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Articles
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| Literary dreams new library |
VOICE writes, "BY Amy Weedon
In his first year at Maury Elementary School, a prospective parent asked Principal Michael Wilson what he thought of the No Child Left Behind Act. He replied that, in his opinion, children should be able to read by first-grade, not the standard of third-grade.
Three years later, this remains a top priority for Wilson. And thanks to the Capitol Hill Community Foundation's School Libraries Project, a grant from the Northeast Capitol Hill advisory neighborhood commission (ANC 6A), and an enormous amount of “sweat equity” from volunteers, Wilson has a brand new library, helping Maury students meet his high standards. "
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The new space is perfectly designed to meet the needs of the wide age ranges of students Maury serves. The 3 to 5 year olds have their own area framed by a dramatic curved wall lined with easy reader books. The shelves are centered around a bright red circle in the carpet creating the perfect space for group activities. For the older children, modern tables with funky red chairs offer a more structured environment. And a lofty arch in the ceiling hides a drop down video screen and affords a view of an elegant space for the oldest children, featuring shiny hardwood floors, new computer kiosks for research, and cozy couches for quiet reading with a good book.
Matching the energy of the space is Kate Sweeney, the school’s full-time librarian. Her clear love of books is absolutely infectious. She gives one minute “book talks” that act as commercials on a wide range of book choices.
Sweeney’s talks have left so many books in high demand that she and Maury parent Heather Schoell are working on grants to increase the already generous number of books available. Sweeney is also ensuring that her colleagues get the most out of this new resource center.
She has been helping Coleman Rose find Spanish readers for the school’s new pre-kindergarten Spanish Inclusion program. For the upper grades, she has been identifying books that teach math in innovative ways.
The community is encouraged to call Maury Elementary at (202) 698-3838 for a tour of the new library and to discover more about their academic programs. The school is located at 1250 Constitution Ave., NE.
Amy Weedon can be reached at aweedon@merricktowle.com
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Posted on Dec 03, 2007 13:27pm.
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