CLiF’s newest program, Year of the Book, provides more than $25,000 in literacy support, programs, and new books for six schools across New Hampshire and Vermont.

One important part of Year of the Book is the mini-grants program. In each Year of the Book school, CLiF has offered $2,000 in funding for mini-grants for classroom projects that support literacy.

Teachers often have to buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets. They really appreciate that CLiF is helping them support their classroom projects.

Here is a sampling of the projects CLiF funded at the Newbury Elementary School in Vermont:

• A kindergarten teacher acquired Words Come Alive, a professional development program created by the Flynn Theatre in Burlington, VT to connect drama, reading, writing, and social studies.
• Another kindergarten teacher acquired a Tag Reading System Bundle that brings stories alive through interactive storybooks and helps develop core phonics skills and build fundamental reading readiness skills.
• A 1st grade teacher purchased a collection of ‘How To’ books to add to her classroom library on subjects including crafts and cooking. She plans to have community members come in to talk about those subjects, and then the children will write their own ‘How To’ book.
• A 3rd grade teacher purchased a collection of poetry books including a wide range of styles and poets. She has found that students who may not respond well to writing essays or longer pieces often thrive when it comes to writing poetry. She will use these books to prepare the students for upcoming visits by Vermont poets and CLiF presenters Leland Kinsey and Marv Klassen-Landis.
• A 6th grade teacher has purchased materials so she can make books with her students. This year is the school’s 100th anniversary and Newbury’s 250th anniversary, and the teacher will have each student interview a relative to share family stories. These stories will be turned into a picture book that the students will give as a Christmas gift. (CLiF always encourages any efforts to get parents and adult family members involved in reading and writing with children.)
• A special educator for kindergarten through 6th grade acquired a range of books about children with disabilities to increase awareness among the children in the school about the range of abilities and disabilities different children possess.
• A reading interventionist for kindergarten through 6th grade purchased several books on fables, folktales, and myths to share with the students she serves.

CLiF is also funding Year of the Book projects in Johnson and Brownington, VT and Pittsfield, Berlin, and Pittsburg, NH. Every school has a great group of teachers who are taking advantage of the funding in exciting ways.