NEW KENSINGTON: Fort Crawford Elementary School recently was awarded $300,000 in grants it will use to install computers and a software system tailor-made to meet pupils’ individual needs, school officials said last week. An additional $150,000 might be on its way. School officials said they will purchase 96 computers as well as licenses for Compass Learning System Instructional software. Once the software is in place, it will be found in every grade level in the New Kensington-Arnold School District, they said. The Compass Learning program, as it will appear at the elementary school, will enable teachers to identify pupils’ strengths and weaknesses and subsequently create customized instruction for each one. The program, in its second year at Valley Middle School, is said to reinforce what pupils learn in the classroom. ‘It’s actually helping teach kids some of the facts,’ said Angelo Bolcato, middle school math and science teacher. Middle school pupils have responded well to the program, Bolcato said. Pupils have found they cannot take a lax approach to the program because some teachers include performance work in grading, he said. While the program at the middle school is isolated to math students, it will address language arts, math and reading skills with elementary school pupils. Ruth Carson, district Title I program director, said pupils in the elementary school will be broken into groups where those with similar skills and difficulties will be put together. Carson said the grants are competitive and also comprehensive so that pupils in kindergarten through third grade, must benefit from the program. ‘We have to change the way we’re doing things in the entire school,’ she said. Tests have shown that elementary school pupils have a difficult time adjusting to higher grades Carson said. The program should address the issue and better equip pupils, she said. Parents will be able to monitor the performance of their children via computer. Carson said parents without computers can access the program at the Alle-Kiski Learning Center or Peoples Library. Joanne Cecchi, district grant coordinator, said chances are the district will receive an additional $150,000 for the program. The current grant is $150,000 given over two years, this school year and the 2002-03 school year. Michael Aubele can be reached at maubele@tribweb.com

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