Wiesbaden, Germany — DoDDS-Europe’s Spangdahlem Elementary School has been awarded a $5,000 grant by the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries. Spangdahlem is one of 263 schools to benefit from a total of $1.28 million in support from the foundation, and the only school outside the geographic boundaries of the United States proper to be so awarded.

The funds will be used to purchase new print encyclopedias for the library, to reinforce areas of the collection that need strengthening, and to replace much loved favorites that have aged with constant use, said school officials.

“I am so happy that we can spend some money updating the materials we use on a daily basis, and giving the children books

that look, feel and smell new,” said school information specialist Janice McIntosh. “Nothing in the whole world is better than a new book.”

The award resulted from a parent-teacher initiative, said Principal Barbara Laffoley. “The process was initiated by Mrs. Rene Hohls, a Parent-Teacher-Student Association volunteer and Spangdahlem ES parent. She and Ms. McIntosh completed an extensive application package that included the number of students, number of books for the school and how much money had been spent this year and in the past for books. Plus collection age data, circulation statistics and narratives that were backed with data.”

The application process and its technicalities were challenging, said Hohls, but she and McIntosh persisted in pursuing the award for the benefit of the library.

“Rather than throw up our hands and say, ‘Oh well,’ we decided to try to do something about it. The requirements of the Laura Bush Foundation grant specify that any award must be used for the purchase of books and that is exactly what our school library needed,” she said.

“Aging favorites such as Dr. Seuss, Clifford the Big Red Dog and the Magic School Bus are being loved to death by our students and badly need to be replaced. Our library needs current books covering subjects such as Native Americans, colonial America, African-American studies, and recent history. Our library is also in need of books covering statehood and individual state history,” said Hohls. 

“Military history books, specifically World War II books, are very popular with our students and we have only a few on hand. Subjects such as world culture, geography and global development are also of special interest, as our students often have a more global approach to their understanding and education, given their mobile lifestyle.”

“Mrs. Hohls gave me additional insight as to what it is like to be a military child living overseas and how important it is to have up-to-date materials to read and use,” said McIntosh. “I have the best job in the school — buying, reading and introducing children to literature and research,”

“I think it is good that we will get some new books. I hope Ms. McIntosh buys some new Goosebumps, Andrew Lost, and Magic Tree House books,” said third-grader Rebecca Hathaway.

“You know I feel very passionately about this, and it brings out a very emotional response for me personally when I know that a child has seen or experienced something new because of a book,” said Hohls. “I know how hard everyone here has to work just to make things run smoothly every day, and I saw this as something I could do to help. And after all, that is what I do best.”

“We know that parent-educator partnerships make a difference for our children. This is an example of a partnership between a parent and an educator that resulted in a substantial amount of money being granted to our school to purchase books,” said Laffoley. “I can’t say enough about the selfless dedication of everyone involved.”

The Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries provides funds to update, extend and diversify the book and print collections of America’s school libraries. More information about the foundation is available on the Laura Bush Foundation website.

David Ruderman
Deputy Public Affairs Officer
Office of the Director
DoDDS-Europe
DSN 338-7613/7614
CIV (49) 0611-380-7613/7614
FAX: DSN 338-7685 CIV 0611-380-7685
david.ruderman@eu.dodea.edu

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