Education Notebook: Public elementary schools recipients of Comcast grant
Comcast recently donated $15,000 to Spokane Public Schools to help support literacy activities at the district’s five elementary schools providing all-day kindergarten this year.
The company accepted applications from the schools, and here’s what officials plan to do with the money:
Bemiss – Buy special books and book bags as part of family events to promote reading.
Holmes – Continue its Holmes Nightly Reading program, which was originally supported by a Comcast grant two years ago. The school plans to buy a variety of books, and host lunch and evening events to help parents with reading strategies.
Logan – Implement a Read-at-Home program and purchase books for students to help build their personal libraries. Grant money will also go toward the purchase of magnetic white boards and foam letters.
Staff at Regal will buy books for students to take home, as well as specially marked book bags and books of tape for English language learners.
At Stevens Elementary School, staff will buy nonfiction books in social sciences, science and math.
Holmes Elementary a Distinguished school
The state Department of Education recently announced that Holmes Elementary School is one of three Title I State Distinguished Schools for 2007.
Holmes received the award for showing progress closing the achievement gap between students in reading and for having met progress standards for reading and math scores on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning, or WASL.
The award comes with a $2,500 all-expenses paid trip for two Holmes staff members to attend the National Title I Conference this winter in Nashville, Tenn.
“This is an incredible honor for the Holmes staff, students, parents and community to receive this prestigious award,” Holmes Principal Steve Barnes said in a news release from Spokane Public Schools.
Holmes is one of nine Spokane schools to receive the “distinguished” designation under the federal Title I program About 75 percent of students at Holmes qualified for free- or reduced-price lunch last year.
Ferris seeking donations
Leadership students from Ferris High School are seeking donations from businesses or individuals to raise money for Semper Fi, an organization that provides assistance to wounded sailors and marines.
The fundraising effort is part of the school’s Rubber Chicken competition with Lewis and Clark High School, commencing with a basketball game Jan. 15, at the Spokane Arena. Each school usually participates in some sort of philanthropy or community service as part of the competition.
Ferris students selected Semper Fi to benefit military veterans in honor of Cpl. Darrel Morris, a 2004 graduate of the school who was killed while on duty in Iraq.
One of Morris’ close friends, Jared Hodl, who also is in the military and stationed in San Diego, is assisting the students.
“Jared’s goal is about $15,000,” said leadership teacher Jennifer Walther. Ferris students hope to raise about $5,000 toward that goal.
“These people are living through their wounds,” Walther said.
Semper Fi will help build handicapped accessible ramps and doorways for disabled soldier’s homes, and helps to pay for therapy, travel expenses and lost income.
To make a donation or for more information, contact Walther at 354-6091, or by e-mail at jenniferwa@spokaneschools.org.