Laconia's after school program now financially viable into 1012

"Project EXTRA!", the School District's after-school, educational enrichment program, is on sound financial ground through June of 2012, thanks to a $1.8-million grant from the U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Center program. "We are sustainable," program director Tina Green exclaimed on Tuesday night, after Superintendent Bob Champlin had informed the School Board that Laconia was one of seven New Hampshire district's to be guaranteed funding.

Champlin said Laconia will receive $200,000 to help cover expenses for the period from January through June 2008 and then $400,000 per fiscal year for the four years thereafter.

The federal grant program is aimed at supporting the creation of community learning centers that provide academic enrichment opportunities for children who attend schools where a relatively high percentage of students are from low-income families. The actual grants are administered through the state Department of Education, Champlin said, and applications are graded as to their worthiness in a competitive selection process.

Champlin said it was nothing short of "remarkable" that the applications prepared for Laconia by Green and others achieved the highest ranking score in the state. A total of fourteen NH school district's applied for the grants this time around and scores awarded ranged from a low of 39.9 — out of 100 — to 97.7, with Laconia being scored at the top.

The School District's ability to point to direct integration between "Project EXTRA!'s" after-school programming and Laconia's regular academic program was a big key to the high score, Champlin said.

"Project EXTRA!" was founded in 2003 with a similar federal grant but that funding program was designed to diminish in its final two years and the last of the funds are due to be expended at the end of this calendar year.

Green has reported that 763 of the School District's approximately 2,400 students took part in 'Project EXTRA!" after-school programs last fall, with an average daily attendance of 121 students. In addition, 167 elementary students enrolled in either the program's Summer Stretch or Summer Camp program, or both, in 2006, and 124 middle school students enrolled in Summer Remediation, Math Tutoring or Keeping Your Cool in Middle School programs. Twenty-eight students were enrolled in the Freshman Success Seminar.

Green told the board she currently has 150 children signed up for Summer Camp this year and they will be enjoying nine different programs, including a new Drama Camp.

"Project EXTRA!'s" federal grant for this past school year, Green said, was complimented by nine smaller grants that totaled about $100,000.