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October 3, 2008

AISD gets Murchison grant

$184,000 given for college partnership, technology, training

Special to the Review

Athens schools have received a little help from a local foundation.

The Murchison Foundation recently presented the Athens Independent School District with $184,000 to help with the Pinnacle Early College High School program, new technology and mentorship and strategy programs.

“These funds are necessary for AISD to continue its path to ‘exemplary,’” said Dr. Fred Hayes, superintendent of schools. “We are so grateful to the Murchison Foundation for its generosity and support of our students, teachers, principals and the entire AISD community.”

With the opening of Pinnacle Early College High School this year, $30,000 will go toward the funding of the program that allows students to graduate with two years of college credit or earn an associates degree from Trinity Valley Community College while in high school. The program is designed for highly capable students wanting to accelerate their learning and enroll in college courses and for students who are first-generation, college-bound students.

To support the early college high school initiative and some other key programs, $30,000 will fund technology. These dollars are earmarked to purchase software to allow students to take online courses and use laptops for early college high school students. Students who want to enroll in online courses can earn needed credits to meet graduation requirements, which will allow them to take additional elective courses during the school day.

The district is using $24,000 of the funds to implement a principal mentorship program. This unique mentorship will focus on assisting principals to develop concise longterm visions of achievement and building and implementing plans to achieve the desired visions.

The remaining $100,000 will be earmarked during the next two years to fund the Advanced Placement (AP) Strategies program. This program provides teacher training to improve student achievement on AP tests as well as help teachers identify students who are capable of enrolling in more rigorous courses. Not only does the program focus on teacher professional development, it also provides incentives for students who perform well on the AP tests.

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