21st Century Community Learning Center Grant Awarded to Nathan Hale Middle School
Nathan Hale Middle School, in partnership with Metropolitan Family Services, has recently been awarded a $150,000 multi-year grant by the Illinois State Board of Education to create a 21st Century Community Learning Center (CCLC) at the Crestwood middle school. The three-year grant will provide $150,000 per year for increased out-of-school opportunities for students including recreational activities, academic support in concentrated disciplines, life skills education, and increased parental support for Nathan Hale Middle School families. Parental involvement in the activities will be encouraged and key to the program’s success.
A pep rally for students will be held January 9 during lunch periods as well as a Family Carnival on January 11 from 4:30 to 7 pm in order to generate interest in the programs. Activities and services planned for students include homework help, intramural athletics and fitness classes, arts, crafts and games, science experiments and a variety of clubs, including an E-Book Club. Programs for parents ranging from computer literacy to resume writing to fitness classes, including Zumba, are also being arranged. Activities are tentatively scheduled to begin on January 17 and will be offered after school and during school breaks, including summer, and programs will be added based on survey results from students, parents and staff.
“We have a great opportunity here to work with Metropolitan Family Services to provide our students and their families with after school programs that meet their needs. Kate Wohlgemuth and Nyela Malone have been instrumental in bringing the 21st Century Community Learning Center program to Nathan Hale Middle School. Our goal is to provide quality after school programs that will help our students develop and grow academically and socially," said John Dudzik, principal of Nathan Hale Middle School.
In order to get the initial programs up and running, a full-time coordinator was hired and has begun working to identify the needs of the staff, students and parents. Resource coordinator Trina Thornton-Franklin will oversee the program at Nathan Hale Middle School to ensure the array of programs and activities being offered meet the needs of the school community.
“Metropolitan Family Services enters into a partnership with Nathan Hale Middle School with great excitement and we look forward to bringing the agency’s 150 years of experience to Hale Middle in providing high quality programs during out-of-school time. The partnership will bring top-notch programs which enrich students’ educational experiences and achievement, support families, and strengthen the community,” said Nyela Malone, program supervisor at Metropolitan Family Services in Chicago.
The 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative is the only federal funding source dedicated exclusively to after school programs. The No Child Left Behind Act reauthorized 21st CCLC in 2002, transferring the administration of the grants from the U.S. Department of Education to the State Education Agencies.