,
and the community.

S364A040486

Laveen Elementary School District

PO Box 29

Laveen, AZ 85339-0029

Dr. Mary A. White

602-237-9100

Recommended Grant: \$126,097

Project TASK is designed to improve literacy skills and academic
achievement of 2,000 students in grades K-8 at three schools in the
rural Laveen School District. Students will be provided with increased
access to up-to-date school library materials, with a well equipped,
technologically advanced school library media center, and with well
trained professionally certified school library media specialists.
Student and community access to school libraries will be increased both
before and after school and during the summer months.

S364A040124

Pinal County School Office

P.O. Box 769

75 North Bailey Street

Florence AZ 85232

Orlenda F. Roberts

520-866-6576

Recommended Grant: \$250,279

The Literacy Improvement for Everyone (LIFE) Project is designed to
serve 1,223 students in grades Pre-K--3 and instructional personnel in
four rural elementary schools in four participating districts. The goal
is to achieve a four percent improvement in academic achievement and
reading proficiency as measured by the Stanford 9 Achievement Test to be
administered in June 2005. The project will accomplish this goal through
targeted professional development for media personnel; expanded library
resources and services; and a focus on literacy skills that aid students
in accessing resources, problem solving, reading skills, using
technology proficiently, retrieving information, and evaluating
electronic information content.

S364A040539

Camden Fairview Public Schools

625 Clifton

Camden, AR 71701-3327

Paul Brewer

870-836-4193

Recommended Grant: \$366,882

Six rural schools (four elementary schools, one junior high school, and
one high school) with a total of 3,000 students will be served through
the Camden Fairview Literacy Through Libraries Project. The major goal
of the project is to increase by 10 percent the number of students who
score "proficient" or above on year-end standardized tests. Activities
include the purchase of materials and technology that compliment the
district's reading and content area programs, professional development
for library media specialists and teachers for best practices
methodologies in teaching literacy, the inclusion of the library media
specialists on the district's Literacy Team, extended day and year
programs for increased access to the library media center, and
evaluation of program outcomes and activities.

S364A040540

Helena-West Helena School District

P.O. Box 369

Helena, AR 72342

Willie Easter

870-338-4425

Recommended Grant: \$365,351

Six rural schools (four elementary schools, one junior high school, and
one high school) with a total of 3,246 students will be served through
the Helena-West Helena Literacy Through Libraries project. The project
seeks to improve student achievement in reading, as measured on
standardized tests. There will be extended day and year programs for
increased access to the library media center. The district will purchase
new reading materials and new technology to support the district's
reading and content area programs. There will also be professional
development for library media specialists and teachers in teaching
literacy.

S364A040425

Stuttgart School District

2501 South Main Street

Stuttgart, AR 72160

Peggy Woosley

870-673-8701

Recommended Grant: \$148,246

The Stuttgart Public School District is a rural district located in the
east-central region of Arkansas. The goal of project *"Text and
Technology"* (T'NT) is to increase student achievement on state-mandated
literacy assessments. Librarians will cooperate with teachers to select
at least 5,000 up-to-date books for 1,100 students. Books on tape will
be purchased for the kindergarten level, and non-fiction print materials
will be bought for grades 1-12 to increase vocabulary and improve
reading comprehension. Five additional computers at two campuses will
enable students to access electronic research sites. Hours of operation
will be extended in support of after-school tutoring, training, and
information-sharing with all parents; and curricula-related projects
will foster reading comprehension, inference, interpreting, and
summarizing skills.

S364A040301

Bakersfield City School District

1300 Baker Street

Bakersfield, CA 93305

Sandra Yoon

661-631-4808

Recommended Grant: \$176,171

Bakersfield City School District is the largest non-unified elementary
school district in California. Project "Libraries Educate All Determined
Elementary Readers" (Project LEADER) will serve 31 separate school sites
with a total of 19,000 elementary students in grades K-5. The goal of
Project LEADER is to increase students' reading skills in K-3 by making
the library a key factor in student achievement. To accomplish this
goal, all 31 library media centers will have access to electronic media;
increased availability of curriculum-aligned reading materials;
professional development opportunities for library media center
assistants, teachers, and parents; expanded library hours before and
after school; and increased computer availability as well as upgraded
software and connectivity. The project activities use research-based
reading components including comprehension, phonics, and vocabulary
specifically targeted to improve students' reading skills.

S364A040190

Livingston Union School District

922 B Street

Livingston, CA 95334-1150

Kathy Berkeley

209-394-5401

Recommended Grant: \$231,774

The Livingston Union School District is located in Livingston,
California, a small rural community with agriculturally based businesses
employing the majority of the residents. The district supports four
schools: three K-5 elementary schools, with a combined enrollment of
1,580 students, and a middle school with an enrollment of 853 students
in grades 6-8. The Improving Literacy Through School Libraries (LSL)
project entitled "Livingston Libraries for Literacy" (LLL) will improve
student literacy skills and academic achievement in grades K-5. The
project's major activities will be to increase the collection of
up-to-date school library media resources, encourage collaboration
between library media specialists and teachers, and increase student
access to the library during non-school hours. LLL will acquire a
digital learning system to provide students and teachers with engaging,
standards-based instructional digital media available in the library
media center, as well as in every classroom.

S364A040648

Stockton Unified School District

701 North Madison Street

Stockton, CA 95202-1687

Gene Menicucci

209-933-7030

Recommended Grant: \$350,000

Stockton Unified School District, an urban district in central
California, has identified eight elementary schools that are most in
need of improved library services and that have low student achievement
levels. To improve students' reading skills and academic achievement,
the Library Literacy Program will acquire up-to-date school library
media resources; acquire advanced technology and incorporate its use
into the curricula of the school to develop and enhance the information
literacy and critical thinking skills of students; hire two
professionally certified school library media specialists and provide
them with professional development to foster their collaboration with
teachers and administrators; and provide students with increased access
to school libraries through extended hours.

S364A040091

Aguilar School District

420 North Balsom

Aguilar, CO 81020

Jane Besel

719-941-4640

Recommended Grant: \$348,880

The rural district has one school with an enrollment of 172 students in
grades Pre-K--12, and the project will place special emphasis on
children preschool through third grade. Through this project the
district plans to address many of the library's deficiencies by
improving the library collection with up-to-date resources; purchasing
and utilizing state-of-the-art technology; enhancing collaboration among
librarians, teachers, library aides, parents, and members of the
community so that the library can be a true community resource; and
increasing access to the library during non-school hours. The project
also plans to teach literacy building skills to young mothers.

S364A040086

Branson RE #82

101 Saddlerock Drive

Branson, CO 81027

Troy Mayfield

719-946-5555

Recommended Grant: \$328,917

The Three L's project serves 92 students in two rural schools. The
project places special emphasis on children from preschool through third
grade and on teaching literacy-building skills to young mothers. Project
funds will be used to improve student literacy skills in the Yukon Flats
Schools by creating model school libraries based on the vision,
standards and implementation strategies found in *Information Power:
Building Partnerships for Learning.* Priorities are to improve the
collection with up-to-date resources; to purchase and utilize
state-of-the-art technology; to enhance collaboration between
librarians, teachers, library aides, parents, and members of the
community so that the libraries can become true community resources; and
to increase access to the libraries during non-school hours. The project
also plans to provide extensive professional development in order to
develop local capacity and ensure sustainability after the grant ends.

S364A040188

The School Board of Madison County, Florida

312 Northeast Duval Street

Madison, FL 32340

Julia Waldrep

850-973-5022

Recommended Grant: \$349,619

Madison County School District is a rural community in north Florida
serving 2,176 K-8 students in four elementary schools. The goal of
Project Reaching Beyond Your Backyard is to improve student reading
skills by incorporating updated technology in the curricula; increasing
collaboration between media personnel and teachers; and providing more
extensive access to school libraries.

