Holbrook School District To Compete For Stimulus Funds

By Tammy Gray-Searles
   The Holbrook School District will participate with the state in competing for grant funds in President Barack Obama’s Race To The Top education program.
   School board members unanimously approved a memorandum of agreement with the state Jan. 12 that will allow the district to work with state officials to compete for the stimulus funds.
   In July, President Obama announced that $4.35 billion will be made available to selected states for education reform. Superintendent Robbie Koerperich noted that the Race To The Top program is markedly different from No Child Left Behind, and focuses more on workplace skills rather than test scores.
   “Race To The Top is not going to be a solution by itself, but it is a byproduct of a much greater need,” he remarked. “We’ll be pioneering new ways of educating kids, which is not going to be an easy task.”
   According to the U.S. Department of Education, Race To The Top is “a national competition which will highlight and replicate effective education reform strategies in four significant areas:
   * “Adopting internationally benchmarked standards and assessments that prepare students for success in college and the workplace.
   * “Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals.
    * “Building data systems that measure student success, and informing teachers and principals how they can improve their practices.
   * “Turning around our lowest-performing schools.”
   In other action Jan. 12, the board:
   * Approved the appointment of Tim Newton-Pender as principal of Holbrook Junior High School, effective July 1.
   * Elected Lisa Aragon as president and Linda Yazzie as vice president of the board for 2010.
   * Approved the submission of an application for Hulet Elementary School for A+ School of Excellence status.
   * Accepted a First Book National Book Grant and approved the expenditure of 35 cents per book for shipping costs.
   The grant will cover the purchase of 312 copies of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
   * Approved the submission of an E-Rate grant application for costs of providing and maintaining telecommunications and Internet equipment.
   * Approved an Indian education policy, as required by the U.S. Department of Education.
   * Approved placement of Ramona Joe as a student teacher at Indian Wells Elementary School.
   The next regular school board meeting is scheduled at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 9, at the district office in Holbrook.