Oxford gets supplementary support grant

By Steev Riccardo

Oxford High School Assistant Principal David Nugent informed the Oxford School Committee on Monday night that the high school has received a $20,000 Supplementary Support Grant.

The grant formally is referred to as the Supplementary Support to School Districts with High Concentrations of At-Risk Students.

The purpose of this federally funded grant program is to provide additional support to school districts and charter schools with high concentrations of students at risk for academic failure, delinquency, and/or dropping out of school.

Its priority is to provide at-risk students with academic, social, behavioral, nutritional/health/fitness and/or other programs, enrichment opportunities, and services that are known to mitigate the potential for academic failure, delinquency, and/or dropping out of school.

The Grant is broken down into four parts:

-$10,000 is for a dropout prevention coordinator, who will be responsible for identifying at-risk students, working one on one with these students or in small groups to help ensure academic success.

-5,000 is for instructional materials that will be used to purchase roughly 40 credit recovery correspondence courses from the Keystone School at approximately $125 per course.

-$500 is for instructional technology.

-$4500 is for non-instructional supplies that will also be used to promote healthy habits for the mind and body.

Nugent said that this grant will help students graduate” and although it's a one time grant, “it is potentially reoccurring.”

In other business at the school committee meeting, chair person Brenda Ennis suggested a proposal to pay a $650 stipend to each school committee member and $750 to the school committee chairperson be put on the March 28 town warrant.

Several surrounding school districts already pay their committee members a stipend but the Oxford school district does not.  Jokingly, departing school committee member Mark Peterson who is retiring after 21 years on the committee asked “Is it retro for 21 years?” which drew some laughter from those in attendance.

Ennis also asked the committee to fill out the annual Superintendent evaluation forms on Superintendent Allen Himmelberger, which will be discussed in a public review on April 23. She said, “This is one of the most important things that this committee does.”

The Oxford School Committee will meet again on March 26.

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