Green Bay schools celebrate centers, grants Out-of-school programs raise academic scores By Anna Krejci News-Chronicle Wisconsin State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster announced new federal funding for community learning programs in the Green Bay School District on Thursday at a gathering at the Howe Family Resource Center in Green Bay. Beginning in the fall, the Green Bay Area Public School District will have seven community learning centers which will benefit from the newest $700,000 block of 21st Century Community Learning Center grants. "The community learning centers are truly community treasures aren't they, when you think of all the things they do," Burmaster said to a room full of area government representatives, teachers, principals and others instrumental to the Green Bay Area Public School District's operations. Some of the funds will support the newest community learning center programs at Eisenhower and Tank Elementary Schools which will each receive $100,000 with a chance for the funding to be renewed annually for five years. Kathy Miller, principal at Tank Elementary School, said the funds will help them continue after-school programs that boost students' reading, writing and math abilities. She said the school is also starting a new, parent support group and the money will help them pay teachers in the after-school programs. As many as 70 percent of the students enrolled at Tank have used the after-school programs and 80 to 90 percent of the students' parents attend programs at the school as well, Miller said. Lisa Clarke, partnership coordinator for the CLCs, said 40 community organizations support the city's 12 after-school and summer school program sites. In the last year, 2,000 students were served at the centers and 3,400 adults participated in night programs. The learning centers are supported by partners which include nonprofit organizations. The Howe Family Resource Center works with Brown County Extension, the YMCA and Family Services to provide programs. The CLCs' impact on academics is considerable, said Trina Lambert, extended learning coordinator. Reading scores for 93 percent of the students who regularly attended the CLC programs surpassed or met rising standards as did math scores for 94 percent of the students who regularly attended the CLC programs. Lambert said federal-level reductions in spending have negatively impacted the centers. She is appreciative of the federal funds secured for the schools at the state level, and within five years, Lambert said the learning centers should improve greatly. But the learning centers face an uphill financial battle. Even with the funding, the school district might lose five of its community learning sites at Franklin Middle School and Danz, Lincoln, Sullivan and Nicolet elementary schools at the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year, Lambert said. Support from community organizations have alleviated some of the financial stress. "They have all stepped up to figure out better, smarter ways to do what we want to do," she said. "So, can I tell you that they've all went out and found all this extra money? No. Have they found better ways to work together to utilize their money and our money together? Absolutely," Lambert said. Christine Dunbar, the center's director, said the Howe Neighborhood Family Resource Center is on track to be the first community learning center in the district to offer free, dental services to uninsured children. The center is arranging to offer the service in the fall with the help of donations from area dental offices. Burmaster said the amount of federal funding for after-school programs in the country is too low, although Wisconsin has Congressional representation that supports learning center funding, she said. To be eligible for the grants, a learning center has to serve a school where 40 percent of the student population is on a free or reduced lunch program and more recently, the outside-of-school programs offered must encompass academics, Burmaster said. "It's a constant battle. We need to increase funding for universal, after school programs throughout the country," Burmaster said. In Wisconsin, 110 community learning centers have federal funding. Of the 12 school districts in the state and two charter schools that have the centers, $2.4 million has been allocated to Wisconsin for the centers' establishment or continuation. Of the state's 110 programs supported by federal funding, 86 of them will continue to be funded with federal money, Burmaster said.