The School District of Osceola County, FL
Dr. Michael A. Grego, Superintendent
November 9, 2009 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dana Schafer, Director of Community Relations - Osceola School District -- 407-870-4007 or 407-908-8811 (cell)

Osceola School District Receives Over $3.2 Million to Support Its 21st Century Community Learning Centers

The Florida Department of Education has awarded the Osceola School District $3,262,032 in 2009/2010 federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC). The total includes continuation grants for the district's existing after-school programs, and new awards for start-up programs at schools through the discretionary grant competition. In the notification letter, the Bureau Chief of Family & Community Outreach indi cated that the overall quality of submissions resulted in a highly-competitive process, marking the success of Osceola's proposals as a significant accomplishment.

The 21st CCLC Program targets low-income families and students, low-performing schools, and schools designated as in need of improvement under Title I. The program's purpose is to provide safe environments during non-school hours for students, as they participate in academic and personal enrichment opportunities and other activities that complement the regular academic curriculum. The program also engages adult family members of actively-participating students in educational and personal development opportunities. The range of high-quality services that centers provide to support student learning and development includes: tutoring and mentoring, academic enrichment (e.g., homework assistance, reading, math, science, and technology programs), service learning, character education, physical education/recreational activities, and dropout prevention.

Osceola's "SPIRIT (Students Participating In Recreation and Instruction Together)" Program currently operates in eighteen participating schools. The 21st CCLCs are located at the following schools:

• Cohort I - Boggy Creek Elementary School, and Denn John, Discovery Intermediate, Kissimmee, Neptune, and Parkway Middle Schools
• Cohort III - Mill Creek and Ventura Elementary Schools, and Liberty High School
• Cohort IV - St. Cloud Middle School, and Gateway High and Poinciana High Schools
• Cohort V - Central Avenue and Michigan Avenue Elementary Schools, and Osceola High School
• Cohort VI - Narcoossee Elementary School, Narcoossee Middle School, and Celebration High School

Mr. Scott Fritz, Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Curriculum and Instruction, will lead a highly-qualified staff to provide effective before-and after-school programming. Additional program details are available on the website at http://www.osceola.k12.fl.us/depts/AfterSchoolPrograms/default.asp