In collaboration with the Kenosha Unified School District, the 21st Century Community Learning Center (CLC)/Kids Stop program is implemented at eight elementary schools. The federal funded CLC grants provide after school programming for schools based on academic need as well as a majority of the school’s families falling at or below federal poverty level.
CLCs provide specific programming to address academic needs of the participating members through designated homework time, teacher based instruction/tutoring and enrichment programs in math and reading. The primary goal of CLCs is to increase math and reading scores on standardized testing, thereby closing the achievement gap identified in the “No Child Left Behind Act.”
In addition to the academic focus of CLCs, youth development programs are offered in the core areas of Education and Career Development, Character and Leadership Development, Health and Life Skills, The Arts and Sports (youth sports leagues), Fitness and Recreation. The specific youth development activities help to increase and reinforce a member’s healthy and safe behavior and increase youth resiliency and development through asset building activities.
School Year Sites: Brass Community School, Edward Bain School of Language and Art, Grant Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, McKinley Elementary, Roosevelt Elementary, Vernon Elementary and Wilson Elementary. Lincoln Middle School and Washington Middle School have Wednesday programming only.
Special Events:
- Lights on Afterschool
- Bi-annual Chess Tournaments
- Wellness Fair
- All-site Talent Show
- Milwaukee Brewers Tailgate Party
Costs: School year fee-$5/day regular cost; $2/day if receiving reduced lunch; $1/day if receiving free lunch. Students who are targeted for extra academic help are exempt from fees. $5 registration fee per member.
Impact of Programs/Results:
Based on statistical data gathered from Kenosha Unified School District’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers for the federal Annual Performance Report for the 2009-2010 school year, the following was shown:
- KUSD reports that regular CLC attendees have a higher rate of school day attendance than students who do not attend CLC, per the 2009-2010 APR.
- Teachers report that students who participated in CLC on a regular basis showed an improvement in coming to school ready to learn during the 2009-2010 school year.
- Parents report that having their child complete or get a head start on their homework during the afterschool program is helpful to their family arrangement.
- Students report that they enjoy the opportunity to work on academics, participate in enrichment activities and feel that they benefit from the CLC program.
- Nearly 2,000 KUSD students attended a CLC program and 904 were regular attendees during the 2009-2010 school year.
- Elementary school programs are open for 13-15 hours per week.
