DECATUR, Ala. — The Decatur City Schools Foundation will be able to expand its library offerings, thanks to a $10,000 grant from International Paper.
The grant will help increase access to e-books for students in grades K-8 across the district and let them "read where they are".
“We know that reading is key to success in school and beyond, and we want our students to have all the tools they need to succeed,” said DCS Superintendent, Dr. Michael Douglas.
“It’s important that all of our students have access to books,whether in school or at home, and with the Library Expansion program, we’re able to make sure that this happens,” said DCSF Executive Director, Stevi Price.
According to DCSF, the Library Expansion program will fund the purchase of e-books, both fiction and non-fiction, for 6,146 students in Kindergarten-8th grades. The foundation says that with more students opting for virtual and blended (part virtual/part in-school) education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, increased access to digital books is important to students learning to read in grades K-3 and students reading to learn in grades 4-12.
Decatur City Schools students can access e-books on a variety of devices provided by the district as well as participate in the district's Accelerated Reader program using e-books. The Library Expansion program will increase access to these materials for more than 6,000 students.
Using electronic devices and e-books is part of the district's ongoing STEM education program. All students in grades K-3 are provided with iPads; all students in grades 4-12 are provided with Chromebooks.
Learn more about the grant program and award here.