Information added 11/20/15:

Charlottesville City Schools earned a state grant to extend the school day for students who need extra assistance with literacy. The 2015-16 school year is a planning time. We will pilot the concept during summer school 2016, and we will launch the extended-day program in August 2016. Selected students in grades 1-6 will participate three afternoons a week. The plan for students in grade 1-4 is to have a half-hour after-school recess, followed by brief (20-minute) whole-group instruction and a longer (40-minute) small-group session, ending at 4pm. We are currently working with Walker staff to develop a plan that allows students to continue to participate in EDGE clubs. We will be meeting with teachers throughout December to share information and gather feedback. During the spring, we will continue planning and, later, start identifying students who would benefit. We anticipate that it might be approximately 50-60 students per school.

A timeline for implementation is as follows:

• December 2015: Share details and gather feedback from teachers at the schools
• January 2016: Begin application process for positions required by the program
• March 2016: Develop an instructional template based on teacher feedback and the current instructional model at Charlottesville City Schools
• April 2016: Train after-school instructors
• May 2016: Select participating students
• June/July 2016: Notify selected students and provide families with detailed information. Continue to make revisions to the instructional plan based on summer school experiences
• September 2016: Division-wide implementation of the extended-day program for identified students

Information originally posted 10/16/15
Charlottesville City Schools has received a grant from the Governor’s Office to support extended learning for our students.  The grant will provide extended learning hours for students in grades 1-6 who need extra assistance with literacy.

We will use the 2015-16 school year to plan a program that will meet our students’ needs. As we make these decisions, the School Board and administration will be in contact with teachers, parents, and experts in the field. We will pilot the concept during summer school in 2016, and then the extended hours for identified students will be part of the 2016-17 school year.

Our current plans call for students who read below their grade levels to receive after-school instruction three afternoons a week. Our draft plan draws on elements from after-school programs already in place at Clark, Greenbrier, and Venable.  It also leverages the strengths of existing partnerships.

We know that literacy is foundational to success, and this grant provides an exciting opportunity to help all of our students grow in proficiency and confidence.  Stay tuned as this planning process unfolds.

–Dr. Rosa S. Atkins

Media Coverage about the Grant

• Daily Progress
• Newsplex