Third grade class receives book grant

BONNERS FERRY — At Valley View Elementary, Shelly Hoisington’s third-grade class has received $794.25 worth of new books for their classroom library. 

Both teacher and students are grateful and excited, as the class is full of book lovers who can’t wait to enjoy the new books.

 “This is a classroom filled with readers and these books will be well read and well loved,” Hoisington said. 

The funds were provided by the Idaho CapEd Foundation teacher grant. Hoisington, and her students, extend a huge thank you to CapEd Foundation for supporting reading in their school. 

When asked how books for the school and classrooms are generally acquired, Hoisington explained, “Teachers are allotted a small budget each year to purchase supplies. This includes all supplies including art, office, and any classroom necessities.”

“There is no money allotted for books other than the district-approved curriculum. If a teacher wants to provide a classroom library for students the funds must be acquired through grants, donations, or other means,” Hoisington said. 

This is why grants like the CapEd Foundation teacher grants are so important. As a third-grade teacher, Mrs. Hoisington takes on a major role in the early learning of her students, as do all primary school educators. 

In summary, Hoisington’s goal for all of her students is to motivate and encourage students to read independently. 

“Instilling a love of reading will prepare my students for future success,” she said.  “Building vocabulary, improving comprehension, building background knowledge, increasing vocabulary, and improving concentration and focus are all skills students acquire from reading for pleasure. Strong reading skills motivate students to be better learners and produce higher test scores. For all these reasons and more, it brings me so much joy to see children reading for fun.”  

The literacy goals for Valley View Elementary are similar to her personal ones.

“Ensuring all students are literate is of course our main goal at Valley View. Our school is committed to ensuring that no learner falls through the proverbial 'struggling literacy crack.' We look for areas of concern and concentrate on these areas using various interventions,” she said. “Students learn to read at different rates and as a school, we focus on growth. Students that are growing are learning.” 

All schools are dependent on grants and donations for a variety of educational resources. Books are just one of the materials that are needed, and wanted, to help guide our children on their educational path.