Friday Folder: A roundup of regional school news

RALLY AGAINST AMENDMENTS

The Pikes Peak Education Association and several other local labor organizations are holding an informational rally Saturday to help defeat amendments 47,49 and 54.

The organization has 2,600 members in El Paso, Teller and Fremont counties, most whom are K-12 public school teachers, and support staff.

The group will meet at the intersection of Austin Bluffs and Academy Boulevard from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. for sign waving. At 10:15 a.m.m local candidates Michelle Maksimowicz, Pete Lee, Hall Bidlack, and state Rep. Michael Merrified will speak at Village Green Park on North Carefree Circle, just east of Academy.

Following the rally, volunteers will knock on doors to talk about the ballot measures, which deal with union membership, payroll deductions and no-bid contracts.

BAND MEET COMING UP

Strike up the band.

The Colorado Bandmasters Association's southern qualifying festival is Wednesday at Academy School District 20's stadium, 8720 Scarborough, next to Liberty High School.

More than 1,800 musicians and color guard members from Colordao Springs, Pueblo and other southern Colorado area schools will compete in a nine-hour event, which starts at noon.

The event is open to the public. Tickets are $8 for adults; $6 for students and senior citizens. Those under 6 get in free.

For a performance schedule visit www.rampartmusic.com.

SCHOOLS GET GRANTS

The Colorado State Library has announced grants totaling about $257,000 to 16 school, public and academic libraries for projects aimed at improving library services, educational achievement and life-long learning. The proposals are funded through the federal Library Service and Technology Act allocation to the Colorado Department of Education and Colorado State Library, and Two Pikes Peak-area schools are among the recipients:

• Academy School District 20: $7,300 for Summit Preschool and Middle School Programs, Library and Literacy Partnership Program. In the program, at-risk middle school students will serve as mentors to at-risk preschool students. They will meet biweekly to select books, read together and engage in questioning activities.

• Colorado Springs School District 11: $8,445 for Penrose Elementary Library Media Center to use digital media and storytelling to improve literacy. The students will write stories and scripts, then use them to produce digital media projects.

The Pikes Peak Library District also received $16,374 for a Ready Set Read! program. Library staff will receive training to help parents, teachers and tutors identify appropriate reading level materials for students. All new and existing materials will be remarked and shelved according to reading level to make them easier to locate.

FIFTH-GRADERS TAKE ON CC

Are Colorado College students smarter than a fifth-grader? We'll find out Tuesday, when CC sponsors a group of 12 fifth-graders from Henry Elementary School for the college's Liberty Day activities. The Henry students volunteered to learn about the Constitution and Declaration of Independence through after-school training, and they'll share what they've learned with CC students - and quiz them on the Constitution.