Dear Editor,

On Thursday, Oct. 1, we began a new fiscal year for education in the state of Alabama and Chilton County.

All of you know the present state of the economy and how it has been over the past year. Our local school funding has been hit hard.

While the economic situation has not been felt in some areas, it has a major impact on our library, professional development for the teachers, technology funds, and copier payments and supplies.

The loss in these areas that is (was) funded by the state amounts to over $21,000 from last year and more than $42,000 from the year before.

Beginning October 1, there are no funds at all coming from the state to cover these areas.

Thankfully, as you are aware, we are a Title I School, and we will receive some funding through this Federal program.

But, this is annual funding that we have been receiving along with the state funding. So there is a big gap that needs to be filled.

One way of doing this is through a program called Partners-In-Education.

Many schools use this to meet their needs, and Mrs. Kim Moore will be running this program to help our library.

If you would like to be a “Partner” or if you know someone or some business who would consider helping in this manner, please contact Mrs. Moore for the details (email, kmoore@chilton.k12.al.us or phone, 280-2825, ).

Kim Moore

Library Media Specialist

Verbena High School