By By SHERRY DIGMON
Advance Staff Writer
Bids have been awarded by the Escambia County (Ala.) Board of Education for new programs targeting at risk students.
Earlier this year, the State Department of Education mandated that county school boards provide funding for programs to benefit at risk students in grades K-12. The mandate called for 20 percent of at risk funds be offered to community service agencies to provide after-school and summer programs.
In Escambia County, that amount is more than $59,000.
At Thursday's school board meeting, the following bids were announced:
Brewton Council of the Arts – $20,700
* 75 elementary students at Flomaton Elementary School (FES), W.S. Neal Elementary (WSNE) and McCall – Art Appreciation;
* 75 elementary and middle school students in the Brewton and Flomaton areas – Summer Camp Theater Arts;
* 140 elementary and middle school students at WSNE and Flomaton elementary and middle schools – Chorus;
* 40 elementary and middle school students at WSNE, W.S. Neal Middle School (WSNM) and McCall – Strings I and II.
Greater Mt. Triumph Baptist Church – $16,843
* 20 elementary students at A.C. Moore (ACM) – Escambia County Strings;
* 35 elementary and middle school students, Escambia County Middle School (ECMS) – Middle School Chorus;
* 50 high school females, Escambia County High School (ECHS) – Dance and Movement.
Hope Place Family Resource Center – $6,500
* 50-75 middle school students in Atmore, Flomaton and Brewton – Teen Parent Education Program.
Jefferson Davis Community College – $2,070
* WSNM eighth grade – Mentoring Program.
SE Muskokee Cultural Preservation – $6,500
* students in Atmore – Cultural – Alternatives to Negative Behavior.
Southwest Alabama Mental Health – $3,500
* students at WSNE – Substance Abuse Prevention.
Girl Scouts – $3,500
n elementary students at WSNE, McCall, FES, ACM, Huxford Elementary – "I Can" Self Esteem Program.
More than 2,500 students have been determined to be at risk in Escambia County.
An at risk analysis prepared by the State Department of Education shows the following break-down by school.
* A.C. Moore Elementary School – 214;
* Escambia County High School – 312;
* Escambia County Middle School – 415;
* Flomaton Elementary School – 228;
* Flomaton High School – 99;
* Huxford Elementary School – 128;
* McCall Junior High School – 72;
* Rachel Patterson Elementary School – 450;
* W.S. Neal Elementary School – 277;
* W.S. Neal Middle School – 182;
* W.S. Neal High School – 136.
Students are determined to be at risk according to Stanford Achievement Test scores, income eligibility, and the number of free and reduced price lunch eligible students at the end of the first 40 days of school.