S364A040449

Irwin County School District

P.O. Box 225

210 Apple Street

Ocilla, GA 31774

Betty L. Shrouder

229-468-7485

Recommended Grant: \$150,215

The Irwin County School System consists of four schools that serve 1,784
students in grades Pre-K--12. The Irwin Library Literacy Program will
improve the student reading achievement of Irwin County students in
grades K-12 by increasing access to library services for both students
and parents, by providing up-to-date technology and print and non-print
media, and by hiring well-trained library media specialists.

S364A040041

Kankakee School District 111

240 Warren Avenue

Kankakee, IL 60901-4319

Beverly A Smith

815-933-0705

Recommended Grant: \$265,508

The Kankakee School District is located in an urban setting in
east-central Illinois, approximately 80 miles south of Chicago. The
school district serves 5,436 students in grades K-12 in 11 schools. The
District will use the funds to improve media center print resources;
complete automation and connect school libraries to other public and
academic libraries; increase availability of certified media specialists
to students and teachers by expanding the library hours; improve print
and online resources in all of the schools; and provide staff
development to increase effective collaboration and integration of media
services into the curriculum and instruction.

S364A040143

Christel House Academy

2717 South East Street

Indianapolis, IN 46225-2105

Michelle Thompson

317-783-4690

Recommended Grant: \$52,063

Christel House Academy (CHA) is public charter school that serves 273
urban students in grades K-5. The goal of this program is to implement
an Information Center Initiative that will 1) provide a professionally
certified Library Media Specialist (LMS); 2) facilitate enhanced access
to appropriate reading materials and interventions through an automated
collection management program; 3) share Information Center resources
with families and community members via a Web-based Information Center
homepage; and 4) ensure the sharing of innovative literacy instructional
strategies by providing professional development opportunities for the
LMS. The LMS will meet weekly with teachers to plan and coordinate
student activities. Students will be asked to share their Information
Center projects via the center's Web page. Christel House Academy
believes the ability to access and use resources is integral to the
overall performance and success of its students.

S364A040283

Casey County Board of Educational

1922 North US 127

Liberty, KY 42539

Janet Emerson

606-787-6941

Recommended Grant: \$103,533

Project KARE (Kids And Reading Enrichment) will serve 1,308 grade
Pre-K--6 students in six rural elementary schools in Casey County,
Kentucky. The goal of Project KARE is to improve student reading and
academic achievement by focusing on school library media specialists and
school/community partnerships. Major project activities will include (1)
acquiring up-to-date materials in each of the six elementary school
libraries; (2) providing a variety of professional development
activities; (3) developing district standards-based units of study with
library media specialists as key collaborative partners in instruction;
(4) establishing school and community partnerships to involve parents in
helping the students; and (5) extending technology to increase online
informational resources through the development of school library Web
pages.

S364A040665

Cumberland County Board of Education

P.O. Box 420

410 North Main Street

Burkesville, KY 42717

Priscilla Schwartz

270-864-1262

Recommended Grant: \$97,000

Cumberland County School District's mission is to enable all students to
maximize their potential, both academically and socially, so that they
may become productive, responsible citizens. This project will serve
1,105 rural students in an elementary, middle, and high school. Students
will be provided with increased access to up-to-date materials through
the acquisition of books and technology resources. The media centers
will be well equipped and technologically advanced to enable them to
expand their outreach into classrooms and homes. School library media
specialists will be professionally certified and will receive
professional development and training to enhance the media centers.

S364A040664

Metcalfe County School District

1007 West Stockton Street

Edmonton, KY 42129

Pamela L. Stearns

270-432-3171

Recommended Grant: \$123,420

The Developing Readers Everyday Across Metcalfe Schools (DREAMS)
initiative will focus on increasing reading achievement at three rural
elementary schools, with initial emphasis on 1,622 students in grades
3-6. The project goals are to improve reading achievement by improving
curricular relevance and accessibility of school library media center
services and resources, and to improve the schools' overall literacy
levels and academic achievement to reach a level comparable to other
schools in Kentucky. Project activities designed to meet the goals
include enhancing the district's K-6 curriculum; acquiring literacy
materials for all school media centers; providing 12 hours of
professional development for all library media specialists, classroom
teachers, and administrators; and allowing parent and students access to
school libraries beyond school hours.

S364A040252

Pike County School System

314 South Mayo Trail

P.O. Box 3097

Pikeville, KY 41501

Maritta Belcher

606-433-9243

Recommended Grant: \$350,000

The Pike County LIBERTY Initiative is a district-wide initiative
designed to improve the reading and information literacy skills of the
4,657 students in grades K-5 enrolled in the 15 urban and rural Pike
County Elementary Schools. The LIBERTY plan of action includes
professional development for certified library media specialists,
classroom teachers, technology resource teachers, reading specialists,
special education teachers, district personnel, and parent volunteers;
updating the library print collection and technology, including the
purchase of computers, printers, and online subscriptions; establishing
Reading Clubs, Family Reading Nights, and Camp Read-a-Lot events and
extending media center hours of operation; assessments of student
achievement using a variety of formal and informal assessments.

S364A040606

Todd County Board of Education

804 South Main Street

Elkton, KY 42220

Wanda Jo Glover

270-265-2436

Recommended Grant: \$160,130

Todd County school district serves two elementary schools, one middle
school, and one high school in a rural farming community on the
Tennessee border in western Kentucky. The district's goal is to break
the cycle of illiteracy in the county by focusing particular emphasis on
560 Pre K-5 students in the district. To attain this goal the district
will provide all students with a well equipped, technologically advanced
media center and ensure that all library activities are meaningful and
thought provoking. An open library concept will allow students access to
materials on a timely basis. A library assistant will be hired to enable
the library media specialist to spend more time collaborating with
teachers on a curriculum-based media center collection.

S364A040547

Bienville Parish School Board

P.O. Box 418

Arcadia, LA 71001

Danny Gour

318-263-9416

Recommended Grant: \$399,676

Eight rural schools (four K-12 schools, two Pre-K--6 schools, and two
7-12 schools) with a total of 2,521 students will be served through the
Bienville Parish Schools Literacy Through Libraries project. Activities
have been designed to reach the goal of the project is to increase by 10
percent the number of students who score "proficient" or above on
year-end standardized tests. Activities include the following: (1) the
purchase of new materials and technology (2) professional development
for library media specialists and teachers in teaching literacy, (3) the
inclusion of the library media specialists in district-wide literacy
initiatives, and (4) extended day and year programs for increased access
to the library media center.

S364A040605

New Orleans Public Schools

3510 General DeGaulle Drive

New Orleans, LA 70114

Michael Brocato

504-483-6100

Recommended Grant: \$349,987

Project SOLAR (Supporting Orleans Libraries And Reading) will impact
5,475 urban students enrolled in eight schools. The goal of the project
is to improve student achievement, particularly in reading. This project
will acquire up-to-date books and other school library media resources,
acquire and use advanced technology to enhance students' research and
critical/higher level thinking skills, provide professional development
opportunities for media specialists, and provide students with increased
access to the school library media centers.

S364A040350

Boston Public Schools

26 Court Street

Boston, MA 02108-2505

Nancy Jones

617-635-8291

Recommended Grant: \$92,570

This project, sponsored by the Boston Public Schools, will seek to serve
6,767 K-8 students in 11 urban schools, each participating in the Title
1 Schoolwide Project. The goal of "The Library Will Help" is for each of
the elementary schools in the program to meet their state target score
in Reading/English/Language Arts, and for each subgroup in grades 2-5 to
meet its local reading goal for the 2004-05 school year. To attain these
goals, project staff will purchase books and other resources to bring
the school libraries up to standard; institute a program to increase the
use of books and resources both during and after school; employ online
research, media, and digital learning tools; and provide professional
development for library media specialists to become better equipped to
fully implement the district's Information Literacy Curriculum for
school libraries.

