Welcome
The Rotary Club of Reno is involved with a literacy project at Lemelson STEM Academy, a Washoe County School District Title I school. The attached report is from the coordinator of the project, Jim Pfrommer. Items a, f, g, h, and i are especially literacy-oriented, but the entire project is important for basic education.
Lemelson STEM Academy and Rotary
September 4, 2017
Note: All individuals named below are members of Reno Rotary Club.
All these projects are initiated via interactions between Rotarians and the Principal and staff. All projects are first approved by the school to ensure our work fits in to their school improvement plan.
a. We now have 10 readers… 3 readers are non Rotarians. Many Rotarians interact with the teachers, offering support as needed in a class. A couple of readers meet regularly with a particular troubled student, as directed by the Principal.
b. Sierra Nv Journeys, CEO is Rotarian Eaton Dunkelberger, became engaged with Lemelson via our reading program. SNJ is a semester long curriculum to supplement existing STEM curriculum. SNJ brings in accredited educators and scientists to work with the teachers in all grades. The 6 graders go on a 5 day camp to Grizzly Creek Camp for hands on outdoor experiences. Our club funded $15,000 of this cost.
c. Several Rotarians have garnered speakers and other outside resources to aide in the school's mission
d. Through Eaton Dunkelberger, the school engaged Urban Roots ( a garden/horticulture non profit) to assist with the Garden Greenhouse and now has a curriculum for each of the classrooms. This is done via direction from the Lemelson STEM Coordinator.
e. With Mike Reed's guidance, in prior years, several small projects have been lined up for Rotarians at Work day. The school’s PIF (parent facilitator) will engage parents to work side by side with Rotarians; the goal is to get more parents comfortable with the school and, thus, get engaged with their childrens education.
f. Loretta Bonilla is spearheading ESL for parents along with assisting the PIF (Parent Facilitator) in engaging parents in school and their child's education. Through our Club's involvement in the ESL Parent program, Northern Nv Literacy Council (NNLC)-- a thriving 20 year old non profit--will be adding Lemelson to their list of schools to which they provide comprehensive literacy education for adults and older teens. Our club has donated $1,000 to NNLC to assist in this program.
g. Another benefit of getting NN Literacy Council (f., above) engaged is the proximity and involvement that NNLC has with a particularly troubled group of apartments on Wedekind. The Lemelson principal has indicated to us that about 75 of her students live in these apartments. So, NNLC is working with the Principal, staff and parents to get engaged in the school.
h. The reader group purchased Santa presents for 5th grade.
i. With Kurt Mische's assistance, there has been increased engagement in KNPB providing of curriculum and teaching assistance in the class room. This was coordinated by the STEM coordinator at Lemelson.