Faye Flanagan
Co-Director
504.620.2485
flanagan@leh.org
Miranda Restovic
Co-Director
504.620.2486
Dianne Brady
Senior Consultant
318.728.0026
bountifulw@aol.com
Olivia Pass, PhD
Associate Director
225.635.0092
pass@leh.org
Shantrell Adams
Assistant Director
504.620.2625
adams@leh.org
Christopher Robert
Program Assistant
504.620.2639
Michael Sartisky, PhD
President
504.620.2480
sartisky@leh.org
National Partners:
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| 2008 PRIME TIME Sites and Coordinators Receive Awards |
 The LEH's 2009 Humanist-of-the-Year Award Ceremony was held Saturday, March 21, 2009, at Houmas House in Darrow, Louisiana. In addition to the many Louisianians honored by the LEH for their outstanding contributions to the humanities throughout the state and nation, PRIME TIME recognized its partners who implemented the program for the first time in 2008. PRIME TIME awards were distributed to representatives from 16 sites across the state; this includes two awards given to Sicily Island Elementary School and Tensas Elementary School, which implemented the first PRIME TIME programs in Catahoula and Tensas Parishes respectively. The PRIME TIME staff extends its congratulations to all PRIME TIME awardees and thanks every team member at every site contributing to PRIME TIME's success. Award RecipientsAlbert Wicker Elementary School, New OrleansAllen Parish Libraries-Oakdale Branch, OakdaleConverse High School, ConverseEast Bank Regional Library, Metairie* Esperanza Charter School, New OrleansLake Arthur Branch Library, Lake Arthur* Lincoln Elementary School, MarreroLusher Charter School, New Orleans
Ouachita Valley Library, West MonroeRiveroaks Elementary School, Baton RougeSicily Island Elementary School, Harrisonburg
Tensas Elementary School, St. JosephUrban League of GNO/Even Start, Marrero* Volunteers of America-Lighthouse at Ingersoll, Shreveport* Volunteers of America-Louisiana Promise, Shreveport* Watson Branch Library, Denham Springs *Attended Award Ceremony
The LEH also recognized a long-time out-of-state ambassador for PRIME TIME during the award ceremony. Karen McPheeters, director of the Farmington Public Library in New Mexico was honored for her excellent work with PRIME TIME programming in her state. Karen's New Mexico programs are among the most successful in the nation, and more than two dozen PRIME TIME programs have been conducted at her library alone. The LEH and PRIME TIME staff are immensely appreciative of Karen and her commitment to the humanities and literacy on behalf of New Mexico's families. |
| PRIME TIME Announces Important Upcoming Dates |
Brochure-Flier Forms Due for LA Sites
Congratulations to all Fall 2009 PRIME TIME grant recipients! Now that you've received your award letter, please remember to submit the Brochure-Flier Information Forms (BFI) before the May 15th deadline. The purpose of this form is to collect site-specific information for customized promotional materials and training workshop invitations. Click here to download a BFI.
Once BFI's are received, registration forms for training workshop participants will follow. Please contact Shantrell Adams with any questions or concerns.
July 2009 Training Workshop
Mark your calendars! The dates for the next PRIME TIME Training Workshop are July 18 - 19, 2009, and it will be held at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall in New Orleans. For additional details on the event, please email Shantrell Adams or call (504) 620-2625. |
| New Orleans Teachers Can Earn Money, College Credit, PLUS Learn the PRIME TIME Methodology |
 From June 8 - July 2, 2009, the University of New Orleans will host an LEH-funded PRIME TIME Teacher Institute for Advanced Study (TIAS) "Putting PRIME TIME in New Orleans Public Schools" at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall in New Orleans. K-8th grade teachers from the Recovery School District (RSD) and other Orleans Parish Public Schools are invited to apply to participate in this unique professional development opportunity. The Institute will provide instruction in the PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME® methodology and will be directed by Dr. Nancy Dixon, Retained Instructor of English at the University of New Orleans and experienced PRIME TIME scholar.
Participating teachers will explore elements of PRIME TIME methodology and learn how to use books as prompts for encouraging students to talk and write about the humanities. Teachers will learn to combine award-winning children's literature with universal humanities themes to initiate open dialogue focused on real-life issues with their students as well as to create lesson plans that they will use in their classes during the upcoming school year. Participants will be given the tools and learn the skills necessary to enhance their ability to teach reading and critical thinking skills as well as character education in the classroom.
