Rotary Donates Over $57K to 5 Vancouver School Literacy Programs

CONTACT: Fran Blackwood                                                 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Rotary Club of Vancouver

Tel: 604-541-7545                                                                         May 9, 2012

Cell: 778-996-7541

Email: franblackwood@gmail.com                                   

Rotary Donates Over $57K to 5 Vancouver School Literacy Programs

Vancouver (May 9, 2012) Vancouver’s Windermere secondary and four elementary schools with multi-grade Extended Learning Assistance Classrooms (ELACs) are receiving perpetual site licenses for award-winning Academy of Reading® software from the Rotary Club of Vancouver and the Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus.  The five schools have had historical success of students gaining up to three grade levels per year in reading with a Rotary International Computer Assisted Literacy Solution (CALS) version of the Academy of Reading® software. These significant results have prompted the two Rotary clubs and associated Parent Advisory Councils (PACs) to sponsor the commercial version of the Canadian-developed Academy of Reading® to ensure that teachers can offer the software to children, in perpetuity.  Teachers with or without specialized literacy training will be able to help over 360, at-risk, or learning disabled students with evidenced-based reading software for years to come.

Nootka, Brock and Walter Moberly’s PACs have been granted 10-site licenses, as has Windermere secondary’s PAC for the school’s Learning Support Program for a cost of US$9,500.00 for each school. Carnarvon elementary’s PAC has received 20- site licenses at a cost of US$12,500.00. The number of licenses indicates the number of students who can be on the program at any given time. Each license can serve at least six students over the course of a day with proper scheduling in a computer lab. Students need to be on the program three to five times a week, for 20-25 minute sessions, to make significant gains in reading.

The animated software pre-tests students, places them at their appropriate grade level, and teaches foundational skills to mastery, recording errors for teachers to individualize reading instruction, as required. Students understand their learning needs and are motivated with trophy certificates.  Improvements have been noted in other academic subjects, self-esteem and behaviour. For more testimonials by teachers, students and parents, please refer to the 2011 Rotary and CALS video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGjB7zcog7k

Quotes:

Tracey Noble, ELAC Teacher, Carnarvon Elementary School -

“The Rotary Club of Vancouver and the Rotary Club of Vancouver Arbutus have made a life-changing difference to all of my students.”

Kerri Wallin, Principal, Nootka Elementary -