Cape schools receive $2.2 million

Three Cape Girardeau schools will receive $2.2 million over the next five years to start after-school programs aimed at improving student performance.

Acting as a group, Franklin Elementary, Central High School and the Alternative Education Center form one of 18 school partnerships or individual schools selected for the state's 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant this year.

The schools have until June 2004 to spend the current year's grant money, around $380,000 divided between the three. Each school will operate its own program, offering a variety of tutoring and enrichment activities for students as well as some projects to improve adult literacy in the community.

The 21st Century grant is the largest Cape Girardeau officials believe the district has ever received. Most grants require school districts to match a certain percentage of funds, but the first three years of this grant are fully funded through the state.

More than $500,000 has been allocated for each of the next two school years, followed by $439,000 in 2006-2007 and $329,000 in 2007-2008.

Central High School received $147,000 of the current year's grant money, and the Alternative Education Center received $68,000.

Rhonda Dunham, principal at Franklin, said most of the $164,000 designated to her school this year will go toward salaries for 25 certified teachers to tutor students, 12 wireless laptop computers, professional development for staff members and bus transportation for students.

The school will use the grant money to pay for services from Main Street Fitness, from Big Brothers Big Sisters and from the Horizons enrichment programs for youths at Southeast Missouri State University.

Feb. 23 will be the first day for the after-school program at Franklin. Dunham hopes around 100 students will initially participate. Each school's program is designed to improve student performance on annual state tests and help the district meet new requirements under the federal No Child Left Behind Act.

"Now we have a chance to meet some of the federal mandates coming down. We've got something to offer students and to involve parents in," Dunham said. "It's a big help, especially during a budget crisis."

At least at the elementary level, child safety is also a consideration of the grant. The after-school programs will run until 5:30 p.m., and bus transportation will be provided to take the students home.

"The kids won't being going home to an empty house or to play out in the streets," Dunham said.

Based on needs

Nancy Headrick, an associate commissioner with the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the grants were awarded to 18 applicants -- individual schools or partnerships like the one in Cape Girardeau -- of different sizes throughout the state this year based on a needs-assessment application process.

The schools filled out a 60-page application describing their needs and plans for using the grant money. The process also included the percentage of low-income students in each school and objectives for improving student performance.

"It's a lot of dollars, but part of the grant is that districts have to learn how to sustain the programs after the dollars are gone," Headrick said.

Each school has a set of objectives to help measure the success of the grant programs over the next five years.

At Central High School, this year's money will pay for things such as 19 certified teachers to tutor after school, laptops, a SmartBoard and other learning tools and bus transportation.

Among other things, the Alternative Education Center will use the grant to pay for seven teachers to provide tutoring services, learning materials and technology upgrades.

Center director Mike Dorris said he hopes the after-school program will target students who aren't able to attend the daytime classes, like those who work during the day or junior high and high school students who need extra credits.

"There's a lot of good possibilities. It's been a true blessing for us," Dorris said.

cclark@semissourian.com

335-6611, ext. 128