Perrysburg school gets $7,500 grant for successful reading program

6/23/2010

A $7,500 grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation has been awarded to staff at Toth Elementary in Perrysburg, where a reading program will be set up to help students who are struggling to read as well as students requiring instruction and materials at their individual levels.

Kindergarten teacher Maribeth Connor and Principal Beth Christoff were awarded the grant for the Guided Reading program.

Guided Reading began in 2008-2009 as a pilot program at the district's Woodland School when staff development funds were readily available, but the district has faced budget cuts.

Guided Reading resulted in significant gains in student reading at Woodland, prompting officials to set the goal of implementing it at other elementary schools. Federal stimulus dollars were earmarked to train teachers, but Perrysburg lacked the money to buy the books.

The grant will cover the cost to buy those books.