$611,360 grant enhances support for parents and their children

Published 12:04 am Sunday, October 23, 2016

Parents and young children will benefit from a growing project in Whitfield County Schools.

Whitfield County Schools is one of two public school districts in the state this year to earn an implementation grant from the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement. The money will be used to expand the district’s Beyond the Classroom project focused on birth to age 8 language and literacy development. This $611,360 implementation grant builds on the successful work that began last year with a $10,000 planning grant.

The project’s mission is clear in the grant application’s executive summary.

“Our mission is to improve outcomes for children and families by focusing on the whole child beyond the classroom. We understand that to improve outcomes, we must raise reading scores. To raise reading scores, we understand that parents and children need access to information about literacy and health and wellness which will positively impact students staying the course and receiving a high school diploma.”

The implementation grant will expand Power Lunches and Learning Academies to six school communities. Three schools will participate during the first year followed by another three schools in year two. Beyond the Classroom will bring literacy into the most at-risk communities by providing children and families access to resources that promote language and literacy development as well as address health, family and social-emotional needs.

One of the greatest benefits for families is how so many different agencies are working together to provide support. Partner agencies include:

• Dalton State College

• Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning/Early Education Empowerment Zone

• Northwest Georgia Regional Library System

• Northwest Georgia Healthcare Partnership

• Readers to Leaders

• Whitfield Division of Family and Children Services

• Whitfield Department of Public Health

• United Way of Northwest Georgia

• Get Georgia Reading Campaign

From the governor’s press release:

Gov. Nathan Deal today announced 18 grant award winners for the Innovation Fund, a competitive grant program that provides funding to local education authorities and schools to further advance student achievement in Georgia.

“The Innovation Fund Grant is an opportunity to fuel the innovative ideas of Georgia’s education leaders and students throughout the state,” said Deal. “I am confident this funding will give schools and education groups a greater opportunity to develop methods to ensure that every Georgia student is given the tools necessary for academic achievement.”