NORTH ADAMS — North Adams Public Schools has won a competitive federal grant to expand after-school programming to middle and high school students at Drury High School starting this month.
The $200,000 grant will fund summer and after-school programs for Drury students in grades 7-12. The program is scheduled to begin on October 23rd.
“North Adams Public Schools is the only school district in Berkshire County selected for this grant award to open a new 21st Century Community Learning Center after-school facility,” North Adams Public Schools said in a news release. . “With the opening of the new site at Drury High School, students in the district will have access to after-school programming across their K-12 education.”
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers program helps create programs for students outside of school hours, “particularly those attending high-poverty, low-performing schools,” according to the U.S. Department of Education.
The program is offered free of charge, is open every school day, and transportation is also provided for students. We will provide healthy snacks.
The last time Drury had an after-school program was in 2010, according to Assistant Superintendent Tim Callahan.
Program director Annie Pekoe told the Eagle on Tuesday that the school system applied for the grant in the spring. Drury had just received an early college program designation from the state, so she said she felt the timing was right.
“We’re really excited,” Pekoe said. “I know that this district has had a spring 21st Century program for grades 1-6 and kindergarten for many years. This is a direct continuation of that program with the same funding sources. ”
“It has already been a really exciting time, with a long period of change due to project-based learning,” she added. She added: “We feel it makes sense to provide as many social opportunities as possible that provide students with the things they are interested in.”
Pekoe compared the new service to Brayton Elementary School’s after-school program site for kindergarten through sixth grade.
“We hope the Drury site creates continuity between what elementary school students are accustomed to during their summer out-of-school time, and it’s important that they can carry that into high school,” Pecoe said. .
The grant could revive Drury’s currently closed student newspaper, The Devil’s Disciple. Other options include yoga and wellness, book discussions, stop-motion animation, and math-focused puzzle groups.
The program will include three 10-week sessions during the academic year, as well as a summer session at the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. As programming continues, new products will become available.