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LITERACY PROJECT DESCRIPTION
For the past 6 years we have been doing a Literacy project for the students at Sun View Elementary School. Each year our Literacy project evolves based on the current needs of the Students at Sun View Elementary School. This year our Literacy project will include three different componants. Giving the gift of summer reading to each student at Sun View, supplying books for their Library and completion of a computer lab for primary student education.
LITERACY-COMPUTERS
The computer lab would be providing 10 computers and 11 monitors. During our Rotary 13-14 year we provided a lab for the 3-5 grade students and provided 17 computers to Sun View Elementary School. This years Grant would provide additional computers to complete this schools primary computer lab so an entire primary class can use the computers and receive direct instruction at one time as opposed to only smaller group instruction. With all students on the computer at once, instruction becomes stream lined and efficient. The computers are used not only for required district assessments, but developing, practicing and enhancing ELA (English, Language, Arts) and math skills and teaching students grade level technology standards. Students also practice typing skills and receive ELA intervention. This years lab is to prepare our young students with the ability to have computers and materials to get them ready to advance. The basics of Common Core Standards is to help prepare students for success in College, Career and a Global Economy. One of the 7 Common Core "Habits of Mind" is to use technology and digital media strategically and capably. Quote for the computers is $1785.64
LITERACY - SUMMER READING
Many children tend to fall behind during the summer unless they are given the attention and resources they need during these months. Having access to books during the summer helps to reinforce good learning habits and is critical to maintaining a child's achievement level. Children who lack the access to books and the opportunities to read will fall behind each summer. During the school year, lower-income children's skill improve at close to the same rate as their more advantaged peers - but over the summer, middle and upper income children's skills continue to improve, while lower income children's skills do not. (Alexander 2007).
It has been said that by the age of 9 children are learning to read...after age 9 children read to learn. Children that do not learn to read by age 9 often perform lower and become low achievers; don't go to college or even drop out of school. Because of this they are less likely to get jobs and may even turn to drugs or criminal activities. The purpose of our Summer Reading Literacy Project is to promote literacy to our youth and encourage them to learn to read; with the hopes of having them learn to like or even love to read. To accomplish this our goal is to deliver Summer Reading "Gifts" to each student and have read aloud sessions to the student upon delivery.
Sun View Elementary School is one of the lowest performing schools in Huntington Beach. You often find that children that attend these lower performing schools can often come from lower income families and they don't or won't have access to reading material over the summer. The following are the 2013 CST-ELA (English, Language, Arts) scores for Sun View Elementary:
Grade 2 - 43% proficient or better
Grade 3 - 31% proficient or better
Grade 4 - 76% proficient or better
Grade 5 - 64% proficient or better
The student counts for 2015-2016 were as follows:
TK-K - 72
1 - 50
2 - 34
3 - 30
4 - 55
5 - 45
The 2015-2016 total was 282 students. The coming year 2016-2017 we anticipate the number of students being close to above but will not have firm numbers until the new school year starts to order books for the summer reading program. The quote attached is based on 2015-2016 numbers. Since we order books in 5 or 10 packs, we generally have books left over by grade level. These books are offered for the school library where students have the ability to "earn" books for their very own by doing good deeds at school and show positive interaction during the school year.
Rotarians are involved with a couple of different opportunities for involvement. We have had a "bundling" session where all members are invited to participate. We "wrap" 1 - 2 books per student in a "gift" type presentation. Each book gets a sticker with the Sun View Logo and gift from "Huntington Beach Rotary Club". Each book comes with a specific work sheet that is placed in the book for additional reading comprehension and each "gift" set comes with a book mark with Sun View Logo and the 4 way test. We have had this session happen in a couple of different formats and both have been highly attended by our club members. We have either had a combination club social/community service project where we get together and bundle the books and we have also made this a "program" during one of our regular meetings where all Rotarians and guests at a regular meeting get the opportunity for a hands on project.
Additional involvement from Rotarians happens on the day we pass out the books to the students. Rotarians are invited to come hand out the books to the entire student body as well as a read aloud session during an assembly. We have had 2 - 3 assemblies per year where the students come in by grade level, books are chosen for reading by the Rotarians and we get up in front of each assembly and read to the kids. This is a favorite of the students and Rotarians alike. We have some very animated Rotarians and a treasure to see the students and their interaction with the read aloud sessions. We generally have 8 to 10 members in attendance at the summer reading.
This last year we also involved our Interact Club from OVHS. They conducted a book drive at school for a week and collected books for the Sun View Library. Our two co-presidents this year attended Sun View so it was special for them to participate. I anticipate getting participation from our Interact Club in 2016-2017 as well.
The project will start after the new school year starts. We will get a specific student count for this year and order books for the summer reading program accordingly. If we go over budget for the books that responsibility will be paid by the club or myself. The quote is slightly over budget now but based on special promotions that are available generally from Scholastic I anticipate getting the dollar figures closer. Scholastic has in the past provided free books with purchase or free shipping but the new promotion won't happen until the new school year for 2016-2017 starts. Quote for the summer reading program is $$2,528.58.
Budget total: $3,994.00 - $1,785.64 = $2,208.36 - $2,528.58 = ($320.22 over)
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