Cumberland Kiwanis
Minutes of February 8, 2010
Speaker: Cumberland Elementary School Principal,
Jim Richie
Topic: Update on the Elementary School/Field
of Dreams Project
Principal Jim Richie
Cumberland Elementary School
Principal, Jim Richie, presented a Òstate of the schoolÓ talk, followed by a
description of a project for the school playground area, for which he would
like to get Kiwanis support. Mr.
Richie noted that he now has been in Cumberland for eleven years. He has been in the National Guard for
22 years and spent time in lIraq in 2005-06.
Mr. Richie first listed many
things that he feels good about relating to the school. Among them are the staff, the
facilities, the high level of technology, the parents, and the educational
advances achieved with the students.
Last but not least, the support of the School Board and Superintendent.
Among the challenges he faces
are education for migrant and multicultural students, putting all of the
curricula on line, preparing for possible pandemics, and dealing with budget
limitations.
Among recent accomplishments
at the school are 25 additional computers, MAPS achievement testing, online
report cards, a monthly newsletter online, a recycle program, 4th grade
speech program, and Cumberland Educational Foundation grants. In the future, Mr. Richie hopes to have
all classrooms interactive plus another computer lab. He also wants support for the Daily 5 reading program, with
expanded core reading materials.
The Field of Dreams Project,
which could be a collaborative effort between Kiwanis and the school, calls for
development of a high quality softball field in an undeveloped part of the
playground behind the school. He
outlined the ways in which such a facility would not only serve the school, but
also the community at large. He
estimates that the project would eventually cost about $15,000, but could be
done in phases. The first phase
would involve upgrading the soil and planting grass. It could be started as early as this spring.
The club showed a high level
of interest in the project and followed up with several questions for Mr.
Richie. The Kiwanis Board will
discuss possible involvement and present recommendations to the club.