CAPE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FIND GRANTS; ALMOST $500,000 WILL BE PUT TO USE

Cape Girardeau public schools earned nearly a half-million dollars in grants this year and more are expected before the end of the school year.

The money provides teachers and students with technology, equipment and opportunities the district might not have been able to afford otherwise. The grants received thus far total $470,447.

Board of Education member R. Ferrell Ervin said that during meetings held to develop the district's new master plan many people asked the district to investigate alternative sources of funding. Competitive grants are among areas in which the district has been successful finding money.

The grants are written by staff members, mostly teachers, who see a chance for added money and opportunities for students. The district doesn't employ a grant writer.

Most grants require a district match. For all the grants received, the district has chipped in just over $50,000. They have received more than $400,000.

Grant amounts range from $151,878 from the state for the district's alternative school to $2,533 from the Toshiba Foundation to show students practical applications for algebra III skills.

Among grants received, and those who applied for them:

-- A $50,000 competitive technology grant, Chris Cook, to develop a wide-area network between the district's schools. Students have access to Internet and other computer applications.

-- A $19,775 creative communicators grant, Central High School, Pat Johnson, Helen Gibbar and Rae Anne Alpers, to develop collaborative-education projects with life skills, science and English classes.

-- A $4,998 Practical Parenting Partnerships grant, Richard Bollwerk and Michelle Dewrock, to sponsor activities at Franklin Elementary School encouraging parent participation.

-- A $3,139 I'm Going to Be Somebody grant, Barbara Kohlfeld at May Greene Elementary School. It is a career-awareness program for children kindergarten through sixth grade, and includes field trips.

-- A $100,365 Safe Schools Educational Services grant for the Alternative Education Center to expand the program, hire teachers and serve more children.

-- A $151,878 Creative Educational and Life Skills Grant, Randy Rhodes, Cape County Juvenile Office, to help fund expansion of the Alternative Education program.

-- A $25,000 The BEST Tutoring Program at May Greene Elementary School, Mary Kasten and Becky Hicks, to hire high school tutors to teach elementary students. The program is designed to help both groups become better students.

-- A $4,499 Toshiba Foundation Grant, Central High School, Helen Gibbar, to purchase software for multimedia student projects.

-- A $41,487 SEARCH Grant, Betty Chong and Helen Nevitt, to identify gifted children from low socio-economic areas.

-- A $2,533 Toshiba Foundation Grant, Karen Atwood, Central High School, to show algebra III students practical applications for math skills they are learning.

-- Contributions of $14,000 to the Renaissance Program at Central High School, Julia Jorgensen.