Tuscarora Educational Foundation Grant Application

2010-2011 School Year

(Please complete and email it to Emily Stoner emily.stoner@tus.k12.pa.us )

Applicant’s Name: Erin Glover

School: James Buchanan Middle School

School Address: 5191 Fort Loudon Road

Position: Librarian School phone #: 717-328-5221 x 2009

Project Title: Exciting Book Clubs for Reluctant Readers

Budget Request: $745.01

One paragraph summary description:

It is a statistical fact that many children dislike reading by the time they reach middle
school. Many students, including a disproportionate number of boys, avoid reading at all costs.
Students like this deserve an innovative program that will work to change “I hate to read” into “I
really liked that book, and I’m interested in another.” This program will combine high-interest, low-
reading level books with Moodle, a course management software system that is already in use by
the district, to create the environment reluctant readers, especially boys, need to improve reading
skills and help foster a life-long love of reading.

By submitting this application, I grant T.E.F. the right to use this proposal and the
results of this project, if funded, for public information purposes or to help other
educators.

Please forward as an e-mail or an attachment to Emily Stoner

(emily.stoner@tus.k12.pa.us) at JBHS by Friday, March 19, 2010. You will
receive an e-mail confirmation of the receipt of your application. If you have any
additional information that you feel will enhance your application, please send it to
Audrey at Mountain View through interschool mail.
 Applicant’s Name: Erin Glover
School: James Buchanan Middle School
A. Project Description

1. What are your objectives? Please include specific desired outcomes.

1. Students will read hi-lo literature specifically designed to provide interest, enjoyment and
success based on identified reading abilities and needs.

2. Students will master the use of Moodle, an online course management software program, to
discuss the literature.

3. Students will participate in discussions about literature with peers.

4. Students will complete projects that demonstrate literature comprehension.

5. Students will gain public speaking skills and confidence by employing a variety of techniques
while sharing literature with peers.

2. Describe the project activities you wish to undertake. Address what you will do,
who will do it, what resources you will require, and where project activities will
take place. Include a time schedule reflecting completion of the project by the
end of the 2010-2011 school year.

Ideally, 10 students from each grade level will be identified at the beginning of school year
2010-2011 to participate in a program beginning the second nine-week period of the school year.
More students will be added as additional groups become necessary in order to continue the
program during the third and fourth nine-weeks, with approximately 50-100 students becoming
involved in a book club at some point during the school year. With such a high number
participating in the program, providing students with an abundance of appropriate literature
choices will be a crucial component to this program’s continued success.
Book club groups will be organized by the librarian using teacher recommendations and
input about student reading ability and interest level. Since the type of literature planned for the
program is high-interest but low-reading level, struggling readers and reluctant readers will be the
preferred candidates.
Students will meet once or twice every two weeks, depending on schedules and school
holidays, and will receive instruction from the librarian concerning the Moodle software and
program requirements. Meetings will occur during Activity Periods and after school if possible.
Students will also have the opportunity to read, write and respond from home due to the flexible,
open-access nature of Moodle software. Book club meetings will occur in the library, where ten
computers are available for student use. Various computer labs throughout the school may also
be used for book club activities.
Students will be responsible for checking Moodle activities, responding to discussions with
peers, participating in polls and other activities, reading a pre-determined number of books and
completing projects for each book that demonstrate comprehension. Other skills, such as writing,
may be incorporated if the librarian sees an opportunity for extension activities. The librarian may
seek out additional teachers to help if specific skills in other subject areas are needed.
The librarian will be responsible for purchasing hi-lo literature appropriate for the goals of
this program and sharing that literature with book club participants. These hi-lo books will
become part of the library collection, but their checkout will be semi-restricted to book club
participants and will provide marketing for the book club as other students see these books and
want to read them; in effect, the books will “tempt” other students to become part of a book club in
 order to read the books.
The librarian will also monitor student progress on assignments and participation with peers
in the book club, and provide support and instruction so that students use the Moodle software
appropriately and successfully.
Each book club should last approximately nine-weeks, with students reading similar
literature and participating in discussions, projects and literature sharing activities with the same
students for the duration of the club.
A concluding event in the library, such as a final meeting with snacks, will signal a students’
successful completion of the book club requirements and offer the librarian an opportunity to
bridge the gap between structured, peer supported reading with appropriate literature choices
that will offer continued success for students as they begin reading books more independently.
Additional book club opportunities will also be offered, especially if one club resolves during the
middle of a school year.

3. Approximately how many students will this project affect? Explain your number.

Initially 10 students from each grade level will be chosen to participate in book clubs for a
total of 30 students. Additional book clubs of 5-10 students each will result in a total of 50-100
students by the end of the school year

B. Evaluation

4. How will you evaluate whether the project has successfully met your
objective? Describe specific means of evaluation for each objective.

This program will be evaluated through the continued interest and willingness of students to
participate. Projects and Moodle discussions will monitor comprehension and showcase reading
strengths and weaknesses for each child. Successful completion of a book club by a student will
include the following:

1. Each student participates in a book club for at least 9 weeks.

2. Each participating student reads between 1 and 5 books.

3. Each participating student completes at least 90% of the book discussion questions and
projects associated with the book club within the nine week period.

5. Evaluation must include a summary of the project outcome by a third

party evaluator (a fellow teacher or administrator, etc.) within thirty
days of the completion of the project. Who will write your third-party
evaluation?

James Carbaugh

6. What will happen to the project at the conclusion of the grant? If the
project is to continue, how will it be funded?

Since the only significant cost of this program lies in the initial literature purchases, its future will
depend on simply replacing books that are worn out or lost. The James Buchanan Middle School
library will absorb the cost of these new books as part of the normal wear-and-tear costs that are
associated with all library books in the regular library budget.
C. Budget Request

7. Detail your budget request which should not exceed $750.00 (unless
you are applying for the large grant). Organize the budget items
according to the project activities. Include such information as
materials and equipment needed, sources of supplies, and cost. Be
specific.

Item Suppliers Amount

Orca Currents book set 22 hardback Orca Book Publishing $261.14

books
Orca Currents – 9-11 hardback Follett Library Resources $157.63
additional book titles books
Orca Sports book set 24 library- Follett Library Resources $326.24
bound books

Total Budget request from TEF $745.01

8. Will you use additional materials, labor, or dollars for this project (i.e.
donations, volunteer labor, other grants, school funds)? If so, please describe.

This program will be supported by the budget of the James Buchanan Middle School library
budget in the form of 100% matching funds. Please see the table below for materials that will
be covered under school budget funds and existing materials that can be used with this
program.

Total of other contributions, if any:

Stone Arch Books set 45 library- Follett Library Resources $821.55*

bound books
*These books are to be purchased with JBMS library budget funds. The librarian will match all
funds provided through the grant with matching funds from the library budget in order to provide
the greatest possible choices of quality hi-lo literature for this program.
Bluford Series Book 15 paperback Already existing in $0
Set books collection(received via
Townsend Press
promotional offer)

Total budget to accomplish project:

_____$1566.56____ (This cost is approximately $15.66 per student if 100

students participate in the program, or slightly below the
average cost of 1 hi-lo literature book per student.)