The Coffee County School District has been awarded grant renewal for the 21st Century Community Learning Center program titled Coffee County Schools Excellence. This grant for the after school program receives federal funding from the Tennessee Department of Education’s Office of Extended Learning. Grants are awarded by 3 to 5 year contracts by a panel of independent readers who score them using a detailed rubric. The previous grant concluded in June of 2019, which served only East Coffee Elementary.
The annual award is $403,815.00, which totals $2,019,075.00 over the next 5 years. Sites will be formed at East Coffee Elementary, Deerfield Elementary, Hickerson Elementary, and a possible fourth site to be determined.
East Coffee has been the recipient of this grant for the past 14 years. With the additional award, the other sites will be included beginning this 2019-20 academic year.
The after school program operates Monday through Thursday from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. when school is in session. Students receive a healthy snack, physical activity, academic and homework assistance, additional help for students with a deficiency in skills and standards, and a fun elective. The electives range from STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Aerospace,Agriculture, Math) to arts and crafts, and additional physical education activities.
Certified teachers and qualified non-certified personnel will staff the program at each site. These services will be offered to students who meet program criteria first, then to all others on a first come, first serve basis. There is no cost for students to attend the program. The program has been very successful over the past 14 years. Plans are to accept between 80 and 100 students at each of the 4 sites, serving at least 320 to 400 total.
For more information about this program, please contact the Coffee County Schools’ District office or Jimmy St. John, Coffee County Schools Excellence Program Director, 931-723-4579 or stjohnj@k12coffee.net.
