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
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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| Family Literacy and Academic Libraries: A Perfect Match
PRIME TIME at LSUE's Arnold Ledoux Library |
 Can PRIME TIME benefit an academic library at a public university? Gerald Patout, Library Director of the Arnold Ledoux Library, Louisiana State University at Eunice, answers with a resounding "YES!" As program coordinator for two highly successful programs in Fall 2008 and Spring 2009, Mr. Patout galvanized the Eunice community around the importance of reading. Click here to read more about his experiences. |
| GPOA Awards Funds to Support PRIME TIME in Louisiana |
 The German Protestant Orphan Asylum (GPOA) Foundation is continuing its support for PRIME TIME programming in Louisiana. GPOA whose mission is to "support programs that serve children in Louisiana". In August, the foundation made an award to PRIME TIME in the amount of $7,500. These funds will supplement overall expenses for several PRIME TIME programs throughout metropolitan New Orleans during the Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 terms. "This funding comes at a critical time which has been marked by enthusiastic demand for PRIME TIME from local schools and community organizations amid an unprecedented reduction in state funding, said Miranda Restovic, PRIME TIME Co-Director. "We appreciate the generous support of the GPOA Foundation and we look forward to serving our community together in the coming months". The LEH and the PRIME TIME staff wish to thank the GPOA Foundation and its Board of Directors for their consideration and generosity. |
| PRIME TIME Grant Applications Now Available! |
 The PRIME TIME staff is now accepting applications for future programs in Louisiana. The deadline to apply for Spring 2010 is October 15th. Public libraries, schools, community centers, and other public institutions are encouraged to apply.
Using state funds, PRIME TIME grants are awarded twice annually to fill Fall and Spring/Summer sessions. Due to an extreme reduction in state funding for PRIME TIME, the number of awards available for Spring 2010 programming has been reduced. Eligible applications that are not approved for Spring 2010 will be placed on a waiting list for future terms when additional funding becomes available. Eligible organizations will be kept up-to-date on the status of their PRIME TIME grant applications. Applications are also being accepted for future terms; those deadlines will be announced at a later date.
Click here to access a PRIME TIME grant application. Or, for more information about PRIME TIME please download our program brochure,or contact Miranda Restovic or Shantrell Adams. |
| Connect2Educate (C2E) Collaborative Launches New Website Featuring the C2E Notebook |
 Connect2Educate, a local collaborative of organizations whose mission is to connect community resource providers with New Orleans public schools, has launched a new website (www.connect2educate.org), featuring the C2E Notebook, which contains profiles of 106 organizations that serve public schools and public school children in Orleans Parish.
Formed in 2008, the C2E Collaborative coordinated a networking event among school representatives and community resource providers in March 2009 and published the first edition of the C2E Notebook, which details more than 100 organizations whose programming is offered to public schools and public school students. The C2E Notebook closes the knowledge gap about the availability of programs among school leadership teams. Armed with current, relevant information, every public school community is now better equipped to engage those programs which enrich the school experience for children. Information on the C2E Collaborative and a PDF version of the C2E Notebook are available on the website. |
| PRIME TIME is a Priority in Florida |
 The recent economic downturn and subsequent public and private budget cuts throughout many U.S. states have not deterred some of PRIME TIME's strongest national partners. The Florida Humanities Council (FHC) recently shared its PRIME TIME programming goal for 2010. Up to 8 programs will be implemented within that state, and approximately 7 new team members will be sent to New Orleans for training in January 2010. Despite sustaining budget cuts of its own, FHC has made significant and successful efforts to reach out to local foundations for assistance in supporting PRIME TIME in Florida.
The PRIME TIME staff extends sincere thanks to Janine Farver, Executive Director; Patricia Putman, Associate Director; and rest of the FHC staff for sharing our commitment to promoting the humanities among at-risk families through PRIME TIME. |
| PRIME TIME Travels the State for the 10th Annual LALAMP Tour |
 The Louisiana Library & Media Professional (LALAMP) group will host their annual tour September 14-18, 2009. PRIME TIME staff will join other exhibitors to meet librarians from around the state and to survey these professionals about their programming needs. Approximately 50% of the PRIME TIME programs are implemented in schools.
This organization was created 10 years ago to provide Louisiana school librarians with opportunities to continue their professional development, and to offer additional resources through exhibits and workshops. The dates, sites, and attending staff members for LALAMP 2009 are listed below. Details about the locations and programs are available at www.lalamp.org.
Monday, September 14-New Orleans area (Chris Robert and Shantrell Adams)
Tuesday, September 15 - Baton Rouge area (Dr. Olivia Pass)
Wednesday, September 16-Lake Charles area (Dr. Olivia Pass)
Thursday, September 17-Alexandria area (Faye Flanagan)
Friday, September 18- Ruston area (Dianne Brady) |
| PRIME TIME 2009 TIAS Report |
 The 2009 PRIME TIME Teacher Institute for Advanced Study (TIAS) has come to a close. The University of New Orleans (UNO) hosted "Putting PRIME TIME in New Orleans Public Schools" from June 8 - July 2, 2009 at the Louisiana Humanities Center at Turners' Hall in New Orleans. Funded by the LEH and the state of Louisiana, the institute offered 23 K-8th grade public school teachers from Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Bernard parishes instruction in the PRIME TIME FAMILY READING TIME® methodology. Led by UNO professor and PRIME TIME scholar, Dr. Nancy Dixon, participating teachers learned how to use children's literature to prompt students to talk and write about the humanities. Participants received a $750 stipend, 3 hours of graduate credit from the University of New Orleans, and 45 CLU's (if desired). UNO generously waived tuition for teachers participating in the institute.
"This is a graduate seminar in every way," said Dr. Dixon. Although we are reading and discussing--and sometimes dissecting-children's literature, the participating teachers are doing it on an advanced level that often sparks stimulating debates, not only about the books themselves, but about classroom teaching in the struggling New Orleans area school system. The teachers completed this course with in-depth knowledge of the PRIME TIME literacy methodology which will enhance their teaching and surely inspire their students' interest in reading. The course has truly been inspiring for us all."
Participants also expressed sincere appreciation for the opportunity and enthusiasm for the usefulness of the professional development opportunity.
"I am very grateful to Dr. Nancy Dixon and the rest of the PRIME TIME staff for initiating this kind of training. The PRIME TIME method is enjoyable! It not only captures a child's teachable moments, but also creates self-learners with a love of learning through storybooks."
-Cynthia Simporios
School Unknown
"PRIME TIME is a wonderful resource for my classroom and this methodology is going to be an anchor of my thematic lesson planning. It is a marvelous way to launch into a unit of study that gives each student a shared experience of story, illustration and discussion. I am so excited about using beautiful picture books with my older students. Before PRIME TIME I would have thought those books were only appropriate for primary students. Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving me my new partner, PRIME TIME."
-Iris Johnson
Lake Forest Elementary Charter School
"PRIME TIME is an excellent partner to the present elementary curriculum. Teaching critical thinking skills through literature allows for creativity and fosters growth in inferring, which is paramount in mastering the standardized testing segment of education. However, PRIME TIME directs free thought and stirs the desire to read more often. This is my fifth year teaching and I feel that the program sparked a genuine interest to introduce my students to new literature in a more refreshing way!"
-Nancia Sterling
Benjamin E. Mays Preparatory Charter School
Thanks to UNO and all of the teachers who applied and participated in the institute. Please click here for more details on LEH Teacher Institutes and upcoming professional development opportunities. | |
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