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Title: Recommendation: I recommend that the School Board approve nine Florida Learn & Serve Grants for a total of $70,158, effective September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007, and authorize the Superintendent or designee to sign all documents and contracts related to the grant which are required for implementation of grant activities. Description: Nine Service Learning Grant applications were submitted to the Florida Department of Education. Each grant is described below. Department of Safe Schools – $28,000 § This Service Learning initiative will be specifically marketed to National Board Certified Teachers at AAA schools to create high quality mini-grant projects with their students. § Using the mini-grant application process, schools will submit project applications to the Service Learning Youth Council. It is anticipated that 15 to 20 projects will be selected for implementation. § The Service Learning Youth Council consists of a group of students trained in service learning and the mini-grant review process. § Topics addressed in previous projects have included Character Education, Human Education, Drug and Violence Prevention, and Intergenerational Involvement. § Fundamental to each project will be a reading component. § Students will build their confidence and apply effective effort to promote personal efficacy. All Service Learning activities will be integrated into the curricula as an initiative to create responsible citizenry. § Evaluation for all Florida Learn and Serve Grants will include: final reports from each funded mini-grant project to include student demographics, statistics regarding numbers of student served, recipients, and hours of service performed, as well as listing courses that integrated Service Learning; and number of staff attending training. The Department of Safe Schools, Service Learning Coordinator, communicates with the Budget Department to ensure that school-based grant funds are expended appropriately. § This child-centered Service Learning program will engage English Language Learners in a reading and writing project that bridges the cultural barriers within the school and the community. The project will encourage reading and writing practice through the use of a computer and allows students in kindergarten through second grade to practice their listening, viewing, and keyboarding skills while students in grades three through five practice their speaking, writing and technology skills. The older students will also practice their reading skills by mentoring the younger students once per week. § The Building Understanding and Developing Skills (BUDS) Program is designed to help third grade students at risk for retention; students enrolled in the ESOL program; and those in ESE classrooms. The projected impact of the BUDS program is to develop and increase reading achievement as well as writing skills among participating students. Project activities will also help build tolerance and respect for diversity as students work with children with specialized needs as well as children from various cultures. § This project will provide early intervention for the school’s first graders with the lowest 20% of reading scores. These first grade students will be paired with third and fourth graders who will be their reading buddies, peer tutors, and mentors. § English and § Thirty advanced photography students in grades 11 and 12 will use digital photography and computer graphics to educate youth and adults about the environment by creating informational books. Photographs will be taken of the flower, fauna, and animal life at the Everglades Youth Conservation Camp area of J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area and the Palm Beach Zoo. § Eighth grade Art students will create a Florida Wildlife Activity book for local at-risk third grade elementary students. Seventh and eighth grade Art students will host an Empty Bowls Banquet. The students research and learn about hunger and poverty issues in the community by visiting and working in a local food pantry. The students have a banquet that features a simple meal of soup and bread and hold a silent auction of student made ceramic bowls. The empty bowls symbolize the issue of hunger. All proceeds from the banquet are donated to a local hunger organization. § Students will research, plan, plant, and cultivate a community vegetable garden that is used to grow food for senior citizens, the homeless, and shut-ins throughout the community. Meals will be prepared twice a month by students, business partners, and faculty and staff and delivered to various sites throughout the county. Students will also create compost bins to recycle cafeteria waste, research native plants to utilize Xeriscaping, and create habitats for native birds and butterflies. § An additional plant and flower garden will provide seed plants for the creation of community gardens in the neighborhoods in which meals are delivered. These plants will also be used as gifts for seniors in assisted living and nursing homes. Students will serve on the Service Learning Youth Council. Financial Impact: The financial impact to the Special Revenue-Other Funds Budget is an increase of $70,158. The funds will be allocated to the Department of Safe Schools ($28,000) and the remaining amount to the schools. For Additional Information, contact: Ann Killets akillets@palmbeach.k12.fl.us Alison Adler Attachments (list):
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