The Evangelical Lutheran Education Association has received a $15,000 Lutheran Partners grant from Lutheran Brotherhood for the establishment of a resource library to enhance staff development, parent education and other programs in our ELCA schools and early childhood centers.

ELEA has known for many years that one of the budget areas our schools and centers struggle with is that of training materials for in-service training of teachers, as well as materials for use in parent education and other program offerings. Many of the quality videos and printed training manuals available are very expensive, and it is not feasible for our schools and centers to purchase them on limited budgets. Being able to offer resources for our approximate 2000 schools and early childhood centers to share is truly a blessing!

The establishment of this library is in process, with purchases being made in a variety of areas of curriculum, Christian studies, physical environment, developmentally appropriate practice, team building in the school environment, teaching peace and justice to children, establishing an anti-bias environment, specific needs of caring and nurturing infants and toddlers, parenting, etc. Priority will be given to those resources coming from a faith-based perspective.

As soon as the acquisition and set-up of a low-cost rental system is established, catalogs of available materials and procedures for ordering will be published on the ELEA website at www.eleanational.org, as well as printed copies mailed to our ELEA member schools. Printed catalogs will also be available to non-ELEA schools upon request.

Rental fees will be minimal—primarily to cover shipping and handling—and will be slightly higher for non-ELEA member schools and centers than for members.

Many thanks to Lutheran Brotherhood for their support of this important program. We hope to engage the assistance of L.B. branches nationwide in possibly assisting with resource acquisitions in future years, and by promoting ELEA’s services within their branch churches, many of whom sponsor schools or early childhood centers. Thank you, Lutheran Brotherhood!!

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