S364A040588

School District of the City of Detroit

7430 Second Avenue

Third Floor Kahn Building

Detroit, MI 48202-4000

Juanita Clay Chambers

313-873-7480

Recommended Grant: \$322,214

The "Kids Read: Kids Succeed" project plans to provide ten closed
elementary school libraries with materials so they may re-open and
service students from pre-K through 3^rd^ grade in Detroit Public
Schools. This project will focus on building a culture of reading in the
communities, which will directly impact 4,000 students and their
families. Students will increase their reading skills by having the
opportunity to learn research skills, use the Internet, and read
numerous quality library materials. In addition, professional
development activities for library media specialists, teachers,
administrators, and parents will help the students improve their reading
achievement. This will also indirectly impact another 3,000 students in
upper grades by providing availability to new books, magazines,
software, and technology.

S364A040424

Cleveland School District

305 Merritt Drive

Cleveland, MS 38732

Gail Cheney

662-843-3529

Recommended Grant: \$349,998

Cleveland School District serves 3,637 students in six elementary
schools and four secondary schools in the heart of the Mississippi
Delta. *Reading Gives Me the Power!* is a project with the goals of
achieving 100 percent literacy in the community and creating life-long
learners who will view their school libraries as information centers.
*Reading Gives Me the Power!* establishes the library as a multi-media,
cross-curriculum instructional center with information to help
librarians and teachers better meet state standards while respecting the
individual learning styles of the students. Expanded technology and
extended hours of operation will also serve the needs of the larger
community.

S364A030019

Lawrence County School District

346 Thomas E. Jolly Drive

Monticello, MS 39654

Deborah Sylvester

601-587-2506

Recommended Grant: \$349,038

Lawrence County School District's (LCSD) Improving Literacy Through
School Libraries (ILTSL) project will target the rural district's five
schools serving 2,351 students in grades K-12, their families, teachers,
and school library media personnel. The LCSD Improving Literacy Through
School Libraries project will improve students' literacy and reading
achievement by purchasing story and information books that are timely,
relevant, and topical; acquiring advanced technology in media centers
for student and teacher access; providing students with increased access
to electronic resources through reputable databases; using high-quality
intensive Scientifically Based Reading Research professional development
in 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 school media centers during
out-of-school hours.

S364A040056

Sunflower County School District

200 Main Street

Indianola, MS 38751

Jean Millen

662-887-1473

Recommended Grant: \$304,303

Sunflower County School District will implement an Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries project entitled **LIBRARY** (**L**iteracy
**I**mproved **B**y **R**estructuring **A**cademic **R**esources for our
**Y**outh)**.** The goal of this project is to help students improve
their standardized test scores. The project will enhance the ability of
libraries at each of the seven rural district schools to provide
improved services to all 2,034 district students. School libraries will
be provided with certified librarians, will foster collaboration with
classroom teachers, will update their resources, and extend operating
hours. Professional development opportunities will be offered to
encourage strong collaboration among librarians, teachers, and
administrators. These improvements will ensure that schools have access
to the unique contributions only certified librarians can provide to a
school; will enable the library staff to better support the academic
efforts of teachers; will enhance existing district reading and literacy
initiatives; will expand the services offered by each library; and will
provide students and parents with increased access to the entire range
of learning tools within the schools' libraries.

S364A040332

North Harrison R-III School District

12023 Fir Street

Eagleville, MO 64442-0098

June Abplanalp

660-867-5221

Recommended Grant: \$92,530

The North Harrison R-III School District is a rural Pre-K--12 district
serving 264 students in two schools, a Pre-K--6 elementary school and a
high school. The North Harrison Literacy and Library Improvement
project's plan for the improvement of reading and library resource usage
is to update library materials; add non-print resources; train middle
school and high school teachers in the use of Four-Block resources,
interactive resources, and reading instruction software available in the
library; expand after-school library access by six hours per week during
the school year; hold monthly library nights to stimulate parent
interest and participation in reading; and upgrade library technology.

S364A040489

Shell Knob Elementary School District #78

HC 2 Box 2054

Shell Knob, MO 65747

Sandy Cupps

417-858-6743

Recommended Grant: \$54,882

The Shell Knob School District of Barry County serves 207 students in
one K-8 school located in rural southwest Missouri. The goal of the
SKILL (Shell Knob Improves Literacy through the Library) project is to
instill a love of reading and learning in the students while improving
their literacy, academic achievement, and critical thinking skills so
they can meet current grade expectations. The project will provide
supplementary reading materials for two new reading programs; up-to-date
reference materials in classrooms and in the library; well-equipped and
up-to-date computer technology along with networked communication
software in the library; extended library hours; and professional
development opportunities for the librarian and teachers.

S364A040460

Willow Springs R-IV School District

215 West Fourth Street

Willow Springs, MO 65793

Jimalee James

417-469-3260

Recommended Grant: \$175,530

The overall goal of Project REACH (Reading, Enriching, Achieving,
Climbing Higher) is to improve literacy skills and academic achievement
by providing students and their parents with current school library
materials, technologically advanced library media centers, and extended
hours of operation for the library media centers. Project REACH will
serve children and adults in the Willow Springs R-IV School district,
which encompasses three schools for grades Pre-K--12 on 310 square miles
in rural, southern Missouri.

S364A040472

Brockton School District 55 & 55F

P.O. Box 198

Brockton, MT 59213-0198

Bernard Lambert

406-786-3311

Recommended Grant: \$48,352

The goal of the "Strategies To Achieve Reading Success" (STARS) program
is to improve literacy skills by expanding the school library's print
and non-print media collection to reflect curriculum priorities, by
encouraging collaboration between the library media specialist and the
teachers, and by opening the library during non-school hours to serve
the needs of the community. The school, located on the rural Fort Peck
Indian Reservation in Montana, is the only one in the district. The
STARS program will serve 185 students in grades K-12 of whom 98% are
American Indian. Enrollment is expected to increase to 200 students in
the 2004-2005 school year.

S364A040666

Trenton Public Schools

108 North Clintyon Avenue

Trenton, NJ 08609-1014

Joyce Willis

609-392-7188

Recommended Grant: \$381,697

Trenton's Improving Literacy Through School Libraries Program will focus
on improving literacy for 1,394 students in grades Pre-K through 8 in
Trenton's four lowest performing elementary schools. This program is
designed to enhance and strengthen the district's efforts to ensure that
all students are reading on grade level, are able to master the New
Jersey's Core Curriculum Content Standards, and have achieved
proficient/advanced proficient ratings on state assessment tests and/or
advance to the 50 percent -- 99 percent quartile on the district's
language arts literacy standardized tests. Trenton's Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries Program will accomplish these ends by
providing 1) up-to-date media resources; 2) additional access to school
libraries for an additional five hours per week during non-school hours
for the duration of the school year; 3) opportunities for library media
specialists and classroom teachers to collaborate; 4) advanced
technological supplies and equipment needed to enrich project-based
learning; and 5) opportunities for library media specialists to engage
in professional development activities related to improving literacy in
grades K-8.

S364A040564

Woodbine School District

801 Webster Street

Woodbine, NJ 08270

Janet Yunghans

609-862-5274

Recommended Grant: \$120,400

The Woodbine School District's project will serve the 265 rural PreK-8
students enrolled in the Woodbine Elementary School. The goal of the
project is to improve the literacy skills of these students.
Collaboration between instructional and school library media staff will
be strengthened, instructional materials and resources that are aligned
with curriculum will be added, and student access to libraries will be
increased by the extension of library hours of operation. Additionally,
the Woodbine School District and the Cape May County Library System will
form a co-operative that will include a "Reading Room" in the school for
community residents.

S364A040070

Northeast Regional Educational Cooperative

P.O. Box 927

Las Vegas, NM 87701

Mary Schutz

505-426-2085

Recommended Grant: \$229,245

This project involves 14 public schools and their libraries, serving
2,230 students, mostly Hispanic, in grades K-5. To improve students'
literacy rates, the school libraries will update print and non-print
resources and technology, collaborate with the two public libraries on
an interlibrary loan program, train library media specialists and
assistants in literacy improvement strategies, and increase school
library access during non-school hours.

