Hurley School awarded $265,000 Grant to Develop a Dual Language After School Program
The Hurley School was recently awarded a $265,000 grant to develop an after-school program that extends the daytime curriculum and meets the needs of this unique dual language school.
Working closely with the YMCA, the Hurley will build a dual language after-school program that is seamlessly connected to the school day. Hurley School principal Marjorie Soto, who has worked with schools for more than a decade and has been leading the Hurley School’s rejuvenation in the past two years, is thrilled by the prospect of designing a targeted after-school program. "Never has there been a opportunity to tailor the after school to the needs of the students. The students will have a smooth transition of dual language. We have a special situation at the Hurley to have it all come together."
One key component of the Hurley's vision for its after-school is the expansion of the arts. "We’ll be able to expand the partnerships that we already have now. Such as the New England Conservatory, Urban Voices and City Mission," says Cecilia Rait, parent of 1st grader Jacob, at the Hurley and Co-Chair of Programming for the Neighborhood Parents for the Hurley School (NPHS). NPHS provides fundraising support for the school’s goals, and was instrumental in working to develop the grant application. As part of this grant, a Manager of Extended Learning Service (MELS) will be hired in March. The MELS will work closely with Soto, the teachers, the partners and the families at the Hurley to plan a new after-school model. This model will be launched in the fall of 2007.
The grant is provided by Boston After School & Beyond in collaboration with the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, The Boston Foundation, Full Service Schools Roundtable, Harvard University’s Program in Education, After school and Resiliency (PEAR), Ludcke Foundation, Massachusetts 2020 Foundation, Nellie Mae Education Foundation, and the Wallace Foundation.