ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES FREE BOOKS THROUGH OAISD AND MAISA GRANT
Holland, MI-Lakeshore Elementary’s 3rd grade Spanish Immersion classroom received a $10,000 Library Classroom Enhancement Grant through the Ottawa Area ISD and Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA) this fall. Second copies of the same books for the classroom will also be added to the Lakeshore Elementary School library.
Kelsey Ambrose, third grade Spanish Immersion teacher at Lakeshore Elementary School, said partnering with Ottawa Area ISD to make their dream classroom library a reality has been amazing.
“Literacy coaches from Ottawa Area ISD were so supportive and helped with every step of the process, and Careerline Tech Center students in the Construction program even made custom shelving for us,” Ambrose said. “The students have driven this entire project, and it has been such a joy to see them truly become more enthusiastic readers as a result!”
Ambrose participated in Ottawa Area ISD Career and Technical Education futurePREP'd summer programming that focuses on providing real-world learning through Project Based Learning (PBL) techniques. She brought those techniques back to her classroom for a PBL that explored the question, "How can we create a classroom of enthusiastic readers"? As part of the classroom project, the class applied for and was awarded the Ottawa Area ISD/MAISA Library Classroom Enhancement Grant.
OAISD Literacy Coach Kari Trenary and West Ottawa Media Specialist Dr. Julie Reynolds worked with Ambrose’s classroom to set up her classroom library with more diverse and exciting new books throughout the year. These same books were also added to the school library.
"This grant and partnership has provided almost 200 new books for the Lakeshore library in Spanish and English,” Dr. Reynolds said. “The new books played a big part in appealing to all 400+ students as they choose books to read."
Dr. Reynolds added with the grant-funded library enhancement 17,833 books were checked out this year – a nearly 20% increase compared to last year.
For more information, contact Michelle Ready at 616.738-8940 x4093 mready@oaisd.org or Bradley Corpe at 616.786-2070 x2059 corpeb@westottawa.net
West Ottawa Public Schools
West Ottawa Public Schools strives to prepare all students to be College, Career, and Life Ready. For more information or to enroll your child at West Ottawa Public Schools, please visit www.westottawa.net.
Ottawa Area Intermediate School District
Ottawa Area ISD works collaboratively with schools and communities to meet the educational needs of students of all ages in the Ottawa area. By pooling resources and providing services regionally, Ottawa Area ISD provides important programs and services to local K‐12 school districts, charter, parochial and private schools and adults in the most cost‐effective ways possible. To learn more about Ottawa Area ISD visit www.oaisd.org