S364A040494

Binghamton City School District

Columbus School

164 Hawley Street

Binghamton, NY 13902-2126

Joyce Westgate

607-762-8309

Recommended Grant: \$305,870

Binghamton and Deposit school districts together serve a population of
3,100 students in a network of eight urban elementary schools. These two
districts propose to join forces in a multi-faceted effort to improve
student achievement in early literacy and language development. Our
effort comprises six components: 1) expanding current library holdings
with research-based, grade-level books and multimedia resources that are
aligned with classroom curriculum and conform to NYS Learning Standards;
2) extending library hours two nights per week and two days per week in
the summer to facilitate additional access for all constituents; 3)
integrating library services by linking library media specialists with
each school's Academic Intervention Services Team and with programs such
as American Reading Company's 100 Book Challenge, Reading Recovery, Even
Start, and Partners for Learning; 4) providing library media specialists
with research-based skills modeled on the inquiry method for elementary
students with a focus on the 100 Book Challenge research lab program; 5)
engaging parents and elementary educators in literacy activities; and 6)
using student assessment data to guide the instruction and selection of
library media resources.

S364A040582

Central New York Charter School for Math and Science

601 East Genessee Street

Syracuse, NY 13202-3117

Jessica Spinner

315-472-5914

Recommended Grant: \$136,477

"Literacy is Necessary Knowledge" (LINK) is a program developed by the
Central New York Charter School for Math and Science (CNYCS) for their
600 urban students. The goal of the program is to help meet the
challenges of students who have a below average literacy rate and to
further develop the recently created Media Center to better serve the
'at risk' student population. LINK will add staff, increase library
materials and equipment, and collaborate efforts within the school
community.

S364A040622

Charter School for Applied Technologies

2303 Kenmore Avenue

Buffalo, NY 14207-1311

Efrain Martinez

716-876-7505

Recommended Grant: \$34,506

The Charter School for Applied Technologies (CSAT) is an independent
charter school located in Buffalo, New York, serving 934 urban students
in grades K-8. CSAT's goal is to improve literacy by exposing students
to all forms of literature and to create a community of life­long
learners. By increasing access to the library media center (LMC) it will
directly address its community's literacy needs. Increased access to the
LMC will facilitate the establishment of a Summer Reading Academy for
third graders and Family Literacy Nights for all students and their
parents. Family Literacy Nights will teach parents how to become their
child's reading partners, as well as address their own literacy needs.
After-school hours will offer supplementary LMC activities that
reinforce the CSAT reading curriculum.

S364A040470

District 6 - Region 10

4360 Broadway

New York, NY 10033

Cheryl McClendon

917-521-3221

Recommended Grant: \$350,000

This project, created by District 6 of the New York City Department of
Education, will serve approximately 5,202 grade K-3 students in six
elementary schools in northern Manhattan. The goal of the project is to
support literacy instruction for the dual language, transitional
bilingual, and English as a Second Language students who are enrolled in
these six schools. The four components of the program are 1) increasing
and updating the non-fiction library collections with purchases of
Spanish language materials; 2) providing technological upgrades; 3)
providing for professional development for all librarians, and 4)
extending library hours and conducting parent workshops in order to
expand the impact the library's have within their school community.

S364A040385

Fillmore Central School District

104 West Main Street

P.O. Box 177

Fillmore, NY 14735-0177

Diane Crater

716-376-8206

Recommended Grant: \$339,066

The Fillmore Central School District (as lead agency) with the
Bolivar-Richburg, Friendship and Randolph Central School Districts, the
Salamanca City School District, Cattaraugus-Allegany-Erie-­Wyoming BOCES,
Houghton College, and six area public libraries, intend to implement an
Improving Literacy through School Libraries program that will improve
student performance on federal/state assessments; provide enriched
delivery of family literacy programs at partner libraries; and increase
community access to and employment of library text and technology
resources. The program will also provide acquisition and informed use of
books, periodicals, PCs and child-focused hardware/software; enhance
collaboration among classroom teachers, school library media specialists
and school, village and town public librarians; and integrate nationally
recognized, scientifically based professional development programs into
classroom instruction and into library services.

S364A040235

Monticello Central School District

237 Forestburgh Road

Monticello, NY 12701-2649

Robert Falcone

845-794-7700

Recommended Grant: \$142,480

The Monticello Central School District consists of four elementary
schools (two K-5, one 3-5, and one K-2), a middle school, and a high
school, with a total of 3600 students. This project will focus on 1,055
students in grades K-3 in four elementary schools in this rural school
district. Library Media Specialists will collaborate with classroom
teachers to construct activities that integrate classroom curriculum
with information literacy process skills. Library Media Centers will be
open for extended hours to encourage student access and family literacy
activities. Project participants will conduct in-service trainings for
other teachers on the development of collaborative Learning Experience
Outlines.

S364A040072

New Covenant Charter School

50 Lark Street

Albany, NY 12210

Jennifer Brown

518-463-3912

Recommended Grant: \$88,601

New Covenant Charter School is an urban independent LEA serving 900
students in grades K-6. Project CHILL (Children Harnessing Information
Literacy in the Library) will focus on acquiring high quality,
grade-level-appropriate reading material that supports the school's
curriculum and promotes competence in the five essential elements of
reading; improving the library's technological capabilities; enhancing
resource sharing networks with reference materials and research
databases; providing professional development opportunities for the
school's library media specialist to increase her ability to impact the
school community; and promoting increased library usage with a new,
take-home reading program and open access hours after school, on
Saturdays, and during the summer.

S364A040373

Utica City School District

1115 Mohawk Street

Utica, NY 13501-3701

Marilyn Skermont

315-792-2215

Recommended Grant: \$330,830

The Utica City School District will implement its "Improving Literacy
Through School Libraries" program in four urban schools serving 2,308
students in grades K-3. To enhance reading levels and academic
achievement, the program will provide up-to-date print and non-print
materials; additional multimedia equipment and resources; certified
librarians; extended hours on Saturdays and during the summer; and an
online collection of instructional videos called "Video on Demand."
Library media specialists will receive training in science-based
literacy strategies and will team with teachers to create
technologically integrated instructional units.

S364A040304

Van Hornesville Owen D. Young Central School

P.O. Box 125, Route 80

Van Hornesville, NY 13475-0125

James Christman

315-858-0729

Recommended Grant: \$99,704

Van Hornesville Owen D. Young Central School (ODY) serves 24 Pre-K
students and 235 students in grades K-12 in rural central New York
state. The goal of this project is to improve student performance on
state English exams. Objectives include providing quarterly enrichment
programs for elementary students; encouraging parental participation in
orientation sessions and as program volunteers; training teachers and
staff to collaborate on early literacy development strategies;
increasing library hours; acquiring 3,000 new print and non-print
materials, including early literacy software; replacing all library
computers; establishing a library Web site that includes links to other
libraries and information sites; collaborating with the Jordanville
Public Library on "ODY Reads;" and involving partners in promoting the
State Education Department's Summer Reading Program.

S364A040548

Columbus County Schools

817 Washington Street

P.O. Box 729

Whiteville, NC 28472

Ken Buck

910-648-2767

Recommended Grant: \$214,511

The COLUMBUS DISCOVERS READING! Program will improve the literacy skills
of 4,188 urban students from 11 elementary schools in Columbus County,
North Carolina. This program will replace at least 20 percent of
participating school library collections with materials that follow
curriculum guidelines and, equally important, materials that students
want to read. A small pilot summer reading program, keeping the library
open five hours a week for the eight weeks of summer at six of the
schools, will allow students and parents to visit and check out books.
Parents, teachers, administrators, and community leaders at each school
will be involved in the process of selecting book titles to add to the
collection and in designing the details of the summer program. Greater
numbers of children could then read more books throughout the year,
thereby increasing their literacy skills and their reading enjoyment.

