ZANESVILLE, Ohio – The Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center is receiving $961,150 in grants to launch a new afterschool program at New Lexington Schools and expand current afterschool programs at Morgan and Ridgewood Local Schools. The Ohio Department of Education announced April 28 a total of $89 million in Summer Learning and Afterschool Opportunities Grants to 161 community-based partners. The grant programs must be provided during periods of time when school is not in session and be designed to meet the needs of students who have experienced disruptions to learning in school during the pandemic.
An Afterschool Create grant of $885,000 will support establishment of an afterschool program for New Lexington Schools, which will begin August 2022 and end June 2024. New Lexington Schools partnered with MVESC for the grant which will serve students in grades K-12. The program will be housed in the New Lexington Workforce Development Center with students being transported there after school each day. A Technology Coach will be assigned to students and many services will be offered, such as: health and wellness, social-emotional learning, STEM lab, Makerspace, Agriculture Technology, projects at the school farm, family, and community events.
The second grant awarded to MVESC is an Afterschool Expand grant for $76,150.24 which will also begin August 2022 and will end June 2024. Ridgewood Local Schools and Morgan Local Schools are the partners for this grant, and the programs will serve K-12 students. These programs will expand on the districts’ current afterschool services by providing additional STEM resources and social-emotional learning.
Through these grant opportunities, the goal of MVESC and the partnering districts is to increase student achievement, improve school attendance, and provide ongoing support to students and families who have been affected by the pandemic.