Winston County elementary schools receive grants

WINSTON COUNTY      -  All elementary schools in the Winston County Schools system are part of a recent round of funding for 36 new classrooms statewide.
The joint statement made April 8, by Governor Kay Ivey and the Alabama Department of Early Childhood Education, announced funding under the Integrated Approach to Early Learning (also known as P-3) program  to 260 schools throughout 23 counties, including Winston.  Double Springs, Addison, Lynn and Meek elementary schools will receive funding, according to Ivey.
Winston County Schools will receive $180,000, meaning $15,000 for each kindergarten classroom, including two at MES, three at AES and five at DSES, noted Jennifer Baker, elementary curriculum coordinator for Winston County Schools.  Since Lynn Elementary was the pilot program for a kindergarten class last year under this initiative, their portion of this year’s funding will be used for both kindergarten and first grade, Baker noted.
Baker saw the benefits and the opportunities P-3 funding provides for students first hand at Lynn Elementary, she said
“As I visited other schools across our district, I felt that would be a good next step for us,” Baker said.  “Now, every kindergarten classroom in Winston County will be participating in this,” Baker pointed out.
The grant funding has actually been divided into three components, 1) leadership, 2) instructional and 3) assessment, according to Baker.  The grant will not only provide supplies for the classroom, but also administrators at the elementary school will  be given an opportunity to be trained in the National Association of Elementary School Principals pre-K through third grade leadership academy, Ivey indicated.
“(The training) will go into the foundation basics of early childhood development,” said Baker.
Key elements for the administrators’ training include parental involvement, community partnerships and developmentally appropriate practices, according to Baker.
“The most rewarding part of this whole process will be the classroom resources that will be paid for through the grant,” Baker stated.
The majority of each classroom’s $15,000 will go toward developing center activities to teach younger students through hands-on activities.
“Children learn best through play,” said Baker. Purposeful play allows students to socialize and problem solve through math, writing, dramatic play or science, she noted.
The funding will provide the needed curriculum, classroom furniture, as well as hands-on activities to go in the centers, she said.
Holly Aderholt and Becky Terry, kindergarten teachers at LES, know first hand the value of P-3 funding for their classrooms, since that school was the pilot program under P-3.
“It has created more opportunities for hands-on learning,” Terry stated. “The way we’re set up is everything is more involved and interactive instead of the traditional seat, paper, pencil.”  
“We really get to pull in more art aspects, too,” Aderholt added. “In previous years, we really have not gotten to do a lot of art with the kids.”

The P3 grant is partially funded by PDGB5 federal funds.  The Alabama Integrated Approach to Early Learning (P-3 grant) is partially funded through grant number 90TP0065-01-00 Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official view of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.