S364A040230

Halifax County Schools

9525 Highway 301 South

P.O. Box 468

Halifax, NC 27839

Charles W. Chambliss

252-583-5111

Recommended Grant: \$328,000

The Halifax County School's, Reading Everyday and Discover Yourself
(READY) project's goal is to improve adolescent literacy skills and
academic achievement for 1,373 students enrolled in four urban middle
schools. A partnership among media specialists, administrators and
teachers will be established to implement site-based management
initiatives. Expected results include the establishment of high-quality
libraries with current resources and state-of-the-art equipment,
enhanced media specialists roles, increased student academic performance
in reading and other subject areas, decreased student dropout rates,
increased parental involvement, increased collaborations with community
resources, and increased circulation and use of technology for student
learning.

S364A040131

Cleveland Municipal School District

1380 East 6^th^ Street

Cleveland, OH 44114-1667

Kathleen F. Freilino

216-436-5369

Recommended Grant: \$349,814

The Cleveland Municipal School District's Improving Literacy Through
School Libraries Project proposes linking two of the district's
elementary schools currently demonstrating superior literacy achievement
scores with two elementary schools exhibiting low literacy achievement
scores in order to further improve the literacy skills of its students.
This effort will serve 1,782 K-3 students in the urban district. The
partnership will provide collaborative planning and teaching, with
teachers and library media specialists as equal partners; support for
the [core curriculum](http://instech.tusd.k12.az.us/CORETOP.html)
through use of a tech-savvy, print-rich school library media center;
increased student interest in research and recreational reading;
professional development for teachers; professionally certified school
library media specialists; and parental support for the school library.
The program will also establish open access to up-to-date school library
materials and development/implementation of a flexible scheduling
approach for library instruction.

S364A040180

New Boston Local School District

522 Glenwood Avenue

New Boston, OH 45662

Jerry Skiver

704-456-4626

Recommended Grant: \$108,894

The New Boston Local School District serves 420 students in grades K-12
at three rural schools. The district's literacy project is designed to
provide students with access to an increased number of up-to-date books;
a well equipped, technologically advanced library media center; expanded
library hours; and a library and teaching staff trained to collaborate
in creating curriculum materials. New Boston Local School District will
purchase a variety of reading materials, the A+nywhere Learning System
for the high school, and 20 computers.

S364A040328

Oak Hill Union Local

265 West Cross Street

Oak Hill, OH 45656-1092

William Ramsey

740-682-3431

Recommended Grant: \$131,548

The Oak Hill Union Local is implementing the Oak Hill "Improving
Literacy Through School Libraries" program in order to serve 1,258
students in grades K-12 at four rural schools. Under the direction of
the district media specialist and in collaboration with the district's
literacy team, school administrators and community partners in the
district will implement Guidelines for Effective School Media Programs;
onsite training for teachers in the use of technology; and broadened and
increased library collections. The district will also upgrade library
technology; add new computers to increase student, parent, teacher, and
community access to library resources; and add library links to the
district Web site to expand information access.

S364A040198

Boswell Public School District

604 7^th^ Street

Box 839

Boswell, OK 74727-0839

Frances Clark

580-566-2735

Recommended Grant: \$68,957

In order to establish a comprehensive approach to improving literacy
skills in Pre-K--12, the Boswell School District proposes the *Boswell
Literacy Project.* At the two sites, which serve 420 rural students,
resources will be chosen to increase students' early literacy skills,
reading fluency, and reading for pleasure or enjoyment; and updated with
an emphasis in the areas of science and social studies. The focus of the
Boswell Literary Project will be on collaboration between the library
media specialist and the classroom teacher to integrate literacy skills
with all areas of the curriculum. New acquisitions will replace outdated
materials; the library media specialist staff will participate in staff
development training; and hours will be extended on regular basis at
each site to allow for special programs and additional access to library
materials.

S364A040401

Boynton-Moton Public School

P.O. Box 97

115 Cardinal

Boynton, OK 74422-0097

Steve Henson

918-472-7330

Recommended Grant: \$149,577

The Boynton-Moton Public School, located in rural Muskogee County,
Oklahoma, serves approximately 204 students in grades K-12. The school
population is 88 percent African American and 12% Native American and
Caucasian. The school library's project "Reading Power" will integrate
curriculum and media resources to improve literacy rates and meet
"adequate yearly progress" standards. The project will provide
up-to-date materials, access to information technology, science-based
reading strategies, enhanced staff development, and extended
after-school and summer hours.

S364A040613

Eufaula Public Schools

P.O. Box 609

Eufaula, OK 74432-0609

Bea Baker

918-689-2152

Recommended Grant: \$98,683

The Eufaula (Oklahoma) Literacy Through School Libraries program will
serve approximately 1,258 students in grades Pre-K--12 at its elementary
school, middle school, and high school. In order to focus upon improving
the reading achievement of the rural district's students, a systemic
change will occur through 1) increasing access to up-to-date school
library materials; 2) providing a well equipped, technologically
advanced school library media center; and 3) providing well-trained
professionally certified school library media specialists.

S364A040003

Hammon Public Schools

P.O. Box 279

Hammon, OK 73650-0279

Randy Stickney

580-473-2221

Recommended Grant: \$126,651

Hammon is a small, geographically isolated rural community located in
western Oklahoma. Hammon Public School serves approximately 212 students
in grades K-12. This \"Improving Literacy Through School Libraries\"
program will provide access to up-to-date resources to all students at
all grade levels. Hammon students, staff, and community members will
have expanded access hours before and after school, on Saturdays, and in
the summer. The district will introduce advanced technology into all
school curricula to enhance information literacy, information retrieval,
and the critical thinking skills of students; will increase Internet
links and other resource-sharing networks among schools and school
library media centers; and will provide ongoing professional development
training and activities for certified library media specialists and
increased collaboration among the staff, administrators, students, and
community.

S364A040117

Henryetta Public Schools

1801 Troy Aikman Drive

Henryetta, OK 74437-3851

Susan Kelch

918-652-6523

Recommended Grant: \$100,759

The Henryetta (Oklahoma) Literacy Through School Libraries program will
serve approximately 1,258 students in grades Pre-K--12 at three schools
in a rural, geographically isolated area. To improve academic
achievement the district will open school libraries during non-school
hours, encourage teachers and library media specialists to collaborate
on curriculum planning, provide computer access to outside resources,
and conduct training in library skills for students.

S364A040464

Howe Public School District

P.O. Box 259

Howe, OK 74940-0259

Tammy Parks

918-658-3666

Recommended Budget: \$121,357

Howe Public School District 1-67 in rural Oklahoma serves 398 students,
Pre-K through twelfth grade, on one campus. This project will improve
the literacy skills and academic achievement of enrolled students by
providing expanded library resources, greater access to information
technology, an expanded library media collection, and a focus on
collaboration between the librarian and teachers. The library will be
improved by increasing print and non-print collections; by increasing
access to technology, including a 25-station computer lab and
distance-learning technology to bring outside resources to the rural
area; by offering professional development training for the librarian;
and by extending library hours.

S364A040057

Hulbert Public Schools

P.O. Box 188

316 S. Rider Lane

Hulbert, OK 74441-0188

Todd Kimrey

918-772-2501

Recommended Grant: \$115,513

The Hulbert, Oklahoma, project will serve approximately 560 students in
grades Pre-K-12 in an elementary school, a junior high, and a high
school located in a rural area. In order to equip the students with the
resources not only to raise academic scores but also to become lifelong
readers and learners, the project will implement a systemic program of
literacy development that will be guided by research-based models and
Oklahoma State Department of Education guidelines. The goals of the [We
Are Readers]{.underline} project are to improve reading and academic
achievement through increased access to up-to-date school library
materials; to equip the library with advanced technology; to ensure the
school library media center is effectively staffed; and to involve
parents, faculty, and school patrons in school library media center
activities.

S364A040145

Osage-Bowring Public Schools

207 East Main Street

Hominy, OK 74035-1511

Rick Schlekeway

918-336-6892

Recommended Grant: \$40,124

Project BOLD (Bowring Optimizes Literacy Development) will serve 93
rural students from one Early Childhood--grade 8 school. The goal of
this program is to enable participating students to make statistically
significant gains in reading. Funds will be used to increase media
center resources and expand access to technology, to provide
professional development opportunities for library media center
personnel, to support the application of scientifically based reading
research, and to facilitate resource-sharing networks using the Oklahoma
Union Database and other resources.

