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APS invests in summer reading program

ALPENA — A new K-2 Summer Reading Program has been approved by the Alpena Public Schools Board of Education.

The board approved a summer reading program for kindergartners through second-graders from Scholastic Inc. for up to $37,844 on Monday.

However, the district may not be able to fund the program in all three grades, Superintendent John VanWagoner said.

The district gets a $50,000 grant from the state, a Section 35a Literacy Grant, to be able to pay for the program. However, some of that must go toward AmeriCorps volunteers who read with kids in the district.

The program could be for either kindergartners through first-graders or for all three grades, depending on funding. Meaghan Gauthier, director of K-12 curriculum, asked for the full bid amount on Monday, but said the amount could be $8,000 less if the program is just for kindergartners and first-graders.

There are five components of the program: nine books per K-2 student, a program that allows kids to choose books online, a student summer reading journal, and three kickoff events by Clifford the Big Red Dog, and shipping and handling.

VanWagoner said the services provided are a bonus.

“Kids get the opportunity to screen and select books and they’re actually mailed to them and they’re able to send it back in the mail and get a new one through the summer,” VanWagoner said.

The board also approved a bid for at-risk programming from the Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency School Success Program for $331,000. The district has used NEMCSA for at-risk programming for a few years.

The only change next year will be some minor staffing changes. There will be one school success liaison at Alpena High School, two at Thunder Bay Junior High School, one at each elementary school, and one part-time liaison at Alternative Choices for Educational Success Academy.

Julie Goldberg can be reached at 989-358-5688 or jgoldberg@thealpenanews.com. Follow her on Twitter @jkgoldberg12.

In other business

The Alpena Public Schools Board of Education on Monday also:

∫ adopted a recommendation to extend contracts for each district administrator through 2020-21.

∫ approved a new Alpena High School Girls Lacrosse Club.

∫ approved Math Pathways, Computer Science for Innovators & Makers, and Healthy Literacy as new 2019-20 courses at Thunder Bay Junior High School.

∫ adopted a preamble and resolution to proclaim April as Social Host Responsibility Month.

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