Dollar General Literacy Foundation gives reading program $40,000

Submitted by Donna Clark • FiftyForward Communications Director • July 2, 2008 The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded $40,000 to Friends Learning in Pairs, which promotes literacy among elementary students in Davidson and Williamson counties. FLIP is an intergenerational, volunteer tutoring program sponsored by FiftyForward. Since 1993, tutors have provided encouragement and assistance to children in grades K-4 who are experiencing difficulty with their reading skills. "In April, we were faced with the possibility of having to cut 23 partner schools because of lack of funding. This would have resulted in the cancellation of services to approximately 350 students and the loss of many dedicated volunteers," said FLIP program manager Sandra Thomas. "Because of this generous donation by the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, students will continue to receive that needed support from a friend, and volunteers will continue to encourage and share in the excitement of learning." During the 2007-08 school year, FiftyForward FLIP volunteers tutored about 800 students at 47 elementary schools in Davidson and Williamson Counties. On average, 79 percent of students who received help from a FLIP tutor increased their reading and comprehension levels. "Sometimes all a child needs is one person to believe in them and a few minutes of one-on-one instruction in order to achieve academic success," said Rick Dreiling, CEO, Dollar General Corp. "FLIP pairs a child who is struggling academically with a compassionate senior volunteer who is knowledgeable and committed to working one-on-one. We are proud to support FLIP's continued success." FLIP coordinators in Davidson and Williamson counties will begin training current and new volunteers in August for the upcoming school year.

Renamed Sexual Assault Center moving to Metro Center

By LEA ANN OVERSTREET • Staff Writer (Tennessean)• June 11, 2008 The Rape and Sexual Abuse Center at 25 Lindsley Ave. is moving and changing its name. Now known as the Sexual Assault Center, it will move into a 16,000-square-foot facility at 101 French Landing in Metro Center on June 17. The center celebrates its anniversary this fall. For almost 30 years it has provided counseling, support, education and advocacy to survivors of sexual assault. Since 1978, it has helped more than 15,000 children and adult victims of sexual abuse and assault. According to Stephen Lackey, associate director of development, the center's counselors see more than 700 people a year, with more than half that number being children. "Our facility now is just not adequate. There's not enough room to do what we want to do," Lackey said. For 15 years, therapist Eric Fogle has worked with assault survivors, and he said the time has come for a larger site. "We serve a lot more people than we used to, but we're busting at the seams. We're busting out of this building," Fogle said. Center representatives said the new building will provide more space for individual therapy, increased areas for educational development, and a room able to seat more than 80 people for community outreach and education programs. Therapist Char Creson said the changes would not undermine the help she and others are prepared to provide to sexual assault survivors. "Through it all, we keep the clients' needs in mind. That's a consistent thing. Our expertise has been a constant," Creson said.

Nashville schools' top staffing faces overhaul

State to order changes under No Child Left Behind law By JAIME SARRIO • Staff Writer (Tennessean) • June 11, 2008 Major changes to the structure of the Metro schools central office will be forced by the state this week, an official said Tuesday. Connie Smith, executive director of accountability and improvement for the Tennessee Department of Education, told Metro school board members the state will announce changes this week that will shake up staffing assignments at the top level and affect the district's curriculum. The state has the power to make changes because local officials failed to keep the district in good standing under the No Child Left Behind law. Smith wouldn't go into specifics about the changes but did mention that the state plans to hire a gifted-education specialist to restructure the county's advanced learner program. Parents of gifted students were upset at the end of the school year when Metro said it would no longer offer algebra to seventh-grade students. But Smith said schools were letting students take algebra without really teaching it. "I want it known that we're not only restructuring the way we teach math, we're really going to tailor-make something that challenges these kids above and beyond what they can get anywhere," she said. Since last fall, state agents have been embedded in the district, making changes and reporting to state officials about Metro's problems. Smith said the state could not wait for the district to hire a new director of schools to introduce an overhaul such as the one coming this week. She expects the new director to work with the state and back the changes. "We couldn't wait and allow things to languish," she said. "Whomever comes in will be thankful to examine the infrastructure that's in place to support curriculum.".