Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Primary School receives grant

In the case of the Reading First, Arkansas Department of Education grant, the second time is the charm for Gurdon Primary School.

GPS Principal Rita Roe said Wednesday the school received a three-year, $363,585 grant on April 18. The grant had been denied Gurdons primary school upon first application five years ago.

"We got it this time," Roe said. "And we will begin the search for a literacy coach this summer. This reading grant is for K-3, with K and 1 being the concentration the first year, grades 2 and 3 the second year and all four grades are to be up and functioning as Reading First during the third year. It is something we need in order to be competitive and excel as a school."

According to Roe, the grant has previously been awarded to Nashville, Arkansas, Hope and Fordyce, "and they are developed as Reading First."

"Gurdon will work with these schools to share positives about the Reading First program," Roe said. "Reading First is a literacy grant, part of Arkansas Reading Excellence and all of our teachers in grades K-3 will attend literacy counseling and training in connection with this grant."

The concentration times will be designed to convert GPS classes to "fully Reading First classrooms."

Roe said Reading First is a balanced literacy program. State personnel go to the school, observe and work with Gurdon faculty.

GPS will register for Summer Reading Camp by April 28.