S364A040158

Osage-Shidler Public Schools

207 East Main Street

Hominy, OK 74035-1511

Stephen Cargill

918-793-2021

Recommended Grant: \$161,663

Shidler's Project READERS will serve two rural schools and 238 students
in grades Pre-K--12. With this grant, Project READERS anticipates that
70 percent or more of the participating students will make statistically
significant gains in reading. To achieve that goal, the district's
school library media center collections will be updated and expanded by
50 percent or more; access to advanced technologies will be increased by
20 percent to support literacy development in content areas; and
eligible library media center specialists will be offered at least 18
contact hours of professional development in the areas of reading and
language arts.

S364A040315

Osage-Woodland Public Schools

207 East Main Street

Hominy, OK 74035

Phyllis Murphy

918-642-3297

Recommended Grant: \$238,267

Woodland Public Schools is a small rural school district in Northern
Oklahoma planning to serve 474 students in an elementary, middle, and
high school. Project WORLDS (Woodland Optimizes Reading and Literacy
Development for Students) will supplement library media centers' (LMC)
materials, integrate advanced technologies, deliver science-based
professional development aligned with state standards, and extend LMC
operating hours in PreK-12 grades. The library media specialists will
collaborate with teachers in action research projects and work with
students in information literacy, reading, and other content areas.
Library staff will facilitate resource sharing networks using the
Oklahoma Union Database and other resources.

S364A040376

Pond Creek-Hunter School District I-90

200 East Broadway

P.O. Box 56

Pond Creek, OK 73766-0056

Margene Burnham

580-532-4241

Recommended Grant: \$31,978

Pond Creek-Hunter Schools is a rural school of approximately 320
students in grades Pre­-K--12 that draws its students from the towns of
Pond Creek, Hunter, Jefferson and the surrounding rural area. Pond
Creek-Hunter Schools seek to improve the literacy of their students by
strengthening the collaboration between instructional and library media
staff; realigning instructional materials and resources with the local
curriculum; and providing interesting, current, reading level
appropriate materials. Purchasing new computers and adding other
technology will update the technology component of the school's library
and help to meet the project's objectives. Additionally, hours will be
expanded in order to provide greater access to the library, thereby
increasing the opportunities for students to retain and improve their
reading skills.

S364A040358

Shady Point Public School District C-4

P.O. Box 1005

Shady Point, OK 74956-1005

Norma Sue Fowler

918-963-2595

Recommended Grant: \$40,089

Shady Point School District will improve library resources and services
in one rural school serving 144 K-8 students. To raise levels of
literacy and academic achievement, print and non-print library materials
will be updated and expanded; students and teachers will access
technology resources; and the librarian and teaching staff will be
trained to collaborate on developing literacy profiles and implementing
the Big6 research skills model. The librarian will also supervise
literacy programs including parent-child reading time, author visits,
book talks with students, and online activities. In addition, library
media specialists and classroom teachers will collaborate on integrating
literacy skills into all areas of the curriculum, with reading being the
principal focus. Library hours will be extended to allow for special
programs and increased access to library materials.

S364A040361

Stilwell Public Schools

1801 West Locust

Stilwell, OK 74960-3299

Tracy Bayles

918-696-5596

Recommended Grant: \$96,940

Consisting of 1,420 total students, Stilwell Public Schools, in
Stilwell, Oklahoma, is an independent rural school district that will
serve two schools with students in grades Pre-K--8 in the Linking
Literacy and Science (L~2~S) Program. The goal of the L~2~S is to
improve literacy skills and academic achievement in students by
acquiring up-to-date resources and advanced technology needed to provide
coordinated student services among classrooms, media centers, and public
and academic libraries; implementing a plan of operation to provide
students with access to libraries during non-school hours; leading and
participating in professional development for faculty and staff; and
offering activities that foster increased collaboration among school
library media specialists, teachers, and administrators.

S364A040387

Tecumseh Public Schools

302 South Ninth Street

Tecumseh, OK 74873-4021

Peggy Madden

405-598-3169

Recommended Grant: \$ 127,663

Tecumseh School District is home to five rural schools serving 2,245
students in grades Pre-K--12. The goal of this project is to use the
library media centers as catalysts for improving student achievement.
The district plans to meet this goal by updating the book collection,
acquiring and using technology integrated into the curriculum to assist
students in developing research skills, using other resource-sharing
networks and internet sites provided by the Library Division of the
Oklahoma State Department of Education, fostering increased
collaboration between the media specialist and classroom teachers,
providing professional development opportunities for library media
staff, and providing expanded hours of library use beyond the normal
school day.

S634A040106

Tenkiller Elementary School

26106 East 863 Road

Welling, OK 74471

Sharon Ballew

918-457-4378

Recommended Grant: \$163,701

Tenkiller Elementary School serves 300 students in grades Pre-K--8 in a
small, rural district. The school's Project READ (Reading Enhances
Academic Development) is designed to improve students' literacy skills
and academic achievement by updating and expanding library media
resources; providing professional development opportunities for the
library media specialist, library assistant, and grades Pre-K--3
classroom teachers; promoting collaboration with teachers in selecting
curriculum-relevant materials; and extending library access to students,
teachers, and parents after school and during the summer.

S364A040218

Tulsa County Independent School District Number 1

P.O. Box 470208

Tulsa, OK 74147-0208

Joe Birdwell

918-746-6523

Recommended Grant: \$180,882

Tulsa Public Schools is committed to improving student literacy skills
and academic achievement. This project will build collaboration teams
consisting of library media specialists and teachers at eleven school
sites serving approximately 4,096 urban students. These teams will
receive professional development, guidance, and time to design
curriculum-based learning activities to support student achievement.
Local collections of diverse learning resources that represent a wide
range of subjects and levels of difficulty and format will be developed.
The use of technology and information resources will be integrated
throughout all curricular areas. One hundred additional library hours
per year, both before and after school and in the summer, will allow
students and parents increased access to library print and non-print
resources.

S364A040007

Wewoka Public Schools

P.O. Box 870

Wewoka, OK 74884-0870

Betsy Graham

405-257-5475

Recommended Grant: \$168,436

Wewoka Public School district in rural Oklahoma serves 702 students in
grades K-12. This program will provide the students with professionally
certified media specialists who will actively collaborate with teachers
and students; with up-to-date library media materials and resources
(aligned with curriculum/state standards and appropriate for different
levels, cultures and needs); with media resource technology necessary to
expand students\' reach to the world; and with expanded library hours to
meet the media resources needs of the district\'s students and the
community.

S364A040576

Jefferson County School District 509-J

445 Southeast Buff Street

Madras, OR 97741

RuthAnn Hopps

541-475-7265

Recommended Grant: \$349,954

The goal of the Cultivating Library Access and Student Success (CLASS)
Project is to improve the literacy skills of 3,100 rural students in
four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school in the
Jefferson County School District 509J (JCSD). To accomplish this, JCSD
will create CLASS Project Library Centers to serve as the focal point
for literacy development and reading support at the six participating
schools. New books, periodicals, and other print resources will be
acquired; professional support will be given to library staff and
selected teachers; library hours will be extended after school and for
four weeks during the summer; and quarterly training meetings will help
to increase collaboration between library staff and teachers.

S364A040505

Bamberg School District One

P.O. Box 526

Bamberg, SC 29003-0526

Phylis A. Overstreet

803-245-3053

Recommended Grant: \$170,544

Bamberg District One serves approximately 1,670 rural students in four
schools, on five campuses, covering grades K-12. The goal of *Project
Book Smart* is to develop a culture of reading in the district by
providing students with a print-rich environment and the skills
necessary to create lifelong readers and learners. Through this project,
the District will strengthen the foundation it has put in place by
upgrading and improving the quality and age of the print and non-print
collections, upgrading existing technology, increasing collaboration
between teachers and media specialists, promoting media centers as the
'center of learning' for each school, and providing increased access to
the media centers during non-traditional hours.

