Partners Advancing Literacy Skills (PALS) was formed in January 2006 to celebrate literacy and to lower the relationship,  skill and resource barriers that inhibit high levels of literacy. PALS was formed when Vigo County received a Lilly Endowment CAPE Literacy Grant.
 
PALS is a strong, active partnership dedicated to discovering, creating and implementing solutions that will improve literacy in general and writing skills specifically.

Writing was chosen as the important literacy issue to focus upon because as society becomes more global, effectively using written words for communication becomes critical. For students, high quality writing skills serve as a foundation for learning.  A competent level of writing proficiency is also required in order to pursue quality employment, achieve higher education and live a quality life.

Mission & Vision

Mission
The mission of PALS is to promote the improvement of literacy by combining talents, efforts and resources to create opportunities for students and adults.

Vision
The vision of PALS is for the citizens of Vigo County to excel in individual, family and community literacy.

Members

Vigo County School Corporation
The VCSC strives to promote continuous learning in reading and writing for all K-12 students and to develop community partnerships to support students in meeting learning goals.

Vigo County Public Library
Vigo County Public Library provides open access for all to information, programs, and services to enrich the quality of life in the continually changing Vigo County community.

Indiana State University
ISU, College of Education, actively assists and supports school administrators, teachers, parents, and youth in obtaining reading, writing, and societal literacy.

Hamilton Center, Inc.
HCI is a leading, regional behavioral health system in central and west central Indiana, providing psychological health services to children, adolescents and adults. 

Wabash Valley Community Foundation
The WVCF’s mission is serving our donors and our communities through philanthropic leadership by matching the charitable goals of our donors with community needs through endowment building and grantmaking.

PALS Steering Committee

Vigo County School Corporation

• Karen Goeller, Deputy Superintendent
• Scott Moore, Curriculum Coordinator
• Bob Karr, Accounting Supervisor
• Guille Cox, VCSC School Board of Trustees

Vigo County Public Library

• Nancy Dowell, Library Director
• June Dunbar, Youth Services Coordinator
• Cindy Rider, School Liaison Librarian

Indiana State University

• Lisa Cutter-Blanco, Assistant Professor, Elementary Education, College of Education

Hamilton Center, Inc.

• Jody Horstman, Division Director for Child and Adolescent Services, Outpatient Services
• Michael R. Elmore, Outpatient Program Manager

Wabash Valley Community Foundation

• Beth Tevlin, Executive Director

 Program Coordinator – Judy Lowe

Community Impact

A high level of literacy can only be accomplished through involvement of the entire community. Joining the school corporation’s endeavors with supporting efforts from the community will make a stronger learning environment for students. Improved writing will facilitate improved reading and learning.  The impact will be seen in higher test scores, fewer students “left behind,” and students better prepared to enter the workforce.

We invite the community to help by serving as good role models, contributing resources, supporting educational activities, encouraging excellence, providing motivation to write and learn, furnishing opportunities for learning, and placing a high value on being well educated.

Activities

Writing Co-Teachers

Three writing co-teachers visit the Vigo County School Corporation grade five classrooms. The once-a-week visits make it possible to deliver the same high quality writing lesson to every fifth grade student across the school district each week. The writing co-teachers
design lessons based on the Indiana Academic Standards for Grade 5 Writing.

Student and Teacher Resources

Vigo County Public Library provided each grade 5 classroom with a set of the Young Hoosier nominated books. The Young Hoosier Book Award exists to encourage recreational reading in Indiana students. Each year, students vote for their favorite book.

The Wabash Valley Community Foundation donated a dictionary and a thesaurus to each fifth grade student in Vigo County. These books are valuable tools for learning to write well.            

Writing Adventures

"Writing Adventures" is an enrichment program offered to students on the afternoons that their teachers have in-service meetings.  Several stations presented by local community members and/or local universities, provide enrichment experiences as students rotate in small groups. The experiences are then tied together through writing activities.  





Career Awareness Day

Community businessmen and women volunteer to share information about their jobs and the skills necessary to be successful.  Students hear how important good writing skills are to each occupation and after returning to their classes, students write about what they learned.




Parent Luncheons

Parents are invited to come to school for “lunch and a good book.” Local publisher, Peggy Tierney, has inspired parents to read and discuss a book with their child. A copy of the book is given to each participant and ideas for writing about the book are shared as well.





Teacher In-service

Opportunities for professional development are offered to teachers. Training has been offered in the use of computer software that is available for students to use in developing writing ideas. In other sessions, ideas are shared that encourage parents to be involved in their child’s education and school life by Indiana State University. Representatives from Hamilton Center, Inc give teachers tips for motivating students and dealing with behavior issues.  



Community Events

PALS members participate in community events to support learning activities, to increase the awareness of the value of education, to motivate citizens to write, to distribute helpful information and to contribute to the improvement of literacy in Vigo County.

Resources

Wabash Valley Literary Coallition
Indiana Literacy Association
Indiana Writing Project

Contact

To help a child learn to write or to learn more about PALS, please contact:

PALS Program Coordinator
Vigo County Public Library
(812) 232-1113, ext. 2207