LIVERMORE FALLS — High school Guidance Director Sue Spalding has received a $37,600 grant to help increase the number of graduates who successfully continue on to post-secondary education.

Spalding had previously received MELMAC Education Foundation grants of $10,000 each for four years to help Livermore Falls High School graduates go onto college, she said.

The new grant is called the Maine College Access Challenge Grant and is from Finance Authority of Maine.

The one-year grant will help Spalding and others at Livermore Falls High School provide support to low-income and first-generation college students.

“We will use some of the money to take students on college visits, but will also be hiring a ‘college access specialist’ to work more closely with students and their parents on the college and financial aid application processes,” Spalding said.

The plan is to hire someone with experience working with students, colleges and financial aid to help students and parents, she said. It’s going to be have to be someone with at least a bachelor’s degree, Spalding said.

The grant budget also contains money to increase secretary time in the guidance office.

Spalding said she was speaking with Angela Dostie, the manager of college access and financial education at FAME, on Monday and was told that last year only 40 percent of Maine’s high school graduates filled out a free application for federal student aid.

Dostie’s hopes are that this grant will increase that statewide average to at least 50 percent of 2011 graduates.

Spalding believes Livermore Falls was one of 19 grants given by FAME this year.

Another item included in the grant is to have seniors take a college placement test with hopes the grant will cover the costs, she said.

She also hopes to be able to provide tutoring for students to help them be more successful in college, Spalding said.

In addition, they would also like to buy a voice-mail system to notify parents of upcoming special events at the high school.

[email protected]