Port Angeles School District awarded AmeriCorps grant

Peninsula Daily News

PORT ANGELES — The Port Angeles School District has been awarded $219,200 for the first year in a three-year grant cycle to help fund 16 AmeriCorps members during the 2015-16 school year.

The district now is seeking a program coordinator and tutors.

Fifteen AmeriCorps members will serve in its schools — two each at the five elementary schools, two each at Port Angeles High School and Stevens Middle School and one at Lincoln High School.

One member will be based at Crescent School District to be shared at all levels based on student need.

AmeriCorps members’ service will focus primarily on tutor/mentor activities for at-risk or struggling students.

Members will provide one-on-one and small group academic support during the school day and after school and during a four-week summer session.

“The school district knows the great value AmeriCorps members offer through service in our schools,” said district spokeswoman Tina Smith-O’Hara.

Former program

“The former program in Clallam County, hosted by the Olympic Peninsula YMCA, is well known as having made successful, significant and unique contributions to student academic success in our schools.

“We are excited about this opportunity, and we are confident we can build and grow the Port Angeles School District program, starting with Port Angeles and Crescent School Districts, with the intention to grow the program Peninsula-wide in the future.”

Smith-O’Hara said that the district has secured partnerships for the first year.

“Besides Crescent Schools, the Lower Elwha Klallam tribe, Boys & Girls Clubs of the Olympic Peninsula, Sodexo Food Services, and the North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center are already on board.

“Now the work begins,” she added, “hiring an excellent staff and pulling all components together for a great program.”

The district is seeking a program coordinator.

For more information and to apply, visit https://portangelesjobs.hrmplus.net.

The district also is seeking AmeriCorps Tutors-Mentors.

For more information and to apply, visit http://tinyurl.com/PDN-PAschools

Americorps.

Serve Washington

The grant, announced last week by Serve Washington, which implements AmeriCorps programs, and Gov. Jay Inslee is one of 17 given throughout the state from a grant of $15.6 million provided the state by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

The Port Angeles School District is one of 10 awarded from the “formula grant pool” in which secured funding in the amount of $2.6 million will support about 200 AmeriCorps members in communities throughout the state.

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