Fox Lake schools get grant to improve student reading

Fox Lake teachers will have $100,000 to spend on literacy, starting with a summer "reading boot camp" for teachers.

Sandy Schuenemann, associate superintendent of Fox Lake Elementary District 114, said the grant provides an opportunity to train 45 teachers at once in the same model of instruction.

"It really is an awesome opportunity for us," Schuenemann said. "We would never have the funds available to train all our reading teachers at the same time like we will be able to."

Under guidelines of the Illinois State Board of Education grant, the district must spend $42,000 of the two-year grant by June 30. The district would receive the remainder of the money in the second year.

The money will cover the cost of teacher salaries and materials for the June boot camp.

"They will learn differentiated reading instruction techniques that will teach them how to promote reading in small group settings of four to seven students," Schuenemann said. "It will also teach them how to increase the quality of instruction to students in smaller settings."

District 114 is one of nine grant recipients in the state, Schuenemann said.

Superintendent John Donnellan said 45 teachers studying one program simultaneously is a benefit for students for years to come.

"It will really help us achieve our professional development goals toward literacy," he said.

"Sandy has done a great job in obtaining this grant. She has put a lot of time and effort into securing this and it shows she really has the kids' and the teachers' best interests at heart."