Solvay UFSD Wins 21st Century Learning Center Grant Award for $5.3 Million
The Solvay Union Free School District (UFSD) was recently awarded $5.3 million from a federal 21st Century Learning Center grant, aimed at boosting student achievement. The award, which will span over five years, will add a substantial source of income for the district. Solvay UFSD currently has about 1,500 students and a budget of $32.4 million for the current school year.
“This is a huge boost and a big win for us,” said Solvay UFSD Superintendent Lawrence Wright. “We will be able to do some really creative and innovative things to connect with families and help students be successful.”
The money will be used for a multitude of programs, including the restoration of a summer “smart” camp that focuses on math and literacy; before- and after-school childcare; after-school academic support for struggling students; a variety of sports, music, and other recreational activities; mental-health services for those in need; and continued training for teachers to make better connections between school and home.
“This grant moves us in the direction of being a true community school,” said Wright.
School-community partnerships represent a cornerstone of the grant, which is aimed at improving academic achievement while also helping students become career- and college-ready. As part of the grant process, the district will partner with community organizations and local schools to collaborate in planning and delivering programs funded by the grant. The organizations the district has already partnered with include:
- Before and After School Child Care on Location
- Solvay-Geddes Community Youth Center
- Syracuse University (SU)
- Onondaga Community College (OCC)
- Onondaga County Department of Children and Family Services
- Manufacturers Association of Central New York
- ACMG Federal Credit Union
- Onondaga-Cortland-Madison Board of Cooperative Educational Services (OCM BOCES)
- Laura Payne-Bourcy Consulting Services
It was a partnership with OCM BOCES that started the grant-application process in the first place. Solvay UFSD school officials took advantage of a grant-writing service at OCM BOCES that links districts to resources and writers. In this case, the district worked with grant writer Chris Semler. Semler and the Solvay UFSD leadership team worked on the 150-page document for nearly two years, but really buckled down on their efforts in July of last year.
“It was personally satisfying to see such a great school district get this,” said Semler.
Another partner, SU, will collaborate with Solvay teachers on a summer literacy course for middle school students.
“The School of Education has partnered with the Solvay district over the last four years,” said Joanna O. Masingila, Dean of the Syracuse University School of Education. “We have collaborated in a number of ways around Solvay student learning experiences, professional development for Solvay teachers, and mentoring SU prospective teachers.”
OCC, a longtime partner of the Solvay UFSD, will also work with the district to use the grant to further help students prepare for college, with the implementation of a summer program for all students enrolled in the OCC Advantage program, called “Summer Success Academy.” The OCC Advantage program is a college readiness program that begins in the ninth grade. The program allows students in the Solvay UFSD the opportunity to earn a full tuition scholarship through the OCC Foundation.
“We are thrilled to be a partner with the Solvay UFSD for the 21st Century Learning Center grant,” said Amy Kremenek, Vice President of Enrollment Development & Communications at OCC. “We are excited to further partner with the Solvay UFSD to implement a high quality summer program and to engage students and parents throughout their high school years, enabling students to graduate high school having established career and educational goals and well-prepared for college success.”
Funding for the grant begins with the upcoming fiscal year on July. As part of the grant requirements, the district will hire an in-house program director. The New York State Education Department, which administers the funds from the U.S. Education Department, will use an independent evaluator to measure the grant’s outcomes and effectiveness. About 70 percent of the funding for the grant went to the needs of financially struggling cities, making it difficult for rural or suburban districts to successfully compete for the grant – but also making the award to Solvay UFSD even more gratifying.
“We were really proud to be one of the districts selected for this grant,” said Wright. “We are excited for all the possibilities it will afford us.”