S364A040602

Dillon School District Two

405 West Washington Street

Dillon, SC 29536-2855

Paula Yohe

843-841-3604

Recommended Grant: \$211,464

Literacy for a Lifetime is a project that will serve 3,796 students in
grades K-12 in rural Dillon, South Carolina. The goal is to develop
lifelong readers and learners who will become productive citizens in
society. The three primary objectives are (1) to foster a general love
of reading and an appreciation for learning, (2) to help break the cycle
of illiteracy among the parents of all students, and (3) to increase
academic achievement among the students in Dillon District Two. The
program will provide up-to-date books and school library materials in
technologically advanced school library media centers, and will provide
the library media specialists with opportunities for ongoing, sustained,
professional development.

S364A040338

Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five

350 Murray Road

Orangeburg, SC 29115-5022

Sherrell Blankenship-Brown

803-533-6496

Recommended Grant: \$250,000

The Orangeburg Consolidated School District Five literacy program serves
3,591 students in eight urban and rural elementary schools. The proposed
project, Launching Literacy in the Library, seeks to enhance the quality
of service in each library so that students reap the benefits identified
in numerous studies on the correlation between student achievement and
school library resources. The district will pursue this goal by writing
collection development plans that reflect state and national standards;
purchasing current library media resources and removing outdated
material; providing a workshop for teachers and media specialists
entitled "Curriculum Design, Information Literacy, and the Big6;"
providing monthly professional development training for media
specialists; and expanding hours of service Monday through Friday
throughout the year.

S364A040088

Memphis City Schools

2597 Avery Avenue

Memphis, TN 38112-4892

Robert Lishman

901-325-5382

Recommended Grant: \$349,522

Memphis City Schools, an urban district with 32 schools, will improve
the literacy level and academic achievement of 25,615 students in grades
K-12. Project goals are to update library collections to support current
curricular needs and the reading interests of 21^st^ century urban
students; to institute ongoing, planned collaboration among
administrators, teachers, and librarians that addresses current
curricular needs and builds on the interests of urban learners; and to
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.

S364A040312

Tullahoma City Schools

510 South Jackson Street

Tullahoma, TN 37388-3468

Dean Holland

931-454-2600

Recommended Grant: \$192,728

The intent of this grant is to address the reading and literacy needs of
middle school students in grades 6-8 of Tullahoma City Schools (TCS).
The faculties and administrators of East Middle School and West Middle
School will implement a school-wide literacy focus with a
state-of-the-art library media center (LMC) as the hub of literacy and
student achievement at each school. The students, teachers, and
classrooms will be networked to literacy resources in the LMC. The LMC
will have extended schedules, and assistance from the library assistant
and community volunteers will allow free time for the library media
specialist (LMS) to become the literacy leader of the school. Each LMS
will undergo intensive professional development in diagnosis of reading
problems, interventions for disabled readers, and assisting teachers in
creating instruction that incorporates best practices in literacy
strategies within each standards-based academic curriculum.

S364A040603

Canutillo Independent School District

7965 Artcraft Road

El Paso, TX 79932-1131

Martha Veale

915-877-7460

Recommended Grant: \$226,108

The goal of Project Imagine is to improve literacy in order to increase
the number of students who pass all sections of the Texas Essential
Knowledge and Skills test. The project will target 4,679 students in
rural communities near El Paso, Texas. Several plans will be implemented
to achieve this goal. Library print materials will be updated to provide
a more effective environment for students and teachers. Technology
equipment will also be updated to enhance student research, critical
thinking, and presentation skills. Library hours will be expanded during
the school year and during the summer to accommodate a summer library
program. It is hoped that these improvements will also decrease the
number of students who are at risk of failure, decrease the student
dropout rate, and decrease anti-social behavior.

S364A040631

Education Service Center, Region 2

209 North Water Street

Corpus Christi, TX 78401-2599

Barbara Houston

361-561-8670

Recommended Grant: \$337,655

The project *Library Vision 2005* will be managed by the Education
Service Center, Region 2 and will affect 15 elementary school libraries
and 5,409 students in grades Pre-K through 5. The project's objectives
for improving literacy include increasing student performance in
reading, increasing student access to a balanced and up-to-date library
book collection and other media center resources, integrating advanced
technology, encouraging collaboration between librarians and teachers,
encouraging parental involvement in children's reading activities, and
modeling the project in all 42 regional school districts. Library staff
will benefit from 30 hours of intensive professional development to
improve their knowledge of beginning reading instruction for grades K-3,
and elementary teachers will team with library staff to increase the
degree of collaboration. Book collections will be significantly expanded
and updated to support the curriculum, and access will be increased by
extending library hours beyond the school day.

S364A040434

El Campo Independent School District

700 West Norris

El Campo, TX 77437

Carolyn Gordon

979-543-6771

Recommended Grant: \$348,680

El Campo Independent School District serves approximately 3,600 students
in one high school, one middle school, and three elementary schools
located in south-central Wharton County, Texas. The goal of the
Improving Literacy through School Libraries (ILSL) project is to improve
the academic achievement of students, including their literacy skills,
by purchasing new materials and developing collections relevant to the
multicultural student population; upgrading the technological
capacities, including purchasing new cataloging and circulation
software, centralizing database management, and updating media
equipment; enhancing the skills of all teachers and library media
specialists in the use of school library media centers to improve
curricula and instruction; developing strategies and schedules for use
of the resources during and beyond school hours; and encouraging
professional development and collaborative activities among classroom
teachers and library media specialists.

S364A040130

Harlandale Independent School District

102 Genevieve

San Antonio, TX 78214-2997

Connie J. Montalvo

210-921-4345

Recommended Grant: \$185,326

The Harlandale Independent School District (HISD) serves approximately
14,035 students in grades Pre-K--12 in 21 urban schools. The intent of
the Teaching Harlandale Readers Information Literacy and Lifelong
Learning Skills (THRILLLS) Program is to further the district vision of
excellence for all students through improved library services and
increased student achievement. The project will allow the library to
purchase additional resources aligned with curriculum and responsive to
independent reading needs; to purchase online resources that will
facilitate use of available print and computer resources for research;
to promote collaboration between librarians and teachers for improved
instruction; and to increase access to library resources beyond the
traditional instructional day.

S364A040621

Karnes City Independent School District

314 North Highway 123

Karnes City, TX 78118

Wayne Block

830-780-2321

Recommended Grant: \$349,983

Karnes City Independent School District (KCISD) is a rural district
located in south-central Texas. KCISD is proposing the Enhancing Library
Functions (ELF) Program. The program will increase its certified
librarian staff by 50 percent; add two full-time library assistants; add
approximately 6,250 books to the district's collection; increase access
to advanced technology, including a mobile library (complete with
Internet access); increase opportunities for professional development
opportunities for the library staff; increase instructional
collaboration between librarians and teachers; and add 10 new desktop
computers at each of its four library sites. These upgrades will
significantly enhance the library services offered by the District,
positively impacting the academic performance of KCISD students. The ELF
Project will provide services to four campuses serving a total of 1,000
students in grades K-12, 78 teachers, and 200 parents during each year.

S364A040302

Socorro Independent School District

12300 Eastlake Drive

El Paso, TX 79928-5400

Sue Thompson

915-937-2045

Recommended Grant: \$150,573

Serving an urban area, the Socorro Independent District School proposes
to implement Project LIFE (Literacy Is for Everyone) to respond to the
many literacy challenges facing Limited English Proficient (LEP)
students in our district, and to the need for improved technology and
research opportunities. The four target schools are Escontrias Early
Childhood Center, H.D. Hilley Elementary, Hueco Elementary, and Socorro
High School, with a combined student population of 1,931. Project LIFE
will incorporate the "Mother Goose on the Border for Preschoolers"
program for preschoolers and their teen parents at Socorro High to
promote emergent literacy. Instruction to students in grades Pre-K--1
will emphasize phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary development, and
oral language. "Leaders are Readers" will target grades 2-3 with a focus
on fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension. Project LIFE will
provide professional development to the entire teaching community, and
computers will be purchased for student use in the libraries.

