Superintendent: $950,000 summer grant will expand programs; preschool opens Sept. 16

Superintendent Shay James said the district used a $950,000 summer school grant this year to supplement Title I summer school, credit recovery and extended‑year services and to launch new initiatives such as a literacy camp and transition programs for middle and high school students.

"This year, we were fortunate enough to leverage a $950,000 summer school grant that directly supported our students across multiple levels," James said, adding the grant is a three‑year commitment and the district expects at least two more summers of funding. She said that funding also supported care scholarships and a high‑school work program.

James announced a preschool expansion grant that will open a pre‑K program at Duncan Elementary this fall. "This pre k program will officially launch at Duncan Elementary this fall with classes scheduled to begin September 16," she said, noting the start date was moved up from Sept. 30 to meet instructional‑hour requirements.

Board members asked about eligibility and the program day length. Dr. Dibley described the model: the program will be full day, include transportation and lunch, start slowly as enrollment fills, and aim to grow toward the 18 spaces available at the site. James and staff said students may come from outside the immediate attendance boundary but that a catchment area is needed for transportation logistics.

James also described investments in career and technical education (CTE). The district has allocated strategic FTE to expand pathways in health sciences, cosmetology and fire science, among others, to increase student opportunities that lead to completers and graduation. James said the district will report back with data tying the grant expenditures to student outcomes.