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Langford elementary school receives $40,000 for new books

Ruth King Elementary hopes every student can find a library book that reflects themselves
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Ruth King Elementary is the recipient of $40,000 in grant money from the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation. (Google Maps)

Supportive programs at Ruth King Elementary School in Langford will be bolstered by a grant of $40,000 from the Indigo Love of Reading Foundation.

“Over the past year, the (foundation) recognized the difficulties that many children across Canada were faced with and took action to support underfunded elementary schools across the country to ensure that students had books in school and at home,” Indigo stated in a release.

The grant funds – to be given in installments of $13,000 over three years – will go towards new books in essentially every room of the school, said Ruth King vice-principal Ceilidh Deichmann. Those include books of appropriate reading levels for each classroom and a slew of new titles for their library.

READ ALSO: Ruth King Elementary students sell their wacky, wonderful creations

“The grant application was very specific about where we plan to spend the money,” she said. “So we’re really beefing up our books around inclusivity, and making sure every child can walk into the library and see a book that reflects themselves.”

The grant will also support the school’s summer reading program and teacher’s library resource, said librarian Kevin Dranchuk.

The foundation had identified several Ruth King students as coming from high-needs communities. The school already offers early morning and after-school child care programs for parents, as well as a daily hot lunch program.

Indigo Love of Reading Foundation grants will fund the purchase of 100,000 books across 3,000 Canadian schools, including five across B.C.

READ ALSO: Langford’s Ruth King Elementary students planting seeds to grow knowledge in new learning garden

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