Putnam County Schools once again seeking state funding to continue and strengthen its LEAPS After School program, which serve hundreds of students across the district.
Putnam County Extended Learning Coordinator Brenda Hughett said the program provides academic enrichment, physical activities, and tutoring services for at-risk students. Hughett said the system has seen success from the program over the past several years.
“That 45 minutes that they are required to have of academics has been very helpful to the school day teachers,” Hughett said. “It’s also very helpful to parents because sometimes they (students) are able to get that homework done.”
The district is hopeful to receive approximately $500,000 in funding, a reduction from previous awards. Hughett said the state is shifting its focus toward elementary afterschool programs, and the lower funding amount could impact services at the middle school level.
“Because of that, if we only receive $500,000 or less thats not a whole lot of operational money for nine schools,” Hughett said. “But we would obviously sit down, create a budget, and do the best that we can if we should receive this grant.”
Hughett said changes to the state’s application scoring system could also affect Putnam County’s chances of securing funding this year.
“They have made it a little more challenging than they have in the past,” Hughett said. “I will do my 200 percent and put all I have into it.”
Currently, about 700 students participate in the district’s afterschool programs systemwide. Hughett said a funding decrease would likely require downsizing, despite what she described as clear demand.
“These are our priority students that we try to include in these programs because we are a free program, and so we want to help those families that are in need,” Hughett said. “We have lots of families in need in Putnam County.”
As part of the grant application process, the school system is seeking public feedback on the LEAPS program. Hughett said community members can also support the effort by contacting state legislators and expressing the importance of continued funding for local afterschool programs.