MEXICO – Youngsters in SAD 43 who need a little help with their math and language classwork will have that chance, while simultaneously having a good time, thanks to a federal grant through the No Child Left Behind program.
The program began last fall, ran through the summer, and so far, more than 200 third- through eighth-grade pupils have taken advantage of it.
“It’s a really neat program,” said Gloria Jenkins, SAD 43 curriculum coordinator and writer of the successful grant.
On Monday afternoon, a variety of activities were taking place at Mountain Valley Middle School or one of the elementary schools, including a group of middle-school-aged boys who were creating robotic Legos, and a few young children at Meroby Elementary School who were learning juggling.
These are but two of the dozens of activities offered to youngsters. The Greater Rumford Community Center and the River Valley Wellness Center offer a variety of athletic-related programs, and Rumford Public Library holds a reading club. Then there’s art, and when snow begins to fall, skiing at Black Mountain.
Sarah Coolidge coordinates all the events and searches for more activities that might interest young people. She talks to teachers to learn who needs extra help; she recruits academic tutors and others to lead special events or hobby groups. She makes sure transportation is provided for pupils to various points around the district once the day’s activities are completed.
Priority is given to youngsters who need extra help in math and language arts, although any child in the age group may participate.
The after-school program runs from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday during most of the school year. These sessions are for every child who is interested. During the summer, a four-week summer school program is offered only for those identified as needing extra help in math or language arts. Identification comes from test scores showing that a child does not meet state standards for either math or language arts.
Both the after-school and summer school programs require tutoring or homework help, followed by an activity offered at a small fee.
Most of the tutors come from the existing SAD 43 teaching staff, said Coolidge. She said she is looking for more community members to offer after-school activities such as a non-competitive sport or a hobby that might interest youngsters. All activity leaders receive a stipend, taken from the grant, for their work.
The district received $135,000 a year for three years, then about $101,000 for the following two years, under the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant, said Coolidge. She said she hopes the program will become self-sustaining by the end of the grant period.
Not all youngsters who need the help are taking advantage of the after-school program, said Jenkins. Although she’s not sure of the precise number who qualify, she said 57 percent of youngsters in the middle school alone are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches, which is one of the criteria used for the program.
She and Coolidge hope to reach the parents of many children who qualify during the upcoming parent-teacher conferences next week.
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