Published: September 16, 2009 01:59 pm      

Each campus, student to be affected by stimulus money

When the Alvarado ISD board of trustees approved $248,000 in teacher raises at its last meeting, it did so knowing the money would come from federal money through State Fiscal Stabilization Funds.

On Monday, the board approved the allocation of the remaining $692,600 from this year’s stimulus funds, and each of the district’s six campuses will be affected.

“The administrators came to the table with the goal of impacting the most with the decisions made,” said Ellen Cooper, assistant superintendent for instruction. “Wants were put aside so that we could cover the needs the district has. We looked at our campus and district needs assessments and made our decisions accordingly.”

The district zeroed in on a districtwide area of concern last year when it hired a math coordinator. Math scores went up across the district, and the administration has no doubt that a new science coordinator for the district will result in similar results.

As the TAKS test is phased out at the high school level, more emphasis will be put on end of course exams, and science is the area in which the district has the most pressing needs.

The new science coordinator will have a small budget to purchase materials such as 3-D models and Lab Quest — a science-based software used at the junior high and high school levels.

“Science is a big concern for us, just as math has been,” Cooper said. “We feel sure that with a heavy emphasis on science planning that can be lead by a science coordinator, and facilitation in the classroom by well trained teachers, we can begin to make the changes necessary so that no child is left behind.”

The district will also add certified tutors, a library aide at the high school and a bilingual teacher at Elementary South with the federal money.

Other money will be split among software and several initiative-based programs such as Rosetta Stone, C-Scope, Accelerated Math, Star Math and a Windows upgrade for the entire district.

Several campuses were also in need of library books.

Alvarado Junior High has the most critical need for books because more than half of the school’s collection is more than 15 years old, and a large number of books are more than 20 years old.

Lillian Elementary will receive several bilingual books, and Elementary North’s library needs to be refreshed as well.

“The library is the heart and soul of a school,” AISD Superintendent Chester Juroska said. “Even at the university level, the library is usually listed as one of the bright spots of that institution. A public school should be no different.”

A new piano may sound more like a want rather than a necessity, but the high school’s choral department has needed one for a long time. Stimulus funds will allow the choir department to purchase the piano.

Alvarado Intermediate School will take advantage of the money by sending several teachers to a Capturing Kids Hearts training in the near future. Capturing Kids Hearts is something Principal Chris Everett has wanted to send teachers to but has not has the funds to do it.

All 50 teachers on his campus will be able to go through the training and he is excited about beginning the process.