ADOPT A SCHOOL MODEL

The Rotary Club of Clover Park has adopted Southgate Elementary School as a yearlong project where we can provide for improved literacy, feed the hungry, tutor and mentor to students and support our community through various projects.

1. On September 8, 2009 our club members participated in a Back- to- School night for parents and children of Southgate Elementary School. This day coincided with International Literacy Day. Fliers from Rotary International (both English and Spanish print) were distributed to parents where reading in the family home was promoted. Rotarians assisted children and parents in locating classes and served pizza, salad, desserts and beverages to celebrate the occasion. Approximately 500 students/parents attended.

2. In September 2009 Rotary Club of Clover Park provided $2000 to Southgate Elementary School to fund a curriculum entitled «English – A Second Language». This class has allowed 26 Southgate parents to attend daily «English as a Second Language» classes at the school. The class is presented by the bilingual parent advocate at the school and assists both English and Spanish speaking parents with an understanding of the school community.

3. Clover Park Rotary has inducted the principal of Southgate Elementary School, Charlotte Clouse into our Club and are welcoming not only her, but Counselor Marie Erickson and Alicia Hunsecker, Interpreter/Spanish speaking advocate, to our meetings. We are currently processing new applications for Deana Tuttle, Director of Head Start Programs for Clover Park School District and David Durante, Manager of the Lakewood Branch of Pierce County Library System.

4. During the month of March 2009 (Literacy Month), each of our meetings had an informative and interesting speaker covering areas of Literacy (this would be five literacy related speakers total). Our speaking subjects ranged from the impact of poor literacy in relationship to crime (Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney) to curriculum for social skills in education (Social Smarts Curriculum) and introduction of reading programs in the schools. Our club enjoyed a «How to Read» reading lesson. Literacy culminated with Superintendant of Schools Randy Dorn speaking to us April 14, 2010 (our 6th literacy speaker of the year).

5. On January 8, 2010 several members of Clover Park Rotary worked with Southgate Elementary School Staff to support Rotary Awareness and participate in Career Day at Southgate Elementary School. Rotarians visited classrooms and discussed their professions…what they do each day at work, how they became interested in their vocations and goal/setting/education processes required. We shared such professions as Floral Design, Waste Management, Water District Maintenance, Banking, Franchise Owner, Teaching, Restaurant Management, Chef’s, Lawyers, Judges, and Firemen.

6. On March 2, 2010 Clover Park Rotarians participated in Literacy Night at Southgate Elementary School. Children and their families participated in the evening functions; Rotarians read to children; served a meal of Quesadilla’s, Veggies, Salad, Cookies and Beverages; and the children received prizes (books, games, etc.). Approximately 480 were in attendance.

7. As part of the Literacy Month Kickoff, Clover Park Rotary awarded each classroom at Southgate Elementary School with a book entitled «World Stories». The book shares short stories about different ethnic groups and customs which are celebrated around the world. Fifty Percent of the purchase price for these textbooks is to be returned to Literacy Programs in District 5020.

8. Clover Park Rotary has sponsored the Clover Park High School Interact Club and is assisting them in their April 2010 drive to raise school supplies. These supplies will be taken to Morocco by Rotarians in July 2010 to support a school project. Our Club will support Interact by collecting supplies at our April 2010 meetings. The Interact Group is also planning to work with Emergency Food Network to do a «food repack» day.

9. Clover Park Rotary has supported the Pierce County Library with a $500 donation towards the summer reading program.

10. In June 2010, all graduating 5th grade students from Southgate Elementary School will be given a «middle school appropriate» dictionary. The dictionaries have been purchased and each week our guest speaker signs the book. It is then awarded in that speakers name.

11. Rotarians participate as tutors in the Southgate Elementary School Tutor and Mentorship Program.

12. Clover Park Rotary is providing approximately $3,900 towards Community in Schools to be used in conjunction with the afterschool care program for 3rd and 4th grade students.

13. Clover Park Rotary participated in two Science Fairs. One on February 27 for the Clover Park School District and one in March at Southgate Elementary School. Rotarians judged the projects and made recommendations for prizes or advancing to the next level.

14. To introduce our Southgate Elementary School students to the arts, Clover Park Rotary worked with Northwest Ballet and provided funding which allowed the students to attend the Nutcracker Ballet at Christmas. In February 2010, Northwest Ballet followed up with a performance at the school and gave the students some on-the-spot lessons. Our Club is further promoting introduction of the arts to students by sponsoring the Boys and Girls Club April 24 performance of the play «Grease».

The Southgate Elementary school year has not ended. We have additional projects to complete in April and May 2010. Those projects planned and supported by Clover Park Rotary are: 5th Grade Day Camp; Field Trips for each classroom; two school assemblies presented by Pacific Science Center and Pioneer Farm; and a Math Relay Competition.
Deanna J Ebsen
Clover Park, USA
April 2010
PHOTOS: Joana Santa Marta (in Facebook), a social and political portuguese activist; Clover Park  technical School; Literacy grows and  spreads like plaints and beautiful flowers; Chianciano Art Museum; Roger Howard wonderful Newsletter; «Literacy for all, schools in Cape Town», South Afica (Roger Howard World Wide Newsletter); Natural Park in Galé, Algarve, Portugal, Literacy is life and beauty; Henrique Pinto celebrating the painter Carlos Lança' memory, a legacy to all thwe children of the world; Literacy of the Character in Lee County School, North Carolina, USA (Roger Howard April'Newsletter); Giving Books, Books, Books, in Windward Ohahu, Hawaii, USA (Roger Howard last Newsletter;  a wonderful beach with no sand is like the world without literacy; they work in a project for iliterate people; the Rotary Club of Tremecula Noon is affiliated with Dolly Parton Foundation with The Imagination Library; Tremecula Noon school work 2 and 3; introducing arts in school (RC clover Parks, USA); cherry flowers, joy for a literate world.