Participants will receive a $750 stipend and are eligible to receive 3 hours of graduate credit from the University of New Orleans, as well as 45 Continuing Learning Units. UNO has waived tuition for participants. The application deadline is May 15, 2009. Teachers interested in this opportunity should contact Nancy Dixon for additional details and/or click here for the application and guidelines. |
| PRIME TIME to be Offered En Francais! |
 Cajuns, Creoles, and Franglais speakers rejoice! PRIME TIME is set to pilot a series of bilingual French/English programs to serve three French Immersion schools in Southeast Louisiana. The LEH, in partnership with the Consulate General of France in New Orleans, will launch the French/English PRIME TIME in Fall 2009 at The International School of Louisiana in New Orleans, The Lafourche Parish Public Library-Bayou Blue Branch in Bayou Blue, LA, and Prairie Elementary School in Lafayette, LA. These programs will target children ages 6 to 10, who are enrolled in French immersion schools, and their parents in an effort to foster a lifelong love of learning through reading in the two target languages. The LEH and PRIME TIME are proud to partner with the French Consulate on this highly anticipated project. The development of the bilingual French/English PRIME TIME is made possible through the support of the following: The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the Consulate General of France in New Orleans, the LSU French Education Project and the Codofil (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana). Click here for the full press release.
Recommendations for qualified French-speaking scholars and storytellers are currently being accepted and reviewed. Contact Miranda Restovic for more information. |
| PRIME TIME Helps "Target" Literacy at John Dibert: Project Report |
 During the spring of 2009, sponsorship and support from the Target Corporation and the United Way's New Orleans Kids Partnership (NOKP), made it possible for parents and children to participate in an innovative literacy project that combined the efforts and resources of 5 metro New Orleans organizations (City Year, Louisiana Children's Museum, Louisiana Endowment for Humanities' PRIME TIME program, STAIR, and the Urban League) all of which delivered high-quality literacy programming and additional support to the students, families and classrooms at John Dibert School.
Julia McNabb, NOKP Executive Director, is very enthusiastic about the quality of cooperation involved in this project. "This collaboration and support could not have happened without the critical elements of talented professionals, excellent programming, and the sincere participation of Dibert's family, students, teachers and school leaders. We are especially grateful to Target for committing the funding that enabled us to cooperate in such an innovative and meaningful way," said McNabb. A larger indicator of the program's success is Target's recent decision to continue its support of the project during the 2009-2010 school year.
The LEH and PRIME TIME staff was pleased to be a part of this wonderfully coordinated and highly successful project. "We are grateful to Target for funding such a worthwhile venture, and thank the United Way for taking the initiative and bringing the other organizations onboard," said Miranda Restovic, PRIME TIME Co-director. |
| Bilingual PRIME TIME Returns Home to Appleton, Wisconsin
Article by Post-Crescent Reporter, Cheryl Anderson |
 The genesis of bilingual PRIME TIME is in Appleton, Wisconsin where there hasn't been a PRIME TIME program since 2005. Carole DeJardin, Supervisor of Children's Services and PRIME TIME pioneer was the first in the nation to conduct a bilingual (Hmong/English) PRIME TIME program. Carole's work applying the PRIME TIME model with English Language Learners became the foundation upon which the highly successful bilingual program has been developed. After a four year hiatus, the Appleton Public Library staff reinstituted the program in Wisconsin by securing funds from the J.J. Keller Foundation, the Doug and Carla Salmon Foundation, and the Appleton Library Foundation. With additional support from the area school district and a local grocery chain, the Appleton Library's current PRIME TIME program hosts families that speak Hmong (the common name for a group of dialects spoken in various parts of Asia), Spanish, and English. The Appleton Library staff is diligently pursuing funding and other support for future PRIME TIME programs from local foundations and businesses. Click here to read more about the origins of bilingual PRIME TIME and current programming in Wisconsin. |
| The Ouachita Parish Library Invites PRIME TIME Families Back for More! |
 Families participating in the fall 2008 bilingual PRIME TIME program at the Ouachita Parish Public Library (OPPL) were invited to return for a Reunion / Focus Group. Over 50 family members from Honduras, Mexico, Hong Kong, and the U.S. enjoyed a Mexican meal; and, posed for family photographs. The returning families felt right at home as PRIME TIME scholar/storyteller team, Dr. Ruth Smith and Jennifer McSween led the group in a Spanish/English reading and discussion period; while preschoolers created frames for the family photos and listened to stories in another room. PRIME TIME Senior Consultant, Dianne Brady was on hand to facilitate a focus group; soliciting responses from participating families on how PRIME TIME has impacted their lives. During the focus group, participants expressed their appreciation for the PRIME TIME program and indicated that they are eagerly anticipating future programs. At the end of the evening each family was awarded a gift book as a token of appreciation.
OPPL staff members, LaKeisha Bosworth, Nora Collins and Angela Greer coordinated the event. Events such as this are an excellent way to maintain relationships established through PRIME TIME. Families can be invited back for focus groups, 90-day survey completion, or any other outreach events hosted by PRIME TIME libraries, schools, museums, etc. Feel free to contact any PRIME TIME staff person for tips and ideas for bringing PRIME TIME families back to your site once a program has ended. | |
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