ZData-Asheville+Middle+School

This funding is designated for underserved and vulnerable populations. This collaborative proposal is being submitted in conjunction with a second, complementary proposal for fiber and wireless broadband infrastructure. The two funding categories are: //http://www.newamerica.net/files/Public%20Computer%20Centers%20Program%20Application%20Guide.pdf // []  //Additional information can be found in this FAQ: // //http://www.broadbandusa.gov/files/BIP-BTOP_FAQ.pdf // This PCC project will enhance services for education, children, parents or community members without a high school diploma, and local parents or community members who are enrolled in continuing education or college courses by providing computer skills, research skills, GED preparation, the availability of homework help and specific subject area remediation, assisting parents or community service providers in supporting our students outside of school hours. We are a handicapped accessible site for appropriate access to students with disabilities. In addition to walk-in support, we will offer these classes: Ø Online publishing Ø Online Safety Ø The North Carolina Graduation Project- what are the requirements, timeline, how to support your child’s success Ø Use of MS Office and comparable free applications for: resumes, business letters, budgeting, presentations Ø Digital Communications – set up email accounts and train in use ; offer participating parent-run NING Ø Use of school district sites, government sites, online forms Ø Accessing Information related to parenting, jobs, online training for job readiness  || || We could serve a minimum of 25/maximum of 50 individuals in each of the proposed classes. Each person would be required to complete an Appropriate Use Agreement. Populations include students in grades 6-8, parents/guardians of those students, individuals in our community who would benefit from our classes. These populations represent the elderly (housing authority building two doors down), minority parents, students, community members (we are a school with a 48% African American population), persons of low socioeconomic status (we will target our services to 6 subsidized housing communities), the underemployed or unemployed of our community. Annual Total number of participants expected for a successful venture estimated as individuals (regardless of student, parent, or community member status) would be 170; the average number of participants in our school-based interventions would be 15 per session; the average number of participants in the community center projects would be 5 per session. ||  || ||   || || || This project will be sustainable beyond the stimulus funding period due to the involvement of local community agencies. By training individuals in our housing communities and community centers, they will be able to support the learning of our students. Giving parents and individuals tools to gain more meaningful or lucrative employment ensures that those parents and individuals will continue to use the skills learned and those skills will assist them in parenting middle schoolers. We will develop materials for trainings that can be carried out by volunteers. ACS will sustain the technology and facilities. Additional grants can be solicited as need for additional costs. || ||
 * General Info Broadband Stimulus Funding Worksheet **
 * Local agencies -- including the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville, Asheville City Schools, Asheville-Buncombe Library System, ABCCM, et al -- are collaborating to submit a single proposal for broadband stimulus funding in the Public Computing and Sustainable Broadband Adoption categories. The application deadline is Aug. 14. **
 * //1. Public Computing Centers //**//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"> – P ////<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">rojects that provide broadband access to the general public or a specific vulnerable population, including low-income, unemployed, minorities, aged, and people with disabilities. Projects must create or expand a public computer center meeting a specific public need for broadband service, such as education, economic development, employment, and enhanced service for vulnerable populations. Please use the following application guide to develop your agency's funding request, They will be combined with those of other participating agencies into a single proposal. //
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;">2. Sustainable Broadband Adoption //**//<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt;"> – Projects should support a specific public need for broadband service, including, for example, education, employment, economic development, and enhanced service for vulnerable populations, children and health care delivery. Projects should describe barriers to adoption, especially among vulnerable populations, and propose an innovative and persuasive solution to encourage adoption of broadband. //
 * <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-fareast-font-family: Helvetica;">Please use this worksheet to draft the scope and cost of your Public Computing Center (PCC) and/or Sustainable Broadband Adoption (SBA) project. Remember: **<span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">Projects must meet 67% of milestones within 24 months of award date and be fully completed within 36 months.
 * Agency Name: Asheville Middle School || ||
 * Full Street Address: 197 S. French Broad || ||
 * Contact Name: Mary Margaret Sullivan || ||
 * Contact Email: marymargaret.sullivan@asheville.k12.nc.us || ||
 * Contact Phone number(s): 828-350-6200, 828-350-6206 || ||
 * Short description of your proposed project: || ||
 * Training volunteers or employees of the local community centers and housing projects in specific educational or technological student learning initiatives to support our students that participate in our programs. Providing classes in: Building a Technology Literate Community (working with other organizations that will facilitate learning for our students); Basic Computer Skills (consistent with information literacy curriculum that matches competencies on 8th grade computer skills test); Workforce Skills Development (job searching on-line, career research, continuing education research, on-line application completion); Basic Literacy or GED preparation (early reading skills or assistance in prepping for the GED); Internet Research Skills For Students Of All Ages (how to research using the Big 6, how to compile knowledge/information into a research or position paper); Using the Internet as a Learning Tool (showing students and parents how to find information or appropriate core class tutorials on-line for assistance with assignments or overall student achievement); Study Island (making computers available for students to work on core subject area remediation program). Looking at our data reveals that at least 48% of our students are living in sufficient poverty to qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch, and our achievement gaps are as follows: 51% of our minority students are proficient on the 8th grade computer skills test compared to 91% of our white students; in reading, white students score in the proficient range more than minority students by 50.2% in 6th grade, 54.8% in 7th grade, and 21.7% in 8th grade; in math, white students score in the proficient range more than minority students by 32.2% in the 6th grade, 34.7% in 7th grade, and 35.89% in 8th grade. || ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">Describe how the project (PCC and/or SBA) would enhance services for health care delivery, education, or children – and how access to citizens with disabilities would be ensured.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">Describe how the project (PCC and/or SBA) would enhance services for health care delivery, education, or children – and how access to citizens with disabilities would be ensured.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">Describe the capacity of the proposed Public Computing Center(s) and the populations to be served, including possible membership fees and restrictions.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">Summarize the viability of the PCC project including technology to be used, qualifications of management team, partnerships, and a project timeline. 1 -2 desktop computer labs (25-50 computers), smart boards, LCD projector, instructors would be state licensed teachers or highly qualified non-licensed persons who work within a public school setting. This project would enable us to establish/strengthen ties with the agencies that provide services to our students after school hours. We will begin this project September 14, 2009 and continue until June 11, 2012 on this grant funding and will continue beyond that date. The classes would meet afterschool or in the early evening at our Asheville Middle School campus.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">For SBA funding requests, describe the following: Target population; //<span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 9pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">barriers to adoption, //<span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">awareness campaign and how its impact will be measured; how the project is an effective and appropriate means for creating sustainable adoption in the target population; how the project is innovative.
 * For both PCC and SBA requests, explain how the project will be sustainable beyond the stimulus funding period.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;">How much money are you requesting? Please show a line-item budget for your request (Brenda Mills is compiling our collective budget). $16,000 total funding requested. This would cover 8 classes and community center staff/volunteer training (2 hours per week for 34 weeks at $25 per hour) for a subtotal of 544 hours of instruction $13,600; and 8 hours of instruction at each of the 12 AHA and Parks and Recreation agency sites at $25/hour, for a subtotal of $2,400. $13,600 + $2,400 = $16,000 per year. For 2 full years of funding and ½ funding 3rd year we request a grand total of $ 40,000  <span style="font-family: 'Times-Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Roman; mso-fareast-font-family: Times-Roman;"> ||   ||