ABOUT 21ST CENTURY
The Manchester School District’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers is a federally funded out-of-school time program whose mission is to support student learning and growth by providing academic support and enrichment activities at fourteen identified Manchester schools.
Our Purpose
We are committed to growing student academic performance through the use of homework help, academic tutoring and other group based activities. Those activities are aligned to school day curriculum and student needs. We strive to encourage students to learn new skills and develop creative problem-solving skills. Students are also provided with an environment that supports their social emotional learning needs and exposes them to new activities and experiences. Our program maintains a 1:15 teacher to student ratio to provide the best atmosphere for high-impact activities.
Registration
As our capacity is limited, we provide priority registration for high-needs students identified by their home school. We maintain a wait-list for students when our available capacity is met. Our registration fees are on a sliding scale based on student lunch status, and we have scholarships available to families in need.
Program Fees
Full Pay | Reduced Lunch | Free Lunch | |
Morning | $0.95/day | $0.60/day | $0.25/day |
Afternoon | $2.75/day | $1.75/day | $0.75/day |
Our program fees are established on a sliding scale based on student Free & Reduced Lunch Status (Free, Reduced, and Full Pay).
Multiple family member discount: 2nd and 3rd child is 1/2 off.
Students who are registered in the 21st Century Program will receive an invoice from their Site Coordinator with fees owed, as calculated based on that information. In the event that a parent/guardian is unable to pay a program fee, the Site Coordinator will contact that parent/guardian and complete a Program Fee Modification Form.
Schedule
21st Century operates a 160-day school year program, offering 15 hours a week of programming. See your school for specific days and times. During the summer we partner with the Manchester School District Summer Learning Academy and Title III to provide a free four-week long summer camp designed to take the benefits of our program into the summer.
Staffing and Leadership
Each school is staffed by Manchester certified teachers, paraeducators and our own 21st Century staff. Program sites are led by a site coordinator who works closely with school building staff, leadership and the community to provide programming that will address the needs of students. District-wide the program is overseen by a program director and program coordinator. An Advisory Board, made up of parents, teachers and community members, helps to guide our program as it grows and evolves.
Funding
Our funding is provided under federal Title IV, part B, Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant. We also rely on program fees and additional grant support for our Project iSucceed from the City of Manchester Community Block Development Grant, administered by the Manchester Community Resource Center.
Program Procedures and Handbooks
Check out our Parent/Student Handbooks below for detailed information on our program procedures and expectations!
Our Grants
History
The Manchester School District first received Title IV, Part B funding in 2004, opening after school programs at Bakersville, Gossler Park, Hallsville, McDonough, Hillside, McLaughlin, Parkside, Southside and Central High School in the fall of 2005. Initially envisioned as an arts based program, over the years we have shifted focus to supporting literacy and math skills in the highest-need students while balancing fun enrichment and exploration time. Afterschool programs operated in an online format in 2020 and 2021.
The program first expanded in 2007 with the addition of Beech Street and Wilson schools, and again in 2011 with Northwest. In 2014 Central High was replaced by Parker-Varney. The closing of Hallsville School occurred in 2021, just as three new schools were added: Jewett, Webster and Weston.