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“Finding ways to better connect with parents, families and young people is an essential part of fostering the enhanced educational attainment that is so essential for our community and for our state,” said Tom Lasley, CEO of Learn to Earn Dayton.
Lasley said the grant will fund initiatives aimed at improving student attendance, reducing chronic absenteeism and creating more trauma-sensitive programs for students and families.
Dayton Public Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Lolli said the money will help support and standardize services at the district’s six “neighborhood school centers”, where area agencies partner with the district to provide after-school and summer programs, as well as additional services for needy students and their families.
Lolli said when they applied for the grant the district hoped to use the money for behavioral and mental health specialists at the six sites, more parent workshops and additional funding for site coordinators.
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“Through this grant the Dayton Public Schools intends to strengthen and better align the work that is occurring in its neighborhood schools, foster enhanced student and family engagement and create environments where the higher expectations of the teachers and families can be realized,” Lolli said in a statement when the grant was announced.
Lasley said Huber Heights schools plans to more broadly expand after-school and summer programs, offer additional parental support for things such as math tutoring, and train school staff on teaching children coping with trauma — a problem that disproportionately impacts low-income students.
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“There is no one-size-fits-all fix for the challenges facing America’s students,” said Dale Erquiaga, president and CEO of Communities in Schools, a member of the coalition.
“Individual communities know what they need to do to get their students on the path to success — the Together for Students grants will help our communities make those ideas a reality. From giving youth access to engaging learning opportunities to expediting academic growth, these community-designed, student-centered plans will create real change with generational effects.”
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The Dayton Daily News has assembled a team to write about solutions to some of the region’s most pressing problems, including finding ways to improve the performance of Dayton Public Schools. Find our coverage at DaytonDailyNews.com/PathForward
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