GRANT FOR BERNIE FIFTH GRADERS HELPS

BERNIE -- Bernie fifth graders will be able to participate in a few more activities thanks to a recent grant.

Doris Carroll, fifth grade teacher, applied for the "Soaring Through Literature" incentive grant and recently received approval.

Robin Ritchie, elementary principal, said the $5,000 grant is designed to improve semantic uses such as reading comprehension skills, grammar usage and writing skills.

She said should help with performance based assessment activities with new techniques.

With the grant, Carroll will purchase 18 literature sets and other single title books which will take the place of a basal reader.

Ritchie said some of the types of books will include novels and accelerated reader books.

Carroll will also use the money to publish the students' works. She will purchase a color printer, scanner and digital camera for this purpose.

The works will be placed on the Bernie school's Web site which is www.bernie.k12.mo.us.

"I think this will improve the students' reading skills and also create interest in reading," Carroll said.

Carroll used the new techniques this summer and said the students enjoyed it.

"We hope to get a higher level of reading (skills from the students)" she added.