A $515,000 grant will allow Cape Flattery School District to provide students in the first through eighth grades with an after-school program, beginning Monday.
The federal Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant funded development of a five-year program, Superintendent Kandy Ritter said.
The program — called COAST or Creating Opportunities for After School Thinking — will tutor students in core subjects — using music, art and culture — to help them meet state and local academic achievement standards, said Lori Hanson, program coordinator.
“We have a curriculum specific to science, math and some language arts,” she said.
“Our hope is that it can help continue to improve scores.”
Many of the 100 spots for the program have been taken.
Clallam Bay School has a waiting list, and Neah Bay School has only a few spots left, Hanson said.
Other skills taught
The program also will include social skills development, health and fitness, and field trips.
Registration meetings were held Monday, Hanson said.
“We have had really good reception from both the students and parents,” she said.
The district was one of 11 school districts in the state to receive the award, Ritter said, adding that no others on the North Olympic Peninsula received it.
“We have three certified teachers and five paraeducators working for the grant,” Hanson said.
“The grant will pay their salary, transportation for the kids and all of our materials and curriculum.”
Other partners
Partners in the program include Makah Cultural and Research Center, Makah Employment and Training Department, and the North Olympic Library System, which oversees the public libraries in Clallam Bay, Forks, Port Angeles and Sequim.
Programs at the Makah museum will include cultural programs, dancing and singing, she said.
“We will also be partnering with the North Olympic Library System in Clallam Bay, but we haven’t worked out the exact curriculum yet,” Hanson said.
Hanson said after the five-year grant period, the district will look for ways to keep it going if it is successful.
The district is seeking volunteers who can help with the after-school program, she said.
The program will last through May 2011 for this school year and then pick up in the fall of 2011 for the next school year.
For more information about volunteering or enrolling in the program, phone Hanson at 360-645-2741 or 360-963-2103 or e-mail her at lhanson@cfsd.wednet.edu.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
