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Glen City School Librarian, Helen Davis, helped students access computers during the Literacy Center’s after-school hours. |
Update on the new Glen City School Literacy Center
June 03, 2016
Santa Paula News
By Letitia Austin
Since its official opening on February 1st of this year, the Literacy Center located at Glen City School has been “very busy” said Brenda DeJamaer, Library Education Supervisor for Santa Paula Unified School District. “It is exciting to see the joy on the faces of our students as they stop in to use the library after school. We also have several parents who come in with their children and sit side by side to use the computers and look for books their children enjoy reading.”
Although the Literacy Center is open to students during regular school hours, it is the after-school visits that have increased dramatically over the past few months. In February, there were 194 visits to the Literacy Center. That number increased to 254 visits in March and hit a record high of 762 visits in April. DeJamaer expects that number to increase even more as the students, parents, and the community become more comfortable with utilizing the center’s technology resources.
The Literacy Center provides visitors with the use of up-to-date LCD monitors, an interactive touch screen, 30 laptops, 16 computer stations, one printer, and one writeable LED display board.
The $500,000 cost to create the new Literacy Center included the modernization of two other classrooms. The long-term plan is to continue the modernization of the District’s others school libraries in the near future, but further funding will be needed.
“The Literacy Centers are projects planned under Phase 1 of the District’s Long-Range Facilities Master Plan,” said SPUSD Superintendent, Alfonso Gamino. “Glen City’s Literacy Center is a very exciting showcase.”
The vision of the SPUSD Board is to replicate this type of educational project throughout the District for the benefit of our students and community.
“Our goal is to create safe and attractive 21st century learning environments to allow for students to plan, work independently, collaboratively, as a whole class,” Gamino said.
After-school visitors to the center come in to do homework, read books, and use the computers. Glen City School Librarian, Helen Davis, said she was able to get headsets for each computer to help keep the noise level down for the students who are working quietly. Students are enjoying the interactive board and are able to live stream cameras from aquariums and for other animals.
“It sparks questions from our students and we look for books so they can do research,” Davis said. “I have found some cool animal videos that are shared with classes that wish to sit and watch.”
DeJamaer said the students are taking full advantage of the technology that has been made available in the Literacy Center.
“We are delighted that we are able to offer this resource to the students and families within our District.”
