21st Century program continues in FB

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According to the schools news letter, the borough elementary schools have received initial approval of the 21st Century Community learning Centers Program. The schools are now awaiting final approval. the amount for the 09-10 school year will be 535,000 dollars. The grant will continue until June 2014 in an anticipated amount of 2, 675,000 in total funding.

Freehold Borough is one of 79 applicants. Only 24 of those are from New Jersey.

This is a terrific program that really helps our schools shine. The program establishes after school programs (many of which compliment the regular curriculum), summer programs, and advancements in school technology.

[admin]

www.app.com/article/20090920/NEWS/909200348/1285/LOCAL09/Afterschool+program+gets+funding+again

Afterschool program gets funding again


FREEHOLD — Borough school officials are breathing a sigh of relief over renewal of funding for a well-regarded afterschool program.



"There would have been such a hole in this community (without the program)," said Ronnie Dougherty, Freehold Learning Center's new principal and the district's former curriculum director.

Dougherty said she wrote the application for additional funding with the program's coordinator, Maritza Ramirez.

District officials recently learned that they were awarded a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant for the 2009-2014 school years. The grant means the district will receive $535,000 every year to pay for academic, enrichment and recreational school programs such as yoga, photography and the competitive Future Problem Solving group.

Parental involvement is also encouraged through family literacy and mathematics nights and adult education classes.

The programs are open to students in the fourth through eighth grades. In previous years, attendance has averaged 150 students daily, Dougherty said.

Summer programs have brought in roughly 200 students, though an abbreviated version this summer accommodated about 60, Dougherty said.

The program is run out of the borough schools Mondays through Fridays. The 2009-10 program is expected to begin Sept. 29.

The program is federally funded and administered by the state Department of Education.

Freehold's funding was renewed because of the quality of its programs, said department spokeswoman Beth Auerswald. Grants are limited to schools that are eligible for Title I programs or that have a high percentage of students from low-income families, according to the Education Department.

The school district's community learning program began in 2005. Funding would have run out in June but the district was given an extension to host some classes during the summer, Dougherty said.




Kim Predham: [phone] or [e-mail]