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Rogue River schools seek federal grants By SANNE SPECHT for the Mail Tribune ROGUE RIVER � Anticipating further cutbacks in state support, Rogue River school administrators are pursuing $560,000 in federal grant money for renovations and technology upgrades. A total of $9 million in federal grant money is available to state schools which qualify � $7 million for school renovations, $2 million for special education programs and technology improvements. The grant money is being specifically targeted towards districts that are deemed rural and poverty-stricken. Superintendent Charles Hellman believes his district has an excellent shot at getting its requested funds. "We have the highest poverty area among the local school districts," said Hellman. "I think we have an excellent opportunity to be approved." High School Principal Dave Orr, Middle School Principal Steve Reed and Rogue River Elementary School Principal Michele Wolf spent more than 150 combined hours in the past three weeks getting the 2-inch-thick grant application process completed before the April 12 deadline, Orr said. They are asking for money for school renovations, new technology and Individuals with Disabilities Education Act project funding. Orr is pursuing $265,000 in renovation money. He said the district might be able to use existing bond project expenses as some of the required matching funds. "We need to get our infamous bathrooms fixed," said Orr. "We have mold and mildew in the carpets in the library because the roof has leaked. We have asbestos in the tiles in the halls and common areas of the high school. "We need new parking at the elementary school (in Rogue River) because the city and the school have declared there is a safety issue there. We have drainage issues at the elementary school and they desperately need a new boiler." Principals Reed and Wolf are chasing $135,000 for new technology. Wolf said she and Reed researched all four of the district�s schools� technology plans. They are looking to get new computers and printers in each classroom as well as updating phone service. "We�ve put in a request for phones in each classroom as a safety issue," Wolf said. "We�d already started some of this work with the bond and we�d like to continue and enhance our classrooms with voice-mail systems and be able to reach parents quicker in an emergency." Special Programs Director Kathryn Pischel is requesting $60,000 for a lifetime license to operate Fast ForWord, a patented computer-based learning program for auditory dyslexia. Pischel and her staff say they have identified 25 students who could benefit from the special training. She is also requesting $100,000 for specific special-needs students in the district. Hellman hopes the district�s rural and poverty status will not only get them the grant, but also keep their matching fund requirements in the 10 percent range. If the district gets the full $560,000, Hellman says they are in good shape. He said the district has already set aside $56,000 from education programs to cover the matching grant funds. "This grant would be a benefit to the students and the community," said Hellman. "If we�re approved, we�re ready to spend." Sanne Specht is a free-lance writer living in Rogue River. Reach her at [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2002 Mail Tribune, Inc.