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KEYS |
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KEYS is a group of community members who focus on prevention efforts for children 5-10 years of age. Minutes
of the KEYS Meeting The meeting was called to order. Elna Kawal, Elsa Johnson, Judith Morris, Kathleen Dionne,
Irene Smith, and Cynthia Martin attended.. The meetings will be scheduled for the first Thursday
of each month. It worked for
most of the people until anything else comes up. United Way has an initiative called Healthy
Communities. One of the early issues identified was literacy.
The United Way Board this year is interested in putting time and
interest in the area of literacy. They
want it to be a county-wide basis. The
college is also involved in this literacy effort. They want Forks and Sequim to also be involved.
PA is already involved in doing some things in this area.
They met earlier this day. The
meeting this morning included the library system, school district from PA,
Elna Kawal from the Sequim School District, and Marilyn Kuest.
They will be meeting on September 17 at 10 a.m. because they want to
sponsor a project county wide activity or recognition on November 1. This might encourage people to give out books for Halloween
for Trick or Treat. National
Family Literacy is November1. Some
ideas for literacy that came from the United Way meeting included a group
that Joe Chinn and Trina Berg are talking about doing: a book club for
everyone reading the same book at the same time.
But could make the focus a child specific book or we could identify
one book for each level. George
Stratton, library director, has an established website to include ideas that
were promoted through the website. Irene
asked if the library would have the copies of the book.
The group talked about coordinating efforts of what is doing
throughout Clallam County. Elna
will attend the next meeting and convey the feeling we are interested in
participating but want to keep a separate identity also. Irene went over some of the activities taking place in
Forks. She talked about the
read-a-thon which goes all winter using a theme that goes throughout the
building.—a reading minutes program.
Children count minutes they read to themselves, reading at home or
alone, or when someone reads to them. At
each grade level there is a big celebration after they finish the program.
Middle School and High School do different programs.
They have a challenge program at the middle school to have the
principal do something different. Middle
School is Ray Marshal is the contact person and he can be reached at
extension 2. Give books
for 1st graders for birthdays.
Pajama day in the Fall. Dr.
Seuss in March for his birthday. Irene
said they have at least 2/3 of the parents participate in the Dr. Seuss.
Irene said the only people who seems not to participate is because of
being embarrassed about not knowing to read.
Not just Latino speaking families…in fact the Latino families seem
to be willing to ask for help or even to say they never learned to read.
Reading program in La Push show up for the Forks programs. The group from KEYS discussed the pros and cons of
joining with this United Way effort. Certainly
in some ways, that is a good idea. We
don’t want to totally go under this other umbrella because we are
attempting to find our own identity and want to stay focused on the
elementary years. We definitely
still want to keep focused also on literacy.
Confusion seemed to exist over what we will be doing with this group. We discussed how to get this calendar really going.
None of us had had a chance to look at the library’s website and
how their calendar is set up. Elsa thought we should have a website with a calendar of our
own. Elna suggested we
get the calendar started with whatever we have on the calendar.
Elsa said the Sons of Norway will be into Adopt a School and set up a
reading program at one of the schools in PA.
Reading with the children will be there goal.
Elsa discussed the need to talk Elaine Grinnell at the Lower Elwhat
Head Start. We talked about contacting each of the programs in the county. Cynthia suggested we still bring in books to
distribute. Having books as a
donation in any groups function could be encouraged.
Asking service clubs to consider distributing books again for
holidays was discussed. Maybe
even get Prevention Works! big event to ask for books.
Book exchange groups are considered a good possibility.
Elsa suggested many would not have used children’s books.
Suggesting people bring a book or buy a book for a buck was also
considered. Maybe a letter to
organizations asking them to participate. We discussed a grant that we heard about through Nita
Quan. The need to move ahead on
it right away was discussed. Elsa
said she would look at it. Rainfest in Forks is in April. Forks 4th of July.
Free books really help. Each of us will contact a school to figure out literacy
activities which should be on the calendar.
We decided calls would work better than letters or email. Elsa…Hamilton, Monroe, Franklin, Jamestown, Lower Elwha sofn2.org Kathleen: Lady Elks, (Hamilton..Jefferson check) Dry Creek, Fairview, Irene…Forks, Neah Bay, Tribal School, Clallam Bay Cynthia: Community School, OPA, Title One Teacher Junell, Olympic Christian, Queen of Angels, Fairview Olympic Elna Greywolf, Five Acre, Haller Cynthia will get things compiled for the next meeting.
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