The following information was posted on Clairton Middle/High School Facebook page this morning.

Consortium to pilot 21st Century Learning Center in Clairton

Beginning in the fall, 5th through 8th grade students in Clairton City School District will be invited to come to The CASTLE (Clairton’s After School Teaching and Learning Experience). 

The program, which The Consortium will offer in collaboration with Clairton, is one of 12 in Allegheny County and 61 statewide to be selected under the Pennsylvania
Department of Education’s federally funded 21st Century Learning Challenge
Grant.

(A consortium is an association of two or more individuals, companies, organizations or governments (or any combination of these entities) with the objective of participating in a common activity or pooling their resources for achieving a common goal).
 
To launch the pilot, The Consortium organized a team of partners to provide a rich array of activities to reinforce student learning in STREAM (Science, Research, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). The CASTLE also will provide tutoring in reading and math and some evening programming focusing on health, nutrition and other topics for families of participating students.

“We’ve reached out to partners who can bring Clairton’s students opportunities that they can’t access in their community,” said Tricia Gennari, who is overseeing the pilot. “The CASTLE will provide a safe environment at the school and lots of adult support and mentoring. All of the activities we’re planning are the kinds of hands-on experiences that motivate kids and keep them engaged.”

Among partners are: Hip Hop on L.O.C.K.; Sense of Place Learning; Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab; MGR Foundation; Carnegie Museum of Art; PROGRESS(Program for Research and Outreach on Gender Equity in Society); and Futures Without Violence.

Activities will range from science projects involving CMU’s Waterbot technology for
monitoring water quality, to learning the math behind hip hop music and exploring Clairton’s history, heritage and ecology through field  studies.

“We’re really looking forward to working with the kids,” said  Gennari. “These activities really help expand the outlets for self-exploration that we’re encouraging students to use as part of the partnership we began last year with Clairton to personalize learning and the learning environment.”

For information on the CASTLE PROGRAM FOR GRADES 5-8 please contact Greg Spotti at 412-233-9200 x.1103