WOBURN — Superintendent Dr. Matthew Crowley is pleased to share that Woburn Public Schools received a $15,000 grant from Winning Home that will fund out-of-school educational programming for economically disadvantaged students and English Language Learners as well as an Educator Grants Program.
The grant funding was applied for in Augustin an effort to increase out-of-school learning opportunities for students from low-income families and students who are English Language Learners.
“I’m grateful for this support for economically-disadvantaged students provided by Winning Home,” said Superintendent Crowley. “Reducing learning gaps is a major focus of ours, and the educational opportunities these grant funds enable us to create outside of school will help level the playing field for all students.”
Research has shown that learning gaps can quickly widen outside of school due to differences in resources between families, depending on income level, because students from higher socio-economic backgrounds participate in more learning activities during nights, weekends, and school vacations.
The lack of learning opportunities for low-income students and students from diverse backgrounds can have a major negative effect on their academic progress, particularly when remote learning is factored in as well.
The $15,000 grant from Winning Home — a Concord-based nonprofit organization that supports the needs of disadvantaged children — will fund Art and History learning opportunities for students in grades 4 to 12 by covering the costs of trips to museums and historical landmarks in Boston during school vacations.
The funds will pay for transportation, admission costs for all attendees, and stipends for educators who coordinate and chaperone the activities.
Additionally, $5,000 of the grant will be used for the Educator Grants Program, which supports educator-inspired projects aimed at improving the educational experience of low-income and English Language Learner students in kindergarten through third grade.
“For many students — through no fault of their own — visiting museums or historical landmarks during school vacation is out of reach, but these grant funds will enable us to open those doors for students and to keep their minds engaged in the learning process even when school is not in session,” Superintendent Crowley said. “This grant funding will make a difference for Woburn’s most at-risk students in every grade and at every school in the district, and I’m extremely grateful to our community partners for their continued generosity.”
To learn more about Winning Home, click here.
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