Four local schools to benefit from grants

Cathy Spaulding, Muskogee Phoenix, Okla.
·2 min read

Jul. 27—Four Muskogee Public Schools sites will benefit from $380,301 in Edge Grants administered through the Oklahoma Department of Education.

Tony Goetz Elementary will receive grants to help with professional development and parent/community outreach. The 8th and 9th Grade Academy at Alice Robertson will get grants for professional development and instructional coaching. Pershing's grant will help with parent/community outreach, and Muskogee High School's grant will help with professional development.

Earlier this month, the Oklahoma State Department of Education awarded 102 grants totaling $8.4 million to schools throughout Oklahoma. After a competitive grant process, 87 sites in 32 districts will have supplemental funds to enhance programs for sustainable school improvement in the upcoming school year.

Tony Goetz Elementary Principal Sarah McWilliams said the $85,108 grant for parent community outreach will enable the school to hire a school family liaison.

"They're really going to concentrate on building relationships with families and the community, as well as work with at-risk students who might be having trouble in school for academic purposes, behavior, absenteeism," she said.

The school also will be able to hire a behavioral specialist for a second year to help lead social emotional learning classes. The classes are weekly 30-minute sessions.

"Our discipline incidents from the kids who went through his program dropped dramatically," McWilliams said. "He also provides a huge support to those students, the families and teachers, as well."

She said the school will use the professional development grant to bring in a company to help teachers learn Responsibility-Centered Discipline.

AR Principal Ryan Buell said the grants help provide resources the school otherwise would not be privy to.

"It's going to bring us a data coach for our teachers to benefit from," he said. "Students can analyze their work and really learn from their progress. It will also afford teachers professional development opportunities."

Buell said data coaching means analyzing student work so they can better use results to provide remediation.

The Edge grants are named after Oklahoma Edge, the state's eight-year strategic plan for public education, approved in 2018 to meet requirements of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act. Oklahoma schools designated as low on performing through federal Title I, Part A, Sec. III were able to apply for Edge grant funding to improve academic performance among the overall school population or in federally identified student populations, which include economically disadvantaged students, English learners, students of color and students with disabilities, according to a news release.

Schools receiving grants

—Pershing, $79,108, P/C outreach.

—Tony Goetz, $72,800, professional development, and $85,108, P/C outreach.

—Muskogee High School, $51,500, professional development.

—8th/9th Grade Academy, $63,585, instructional coaching, and $28,200. Professional Development.