Lee Erwin Reporting
lerwin@clarksvillenow.com
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A partnership between the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) and Christian County Public Schools (CCPS) to help students of military families was announced Monday in Clarksville.
Director of Clarksville-Montgomery County schools, Dr. B.J. Worthington, and Christian County School Superintendent, Mary Ann Gemmill announced details of the four year $4.5 million consortium grant that the two school districts will share. The funds are coming from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).
Dr. Worthington expressed his hopes for using the funds to improve parent-student relationships. “By providing more opportunities for parents to connect to schools, we are supporting the achievement of students. Receiving this grant will enhance our ability to make those connections and help parents learn avenues to help their students be more successful,” said Worthington.
Ms Gemmill shared her thoughts about the grant and the importance of Fort Campbell and military families to the community. “The funds provided through DoDEA will be instrumental in providing academic and behavioral interventions to benefit our military- connected students and families who are often impacted by high mobility and deployments,” Gemmill said.
A group involving representatives from CMCSS, CCPS, the University of Kentucky and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Education Foundation has been created to develop a parent/community engagement model and reading intervention program that positively impacts student’s behavioral and academic needs.
Figures for the 2012-13 school year show Montgomery County had a total of 30,218 students with 8,296 or about 30% from military families. In Christian County there were 8,887 students and 1,454 or close to 17% from the military.
The DoDEA Educational Partnership also awarded a $800,000 grant to Christian County Public Schools to be used through the 2013 fiscal year. Superintendent Gemmill added that the money will not only benefit students connected to the military and their families, but will also have a positive effect on all students in Christian County Public Schools.