District gets $400,000 for after-school activities
By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily Herald
COPPERAS COVE — Copperas Cove Independent School District trustees Tuesday approved entering into a contract with the Army to continue an after-school program and received $400,000 to fund the initiative.
“I guess we will take money where we can get it,” said board president Joan Manning, after the trustees approved the funding contract.
Last year, the Army, through its Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Fund, offered the district participation in the Army Youth Programs in Your Neighborhood.
CCISD enrolled and estimated 100 students would use the program. The program provided about $166,000 for the district to create after-school activities for students.
The district used the funds to establish a student study lounge that is open from 3:25 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday at Copperas Cove High School, said the school’s principal, Rick Kirkpatrick. It includes paid tutors Monday through Thursday.
“It is a great thing for the kids,” said Kirkpatrick, noting more than 200 students use the facility each week. “It has really opened up an opportunity for our kids to grow academically.”
The board’s action Tuesday will provide not only $400,000 for next year’s funding of the study hall, but it also will provide another $150,000 to reimburse the program for the number of students who used the facility this year, said Kirkpatrick.
“We are over the half a million (dollar) mark, that we were able to have for after-school programs,” said Superintendent Rose Cameron.
The program is helping fund a great after-school activity that is being well used, she said.
“The kids are loving it, and as the word gets around, I think it’s going to get more and more popular,” said Cameron.
In other action Tuesday, the board accepted a contract to spend $10,000 from the Central Texas Workforce board in Belton on school supplies for children within the school system.