Date:  November 13, 2001
Contact: Irene Cromer
(703) 791-8720

 COUNTY SCHOOLS PLUNGE INTO NEW PROGRAMS FUNDED BY GRANTS 

Prince William County Public Schools have received over $300,000 in grants to fund programs in their departments and schools.  The School Board recently accepted the grant awards and the proposal writer(s) were presented with Certificates of Recognition. Listed below are the funding source, the grant writer(s) and a brief description of the grants.

The U.S. Department of Education awarded Belmont Elementary School a $259,923 Reading Excellence Act grant. The funds will support school-based reading projects and family literacy programs. Fred Melnichak, Principal; Joyce Mannherz, Title I Coordinator; Bridget Smith, special education teacher; Julia Ann Strickler, reading specialist; Kathleen Wholley, Title I teacher; Beverly Crisp, ESOL teacher; Kim Phillips, kindergarten teacher; Tiffany Scartz, first grade teacher; Janet Stohler, second grade teacher; and Jayne McKenna, third grade teacher, wrote the grant proposal.

 The Virginia Department of Education, Office of Instruction, awarded $10,000 to Media Production Services to develop a website about Mali. Ben Swecker, Supervisor, developed the grant proposal.

The Virginia Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Student Services, awarded $3,500 to the Special Education Department for interpreter training for special education. Kay Cooper, Supervisor, wrote the grant.  Peg Siegenthaler, Administrative Coordinator, wrote a grant to purchase assistive technology for students with disabilities. The department also received $1,000 to support the program. 

The Student Services Department was awarded $15,000 through the Virginia Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Education. The funds will be used for evaluation of substance abuse and violence prevention programs and services in the school division. Allison Stearns, Coordinator for the Student Assistance Program, developed the grant proposal.
Bristow Run Elementary School received $1,500 from the ExxonMobil Foundation’s Volunteer Involvement Program. Parent volunteers Tracy Blevins and Sharon McGregor initiated the grant application process to expand the library book collection.

The Office of Career and Technical Education received a $12,265 grant from the U.S. Department of Education for CTE equipment and career software for guidance. Dr. Kathleen Kunze, Supervisor, wrote the grant.

The Greater Washington Reading Council awarded $551 to Tyler Elementary School and $207 to Minnieville Elementary School to fund “Teachers as Readers” groups to read and discuss professional literature. Reading teacher Linda Kurrus and administrative assistant Michele Salzano at Tyler, and Stephanie DeiCas, reading teacher at Minnieville, submitted the grant proposals. Robin Landes, a math teacher at Hylton High School, received a $1,510 grant from the Toshiba America Foundation Small Grants for Grades 7-12 Program to support a “Science in Archaeology” program.  

Twelve schools received People Who Read Achieve Grants funded by 7-11.  Beville Middle School was awarded $1,098 for a grant proposal written by Julia Critchfield, librarian. The project combines the teaching of reading, writing, research and technology skills using the Hollywood High multimedia software program.

Bristow Run Elementary School received $1,110 to fund its “Project Accelerate.” The program speeds up the reading progress of fourth grade students reading below grade level through a balanced literacy program using leveled books. Ellen Shaver, reading specialist, wrote the proposal.

Coles Elementary School will use its $1,000 for “Jump Start to Literacy,” providing support for SPOT training for kindergarten teachers. Reading teacher Shirlee Teets wrote the grant proposal.

Featherstone Elementary School was awarded a $800 grant. Donna Machina, reading specialist, proposed “Project SOL,” (Student Opportunities for Learning). The school will purchase multiple copies of books correlated to SOL objectives for third grade-guided reading.

Lynn Middle School’s $1,200 grant will provide appropriate multicultural reading materials for students involved in a reading intervention program. Benita Stephens, former Assistant Principal, wrote the grant proposal.

McAuliffe Elementary School will utilize its $1500 grant for the  “SPOT Reading Program,” written by reading therapist Richelle Kiernan, it provides SPOT training for teachers and books for students.

PACE West’s Jill Huff, special education teacher, submitted the $1,500 grant proposal for “Reader’s Workshop,” a program designed to improve independent reading skills by having students sign a contract to complete assignments based on their book.

Potomac View Elementary School’s  $1,000 grant will fund a “Children Who Are Read To Achieve” grant to provide books to parents of first graders enabling them to read to their children at home. Title 1 teacher Kathleen Fox initiated the grant. 

Rockledge Elementary School will use the $500 “Rockledge Eagles Soaring To Achieve” grant to motivate and accelerate at-risk readers in fourth and fifth grade. Martha Hunter, fourth grade teacher, wrote the grant.

Springwoods Elementary School’s Kathy Herer, 2nd grade teacher, submitted the $900 grant proposal, “ Bookroom,” to provide appropriate books to at-risk students.

Sudley Elementary School’s “WOW Them With Reading,” a $1,150 grant, will provide grade level reading books to students. Administrative assistant Helen Glessner and Jonathan Lind, TPOC teacher, wrote the grant proposal.

West Gate Elementary School’s “Let the Reading Flow” grant funds will be used to purchase books on tape to improve reading fluency. Virginia Melicher, Chapter 1 teacher, wrote the $1,230 grant.