City district will offer after-school programs

By Harold Gwin

An alternative education center will also be created for older pupils who act out.

YOUNGSTOWN — The city school district will offer new, limited-access after-school enrichment programs for elementary and middle school pupils, a prep school for ninth-graders, and an “opt-out” program for kids in trouble in an effort to boost academics this fall.

Monday was the last day for pupils this school year, and the new programs are already developed for the Sept. 3 start of classes for the 2008-09 year.

All the new after-school programs will carry fees, which have not yet been set, though the district will offer a limited number of scholarships in all of its elementary and middle schools for those programs, allowing some children to participate for free, said Dr. Wendy Webb, superintendent.

The programs will be done using current teaching staff funded by federal Title 1 grants and other grant sources, not general fund money, Webb said.

The elementary after-school programs will be for pupils in pre-kindergarten through second grade, with a total of 15 scholarships offered at each school for children interested in reading.

The goal is to build a love of books, Webb said, noting that other children, up to a maximum class size of 40 at each school, will be able to participate for a small fee once the scholarships are all awarded.

The Pre-K-2 program will focus on storytelling, reading, making books and reading lists, talking about books that the children read and acting out skits based to those books, she said.

A total of 15 scholarships each in math, science, music and foreign language will be offered in after-school programs to pupils in grades three through six at each school. Again, additional pupils, up to a maximum class size of 40, will be allowed to participate in those programs for a small fee.

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of attendance, grades, parental support and more, Webb said.

Chinese and Spanish are being considered for the foreign language program, while music will focus primarily on band instruments, Webb said, noting that, currently, most Youngstown school children don’t have a chance to pick up a band instrument until they reach junior high.

The piano will also be offered, she said, noting that several churches have already agreed to open their doors to allow children access to their pianos for practice.

Seventh- and eighth-graders will get a shot at a total of 15 scholarships per school in after-school reading and writing using laptop computers and other new technology. Again, additional pupils can participate for a small fee.

“I think the parents are going to be excited. These are not intervention programs. These are all enrichment programs,” Webb said, adding that children will get a chance to “learn it by doing it.”

The after-school programs will run four days a week from October through February.

Statistics show that children who drop out of school typically begin experiencing difficulties in the ninth grade, Webb said.

To combat that, Youngstown will now require all ninth-graders to spend ninth grade in a preparatory school, essentially a “school within a school” at both Chaney and East high schools, where they will be separated from older students in their own sections of those buildings. The focus will be on core academic courses of study, behavior and dress, Webb said.

They will be given block schedules, doubling their class time from the traditional 45 minutes to 90 minutes daily in core subjects.

The district is also offering a “summer bridge” program starting thisweek to children entering the ninth grade as part of the governor’s initiative to help with the transition to high school, Webb said.

The summer session will deal with responsibility, work expectations and academics.

Public schools can’t, by law, just throw out a child who is disruptive or misbehaves. They still have a responsibility to educate that child, Webb said.

The district is creating an “opt-out” program for children in grades eight through 12 who misbehave and are facing extended periods of suspension or even expulsion.

If they can’t succeed in the traditional school setting, they will be assigned to the opt-out program, which will probably be housed at Choffin Career & Technical Center.

In addition to academics, there will be a focus on anger management and counseling, and pupils will see a more structured educational environment in that program, Webb said.

The project has the support of the Mahoning County Juvenile Court, and becoming academically successful and socially responsible in the program could help those pupils avoid pending criminal charges related to their behavior issues, she said.

They will have the option of attending the program or being suspended, she said, adding that the latter choice could include facing criminal charges in cases involving assault or other crimes. Successfully completing the program could result in such charges being dropped, she said.

Those assigned to “opt-out” must stay in the program for at least one six-week grading period and could be there permanently, Webb said. If their behavior doesn’t improve, they can never go back to the traditional classroom, she added.

Webb estimated that between 100 and 125 children could be assigned to opt-out during the course of a school year.

Some will be automatically assigned there this fall based on past infractions, she said.

gwin@vindy.com