By LISA SIMPSON STRANGE
GLASGOW — Glasgow Independent Schools District has received more than $1 million from the 2009-10 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) or stimulus funding to be used in classrooms over the next two years.
Director of Special Education Vivian Hudson provided a review of how the money will be spent to board of education members during Monday night’s regular meeting at the district’s central office.
A total of $1,019,780 will provide two-year funding for several initiatives in the district, with 50 percent of the money being spent each year, according to Hudson.
The first portion of the money, $274,039, has been appropriated for Title I, Part A spending. For the district, $51,000 will be used to hire one full-time English Language Learner (ELL) teacher along with 1 percent required to be put aside for Parent Involvement funds. At Highland Elementary, $82,250 will be utilized for an Intervention teacher (129 days) and new student computer workstations. At South Green Elementary, $69,494 will be used to install Whiteboards/Interactive Classrooms in the remaining classrooms other than special education. At Glasgow Middle School, $68,052 will be used to hire a Curriculum Coordinator/Intervention teacher.
The second allotment of the money, or $220,988, will go toward making improvements in the schools under the guidelines of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Physical improvements for the Special Education program at Glasgow High School will include a complete makeover of the functional classroom at GHS. Removal and replacement of the tile floor, the addition of new cabinets, sink, stove, refrigerator, washer, dryer and new desks for students and teachers will all be completed.
“This is one of those opportunities that we have to use the stimulus money in exactly the way it was intended,” Hudson said.
Special Education teachers at the high school will also receive laptops and printers and some Special Education classrooms will get new furniture including desks, chairs and file cabinets. In addition, all special classrooms across the district, with the exception of those that are too small, will be equipped with Whiteboards/Interactive Classrooms. There are none in special education classrooms at this time, according to information provided by Hudson.
Stimulus money will also be used to fund the hiring of a sign language interpreter and a hearing impaired teacher.
The third part of the money, $14,863, will be used this school year for funding of IDEA preschool initiatives. Preschool classrooms will be equipped with Whiteboard/Interactive Classrooms. The district will purchase programs and tests such as High Scope Growing Readers and Early Literacy Skills for curriculum and assessment, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, the Expressive Vocabulary Test, the Ounce Scale Administrator’s Kit and Observation Records and the Fluharty Screening Test. One Response to Intervention (RTI) part-time assistant or substitute teacher will also be hired.
The district will hold the other half of the money, $509,890, in reserve to use to fund positions and projects during the 2010-11 school year.
“We’re quite fortunate to have this money for the next two years and I feel the schools have done a really fine job in looking at the needs of their students,” Hudson said.
