The Financial Planning and Supervision Commission of the Mansfield City School District adopted a resolution that allows Springmill Learning Center (SLC) to apply for a 9-12 million dollar Straight A grant. The resolution was approved on Wednesday afternoon during a special session.
If the grant is awarded to the district, the money will be used to create a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) school for grades 4 through 7. The Learning Center plans on implementing the following galleries: ARTS gallery; Technology gallery that include laptops, work space for students to create projects, and a distance learning lab; Algebra learning gallery; Pioneer History gallery and an Engineering & Robotics gallery.
SLC plans to renovate transitional learning spaces and install energy efficient lights. Each student will also be provided with an electronic device. They also plan on partnering with local businesses, area schools, higher education, and non-profit organizations.
“Making these partners is very important for STEM education,” said SLC’s spokesperson Brad Strong.
If the grant is awarded to the district, the commission will include the grant monies as a source of spending. The district is still under Fiscal Emergency and supervised by the commission board; therefore, these monies will be managed by the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission.
Commission members expressed concern for the proposal’s sustainability. In order for SLC to move forward in the application process for the grant, they must undergo a Fiscal Sustainability Review, which will be completed by the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission.
According to Strong,“If they don’t agree we can sustain this, it goes away. No matter what our plan is.”
“We’d really like Springmill to become a regional learning center, not necessarily only for Mansfield, but to really open it up. We think this grant really gives us the opportunity to open up to other venues besides Mansfield City Schools,” continued Strong.
With a unanimous decision to move forward with the application process, the meeting adjourned. For more information on the Straight A grant, visit Ohio Department of Education’s website.
The district expects a response from the ODE by May 30, 2014.
“We’d really like Springmill to become a regional learning center, not necessarily only for Mansfield, but to really open it up. We think this grant really gives us the opportunity to open up to other venues besides Mansfield City Schools,” said Brad Strong.
