Junction City reinstates after-school tutoring program
Students attending Junction City schools this year will have the option to attend an after-school program with funding from the 21st Century Grant starting in October.
The program is designed to provide after-school tutoring and other academic support for students remaining on campus until parents get off work.
“The program will improve both academic and non-academic programs for regularly attending participants,” said Rebekah West, director of special programs. “It will promote a physically and emotionally safe space for students to attend both before and after school that consistently teach health and wellness, positive character traits and person study habits.”
The 21st Century Grant, awarded by U.S. Department of Education, is designed for school districts to receive for five years, after which it isn’t continued. However, districts can apply to receive the grant again.
For the first year, the district receives $150,000 and decreasing amounts for the following four years, West said.
For kindergarten through sixth grade students, West said there will be before school tutoring starting at 7 a.m. every week day. Meanwhile on Tuesday and Thursdays seventh through 12th graders can get additional homework help before school.
Otherwise, the program will function Monday through Thursday with different activities for different time periods:
• 3:15-4 p.m. Homework Lab where students can get help with their homework.
• 4-5 p.m. is Academic Lab where two days a week is focused on literacy with the other two focused on math.
• 5-6 p.m. is enrichment activities such as clubs or crafts.
The program is open to all students. With the limited number of spaces, West said they want to make sure the higher risk students are able to participate. However, she said, when the program was taking place before they never had to turn students away and do not expect to need to this time either.
This grant will also go toward a summer school program for at risk kindergarten through third grade students based on need.
Along with the program is some adult education services as well. West said these will be organized evening events that focus on literacy through the Be Excited About Reading program and literacy bingo night, math, and health and safety fair.
The health and safety fair will happen in spring, West said, and will involve bringing in local organizations such as South Arkansas Fights AIDS and The Red Cross to discuss health issues and groups like Child Support Services and the Interfaith Clinic for family resources.
“We’re really excited about this program. We had just a really good community response from the surveys and to participate on the planning committee for the grant. I just feel like just the need was there. So we had board members, community members, parents, teachers, just a wide variety of people helping get things going for this grant.”