Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents
    Date: 5/29/97
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  25

Editors: Photo accompanies release -- Please note local interest
SLU RECEIVES $150,000 GRANT FOR EARLY LITERACY PROJECT
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University has received a $150,000 grant from
the Louisiana Department of Education for a pilot program designed to help primary teachers
improve student literacy.
     The Improving Louisiana Schools Grant, funded through the state's Title I Bureau and
approved May 22 by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, will establish an "Early
Learning Institute" in Southeastern's teacher education department. Approximately 75 teachers
from 19 area schools will attend a two-week summer institute at Southeastern in July to discuss
and plan a balanced literacy program for students in grades K-3.
     Participants "will learn specific strategies for assessing where their children are in reading
skills as well as strategies for helping them reach the level they need to be on," said Martha
Head, head of the teacher education department. Head said the institute will also help teachers
implement new national English Language Arts standards, a requirement for all schools during
the 1997-98 school year.
     Teachers will receive a $300 stipend, six hours of graduate credit, materials and supplies
and $1,200 worth of books for school "early literacy libraries."
     Project director Cynthia Elliott of Southeastern's teacher education department faculty
and site coordinator Lori Brocato will coordinate additional training and assistance for the
teachers during the 1997-98 school year.
     The Early Learning Institute is based on "Primary Reform in Mathematics Education" 
(Project PRIME), a Southeastern in-service program for mathematics teachers funded by the
Louisiana Systemic Initiatives Program.
                                 (MORE) 
EARLY LITERACY INSTITUTE -- Add One
     Teachers participating in the Early Literacy Institute are:
     TANGIPAHOA PARISH -- Hammond Eastside: Linda Baker; Midway Elementary:
Bonnie Ezell, Karen Marsalis, Sheryl Hurtt, Wilma Jane Skelton; Woodland Park Primary
teachers.
     ST. HELENA PARISH -- Central Elementary: Sammie Lawrence, Sharlene Clattenburg,
Rena Carriere.
     ST. TAMMANY PARISH -- Bayou Woods Elementary: Sharon Edmonson, Sharon
Slavinsky, Amy Veach, Amy Anderson; Chahta Ima Elementary: Talley Darouse, Myra Stewart,
Eddie Jean Walker.
     WASHINGTON PARISH -- Enon Elementary: Jacqueline Freeman, Amy Emmons,
Linda Comeaux.
     ASCENSION PARISH -- Central Elementary: Cheryl Noel, Marie Denise Slocum,
Margaret Smith, Paula Fletcher; G.W. Carver Primary: Mary Keller; Donaldsonville Elementary:
Trudie Barnes, Phyllis Falcon, Jean Griffin, Lois Falcon; Gonzales Primary: Annette Whatley,
Linda Champion, Deborah Guillory, Regina Dunbar Bynum, Anne Bergeron, JoAnne Seiler;
Oak Grove Primary: Lisa Gross, Deborah Smith, Brenda Bloom, Susan Boudreaux.
     EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH -- Baker Heights Elementary: Anne Kemp, Michelle
Bennett, Linda Meeks, Linda Henson; Delmont Elementary: Beth Long, Jo-Lynette Hawkins,
Andree Padial, Kristin Parsons; Greenville Elementary: Judith Ugstad, Toni Black, Janet
Stevens, Allison Reine, Elizabeth Ridensur; Harding Elementary: Melissa Billings, Karen
Collins, Theresa Picard, Jeanne Wilkins; LaBelle Aire: Latrelle Blackburn, Judy Rossi, Carmella
Brown-Nandlal; Ryan Elementary: Anita Turner, Lydia Hammond, Susan Mitchell, Haydee
Waters, Susan Crain, Wendy Joinder, Mary Shill.
     WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH -- Brusly Middle School: Riette LeBlanc, Josephine
Theriot, Irene Burnett, Mary LeBlanc.
                                 - SLU -
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