The School District of Fort Atkinson has announced that it has received a donation of educational literature to be used in middle and high school English departments.
The donation, totaling $5,786.74 worth in books, was made by the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee.
According to information released by the district, “the Unity Project is a group of community members working together to make sure every person in the community feels a sense of belonging in Fort Atkinson. As such, it was imperative that the Unity Project select books that represent and reflect the students that will read them.”
“It is always a beautiful and much appreciated gift to receive more books for our classrooms. In particular, it is wonderful to receive resources that help students discover many perspectives and see themselves represented in literature as well,” seventh-grade English teacher Erin Riechers was quoted as saying in the release.
Books titles that reflected the mission of the Unity Project were reviewed by the project’s committee chairperson Whitney Townsend in coordination with Candice Sayre, School District of Fort Atkinson academic advancement coordinator, and Scholastic Books.
“These books demonstrate a variety of topics ranging from diversity, inclusion, immigration stories, positive self-image, self care, and more. After a ‘Department of Instruction literacy standards 101’ conversation between Townsend and Sayre, the team was able to collaboratively select and purchase literature to equitably add to classroom libraries 6-12,” the release stated.
“It is essential to have a library of available books to meet our students’ needs and interests, which are also respectful of the diversity within our student population. Thanks to Unity Project for their help to make this happen.” Dana Linde, a high school English teacher, stated in the release.
The books were presented and distributed at the English department professional learning community meetings. Townsend was invited to share some background information on the Unity Project and the purpose behind the donation with the groups, the release noted.
“The Unity Project’s work with the School District of Fort Atkinson has inspired other communities to do the same. Recently, we presented to the Beaver Dam AAUW who will be following the initiatives of the School District of Fort Atkinson within their community.” Townsend said.
Addressing Townsend and the United project after the presentation, Ann Gladem, an eighth-grade English teacher, said: “I appreciate all you are doing to help make our learning communities more inclusive. Like reiterated during your presentation, the books our students read allow them to experience and connect to the world in an authentic way.”
Julie Newbury, a 10th-grade English teacher added: “This generous donation will allow students to see themselves in the books they read, and it sends the positive message that they matter.”
According to the release, the most recent donation follows a donation of 800 books for kindergarten through eighth grade students made in 2021.
Donations were made possible by Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU) who submitted a grant application for the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago.
“The targeted impact fund was intended for initiatives that addressed racial equity disparities. Through the partnership of FCCU and The Unity Project, they were awarded $15,000 for their work to promote a more fair and inclusive society for Black and Latino communities,” Townsend noted.
“The timing of the donation aligned perfectly with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction release of the newly revised 2020 English Language Arts Standards which promote the importance of equity and identity at the heart of literacy instruction. These books provide the opportunity for teachers to authentically facilitate an understanding of the human experience using diverse texts that serve not only as mirrors so students can identify with characters represented in text, but also as windows creating visibility to other cultures and diverse perspectives that are central to an inclusive approach,” Sayre continued.
“The partnership between the School District of Fort Atkinson and the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee exemplifies our mantra of one team, one district, and one community. These donations of books directly align with our mission of cultivating an inclusive high-performing culture of growth and community. We are very grateful for their continued investment in our most precious resource: our students,” Fort Atkinson School District Superintendent Dr. Rob Abbott noted in the release.
To further establish the mission, each book has a donation sticker with the phrase “May you see yourself in these pages, and know that you are welcome, safe, and valued,” the release stated.
Two photos above: tables display a sampling of book titles donated to the Fort Atkinson School District recently by the Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee.
Members of the Fort Atkinson Middle School Literacy Team each hold a book. The material was part of a recent donation made by the Unity Project through its School Partnership Committee.
The Unity Project’s School Partnership Committee chairperson Whitney Townsend, at left, and School District of Fort Atkinson Academic Advancement Coordinator Candice Sayre display the Unity Project’s webpage and books that are among titles recently donated to the district.
Contributed photos.
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