S364A040159

Wells Independent School District

P.O. Box 469

Highway 69N

Wells, TX 75976-0469

Becky Smith

936-867-4400

Recommended Grant: \$34,624

Wells ISD is a rural school district located in east Texas, with 315
students in grades K-12. The Linking Libraries, Literacy, and Learning,
or L^4^, project will utilize library resources in a multifaceted
approach to improve the critical, reading, and literacy skills of 105
students in grades K-3, using research-based activities. School
administrators, teachers, parents, students, the public library, and the
community will collaborate with the librarian to ensure the success of
the project. The project will update and increase the size of the
library's collection; expand student access to technology through the
purchase of computers; incorporate professional development that focuses
on early reading intervention for library facilitators; and extend
library hours before and after school, on weekends, and during the
summer.

S364A040148

West Oso Independent School District

5050 Rockford

Corpus Christi, TX 78416

Rosa Koonce

361-289-5214

Recommended Grant: \$196,643

The West Oso Independent School District serves 1,861 students in grades
K-12 in four urban schools. The goal of the Improving Literacy Through
School Libraries Program is to improve student reading achievement by
improving school library services. The program will train teachers and
library media specialists in collaborating to design instruction to meet
student learning needs. In addition, the program will provide parents
with reading improvement and English as a Second Language programs.

S364A04307

Ysleta Independent School District

9600 Sims

El Paso, TX 79925-7225

Sharon Foster

915-434-0671

Recommended Grant: \$348,994

The "Give 'em 5" is a project that will impact an estimated 12,000 urban
students, in particular 550 students in grades K-3 in the Ysleta
Independent School District at 18 campuses. The "Give 'em 5" project
will provide children the opportunity to improve reading and literacy
through balanced literacy and problem solving activities. Each
identified school will purchase approximately 400 books, primarily for
target grade levels, and student computers and digital cameras will be
added to each campus. Library media specialists and teachers will
participate in balanced literacy, technology, curriculum collaboration
and the Big6 Research process training to improve their instructional
skills. Libraries will extend hours to provide structured activities and
general access and parents will be encouraged to participate in
interactive projects and be provided information on how to expand and
include reading/literacy at home.

S364A040465

Bedford Public Schools

310 South Bridge Street

P.O. Box 78

Bedford, VA 24523-0748

Gay Shrum

540-297-7151

Recommended Grant: \$350,000

Bedford Public Schools serves 623 rural students in Bedford Elementary
School and 550 students in Bedford Middle School. The Libraries
Improving Literacy project's goal is to improve student literacy which
will better prepare all students in both schools for future academic
success. This will be accomplished by upgrading available library
resources in order to accommodate the diversity of students;
implementing effective collaboration among library media specialists,
teachers, parents, and community partners; extending library hours by
providing for additional personnel; and providing increased access to
materials housed in well equipped, technologically advanced school media
centers.

S364A040402

Granger School District No. 204

701 E. Avenue

P.O. Box 400

Granger, WA 98932-0400

Judith A. Hulburt

509-854-1003

Recommended Grant: \$48,102

Granger School District, in eastern Washington, serves 573 students in
grades Pre-K--4 at Roosevelt Elementary, 404 students in grades 5-8 at
Granger Middle School, and 327 students in grades 9-12 at Granger High
School. The project will purchase fiction, non-fiction, and Spanish
Language materials in order to increase students' early literacy skills
and reading fluency at the elementary level and to meet informational,
curricular, and recreational needs at middle and high school levels.
*Destiny* and *Find-It-All* from Follett Software Company will be
purchased to facilitate Internet usage and other resource-sharing
networks among school library media centers, which will allow students
to search the three library collections for appropriate reading level
materials. A library media specialist will staff the middle school
library media center with extended hours to give students more access
after school, during summer school, and for special events.

S364A040340

Mabton School District #120

P.O. Box 37

Mabton, WA 98935

Charlie Plesha

509-894-4852

Recommended Grant: \$83,639

The Mabton School District #120 will implement the Mabton Literacy
Development Project at the Artz-Fox elementary school, a rural school
serving 500 students. The purpose of the Mabton Literacy Development
Project is to increase the number of students who meet or exceed the
reading standard on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. To
accomplish our goal of improved literacy, staff at Artz-Fox Elementary
will make substantial improvements in the library's collection to match
the needs and interests of our diverse student body; extend the school
library hours for students and their families; encourage use of the
Mabton Public Library by introducing students and families to its
resources; provide classroom teachers and library media specialists with
professional development opportunities; and encourage teachers and media
specialists to collaborate on curriculum planning.

S364A040523

Okanogan School District #105

115 Rose Street

P.O. Box 592

Okanogan, WA 98840-0592

509-422-3629

Recommended Grant: \$125,131

The Okanogan School District, a rural district in north central
Washington, includes one elementary school, one middle school, and one
high school serving an aggregate of 956 students in grades K-12. The
goal of Project Read Write Now is to improve literacy achievement and
increase the number of students meeting the grade level reading
standards on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. To achieve
this goal, the district will improve its library media centers (LMC) by
providing access to up-to-date materials; enhancing the print
collection, including magazine and newspaper subscriptions; and
advancing the technology with the purchase of 16 computers, three laser
printers, Follett software, audio CDs of the reading curriculum
selections, and a laptop and projector on a cart for "live" computer
demonstrations. The district will also resurrect the Bookmobile project
for rural student to access books during the summer.

S364A040651

Mercer County Schools

1403 Honaker Avenue

Princeton, WV 24712

Robin Beamer

304-325-6786

Recommended Grant: \$349,694

The Mercer County School District's Project MERCER (Motivating Every
Reader with Creative, Empowering Resources) will improve reading skills
by: 1) increasing and updating book collections in school media centers,
2) providing advanced technology, 3) extending access to media centers
before and after school and during summer hours, and 4) fostering
collaboration among library media specialists, classroom teachers, and
the larger school community. The project will target 17 urban elementary
schools serving approximately 3,000 students in grades K-­3. Book
collections will be upgraded, reading software will be purchased, and
supplemental reading programs will be implemented. Reading software will
help to assess students, measure individual and class growth, and
transition emergent readers into independent readers. Strategies of
collaboration and teaching between teachers and media specialists will
offer a practical approach to comprehensive reading improvement.

S364A040551

Cooperative Educational Service Agency 10

725 West Park Avenue

Chippewa Falls, WI 54729-3399

Jan Adams

715-720-2069

Recommended Grant: \$210,289

The *Revitalizing Reading: Improving Literacy Through School Libraries*
program will enable six rural, west central Wisconsin school districts,
which include a total of 3,002 students, to enhance literacy efforts,
primarily at the K-3 level, by improving school library media resources
and expanding the role of school library media specialists in literacy
programs. Hours of operation will be increased to accommodate
after-school programs. Additional computers will be purchased. School
library media specialists, school staff, and school administrators will
collaborate in a variety of literacy program activities. Libraries will
acquire fiction, non-fiction, and multimedia resources that promote and
strengthen reading skills.

S364A040153

Milwaukee Public Schools

5225 West Vliet Street

Milwaukee, WI 53208-2698

Pam Penn

414-438-3607

Recommended Grant: \$316,838

Milwaukee Public Schools is a large, urban, decentralized school
district serving a diverse student population. The Libraries Improving
Literacy through Collaboration project targets 3,507 students in grades
K-3 in ten selected schools. The goal of the Libraries Improving
Literacy through Collaboration project is to improve students' literacy
skills by 1) expanding school media center collections, 2) hiring
certified school literary media specialists to engage in collaborative
activities that foster literacy, and 3) increase family involvement in
literacy activities through interaction with the school library media
center.