COLUMBUS -- Greater Hispanic participation in after-school programs was the focus of the Columbus Public Schools’ (CPS) monthly Hispanic advisory committee meeting Thursday.
A five-year, $1 million grant awarded by the Nebraska Department of Education to fund and expand the Communities Together Can After School Program also includes that participation must mirror school day demographics, meaning ethnic and socioeconomic demographics must be met in each building the program is offered.
The 21st Century Learning Center Grant focuses on reaching students who need extra academic help.
CPS Superintendent Paul Hillyer said the demographic reflection stipulation means a greater effort must be made to reach out to the Hispanic community and families who qualify for free and reduced lunches and increase their rate of participation.
“We need to target mainly those who receive free and reduced lunch and Hispanic families,” Hillyer said, “but if we wait until the fall we may be behind the 8-ball. We really need to market this program rather than be passive.”
Marla Kurtenbach, after school program coordinator for the elementary schools with Platte County Extension Office, which received the grant, said the office will work with the schools to help teachers and principals personally contact individual students and encourage their participation.
Hillyer identified a potential obstacle in the cost to participation, which is $3 a day if the student is picked up by 4:30 p.m., $5 per day if picked up between 4:30-6 p.m. or a sliding scale fee for those who qualify for free or reduced lunches.
Kurtenbach said the extension office understands costs can be burdensome to some families so “nobody will be turned away based on their ability to pay.”
“If you can’t pay for it you can still attend,” she said.
The grant also will provide for increased enrollment, from 45-60, at each of the elementary schools. In addition, the program at Columbus Middle School will increase from two to four days a week and will expand to Sunrise Elementary School in the Lakeview Community Schools district.
Hillyer said this is a positive community initiative that will pay dividends in the future.
“This is a good anti-gang thing that will get kids in positive activities after school,” he said.
Sara Colford, assistant principal at Columbus High School, said the program has had a positive impact on the Hispanic leadership group she advises.
The students in that group have committed to taking turns and assist with the West Park Elementary School after school program and have enjoyed the time interacting with the younger students.
Kurtenbach said people may currently enroll for next fall’s after school program at the extension office located at the Platte County Courthouse, 2610 14th St., or register at participating schools.
Increase in Hispanic participation part of grant guidelines
By Adrian Sanchez asanchez@columbustelegram.com
Saturday, May 17, 2008 - 11:50:35 pm CDT
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I Wish
May 18, 2008 10:21 PM
I wish that this applied to every area of life "If you can’t pay for it you can still attend" Wow, Maybe the Federal Government will allow me to use this excuse when I don't pay my taxes, or Platte County won't mind when I don't pay my property taxes. What kind of a message is this sending. All this does is to encourage some type of fraud in the system by getting something that should cost for free. Why charge anyone if they are getting a million dollar grant--it should all be free. For that matter, let's just become a socialist society--Everything is free--we'll just take it from your neighbor. I'm sorry, but this chaps me off!Swingset
May 19, 2008 3:51 AM
$3 to $5 per day is awfully cheap. If you can't afford to pay that, then you probably don't have a job. If you don't have a job then your kid can come home right after school is out. My prediction is that hard-working middle income families will be denied this service because they "make too much money". JG
May 19, 2008 10:33 AM
What would the outrage be if instead of Hillyer saying "We need to target mainly those who receive free and reduced lunch and Hispanic families" he were to say "we need to target middle to high income white families". Why do we need to target groups of people? If that's the stipulation on the grant, then I say don't except it, and find another source of funding that doesn't "target" and pit one group of society against another. I know of at least one family who has been told that they may not be able to have their children in this program next year because of the change in the participant demographic make-up. Am I completely out of line here or can somebody enlighten me where my thinking is wrong? hand out
May 19, 2008 12:08 PM
just another hand out to our friends from the south. they are probably here illegally and on every other tax funded program anyway so might as well let them get on this one as well. all the hand outs make me sick. it makes it so the common hard working individual just gets to pay more and more in every year in taxes, and makes it so that their own families suffer. that way we can make it easier on those who know best how to cheat and use every hand out on the books. every form of state and federal aid should require absolute proof that you are a legal citizen of the u.s. before you are able to use one dime of the money.speak up
May 19, 2008 12:26 PM
speak up to the people that count, they don't read these blogs. I do and I agree that giving the farm away needs to stop, yesterday would be a good time.......... If you can't pay for it, it is not needed to survive, then you don't need it. Pay your way, that would be my slogan is I was running for office as the change I would put in if elected.
What the
May 19, 2008 1:35 PM
I remember when I was in school and if my parents could not afford for me to play I did not play. Instead I went and go a job and learned to be a productive member of society instead of looking for a way to get everything for free. Democracy does not live forever and I see ours getting very very sick.To Speak Up
May 19, 2008 7:57 PM
So who do we speak up to? Hillyer? The school board? The Principals? Anyone got an e-mail address?Also, I've heard that the preschool program is going to be ran the same way. If you have a job then your kid probably can't attend preschool next year.
Mama T
May 20, 2008 9:41 AM
To To Speak Up,When they first announced this new grant a month or two ago Hillyer referred everything to the Platte County Extension office so I would start with Marla Kurtenbach.
And just another tid bit of info, I specifically asked Hillyer last time if the low income and hispanic families were asked why they didn't participate. If it was because of the "hefty fee" or if it was because they don't have jobs and therefore do not need someone to watch their children and they have never asked them. In fact they have never asked these families they are now beening targeted if they even want to participate. How can the extension office and CPS be "helping" these families and the community if they don't even know that this is what they want. And proof of citizenship should be required for everything that is funded by the gov't; local, state or federal.
Concerned Mother
May 20, 2008 11:20 AM
Wow! I thought this debate was over (it was probably wishful thinking!) There was an article about this same subject a few weeks ago that concerned me-very much! I have a child in the CTC program and have another starting school that we are hoping will be accepted. You see, we don't meet the terms of the 21st Century Grant. I did speak to the Platte County Extension office and was told that their intent is not to kick anyone out that is already enrolled (we'll see). I think the CTC program is a great one but at what point do we stop making exceptions to every rule? To Swingset: you are correct, the charges for this program are awefully cheap. Anyone who has utilized day care for their children would tell you the same thing! I am getting really tired of being discriminated against for being a MARRIED, CAUCASION, MIDDLE CLASS family who works very hard to give our children opportunities and scrapes to make ends meet while others manipulate the system and is handed everything! This is getting really rediculous. I did mark on the enrollment sheet for next year that I wanted to be on the Board of Directors, we'll see if that happens...GW
May 20, 2008 12:52 PM
To Concerned Mother..I am tired of being turned away as well for these type of programs because like you, I work damn hard, am white, and am middle class....and I have a feeling this debate will not ever end until we quit being soooo PC..It doesn't matter the color of your skin..if you don't work for it, you shouldn't get it...PERIOD! These programs need helpers. There is NO reason why these parents that don't work or cant find a job, cant voluanteer their time!I don't think that I am out of the norm by thinking that way...
Concerned Mother
May 21, 2008 9:05 AM
To GW: Thank you, it was nice to hear someone else on this earth (let alone Columbus) feels the same way. I have an idea for help with the staffing at these programs. Why not have members of the Hispanic adisory committee assist with teaching English and helping with homework with the ESL students that are being targeted for the next 5 years? Also, great idea! The other families being targeted, if they don't work, why can't they help? It would also be a great volunteer opportunity for high school age kids and would be great on their college/job applications. If anyone has any ideas on who else to contact regarding this that may affect some sort of change, please let me know!
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