|
TWU Receives Meadows
Foundation Grant
7/9/04
DENTON — Texas
Woman’s University will use a $25,000 matching grant from
the Meadows Foundation of Dallas to teach Spanish to teachers in
six area school districts.
Teachers, administrators
and support staff in the Denton, Lewisville, Carrollton-Farmers
Branch, Irving, Sanger and McKinney school districts will take Command
Spanish® classes in the fall so they can better interact with
Spanish-speaking students and their parents. Command Spanish®
is a Spanish for the workplace course. The training includes words
and phrases that are most commonly used in a specific profession,
such as health care professions, education, construction and law
enforcement. Typically, students complete the course in two days.
"The ability of
teachers to communicate with their students is a key factor in successful
learning," said Meadows Foundation President and CEO Linda
Evans. "With an increasing number of Texas students who speak
English as a second language, the ability of teachers to speak Spanish
will be a valuable tool in helping these young people stay in school
and achieve academic proficiency. We are pleased that the Meadows
Foundation can assist the university in expanding this important
program."
Some teachers in Denton,
Irving and Sanger ISDs already have completed the course and gave
it high marks. “The course was just what our staff needed
to begin communicating with students and parents on a daily basis,”
said Anthony Sims, principal of Calhoun Middle School in Denton
ISD. “It’s a course that can be used to communicate
the very next day after the class.”
The Meadows Foundation
is a private philanthropic institution established in 1948 by Algur
H. and Virginia Meadows to benefit the people of Texas. Foundation
grants support work in the fields of arts and culture, civic and
public affairs, education, health and human services. The foundation
also has a particular interest in three areas: public education,
particularly in the areas of early child development, enhanced reading
skills and teacher preparation; mental health and the environment.
For information about
Command Spanish®, contact the TWU Office of Lifelong Learning
at (940) 898-3408.
###
For Further Information
Contact:
Roy Kron
Director of News and Information
Tel: (940) 898-3456
e-mail: rkron@twu.edu
| 
