Cooking Class part of the Out of School Time Grant

Mary Meixner put on a cooking class that was a part of the Out of School Time grant. Members of the community were invited to the school to learn three meals. The best part of it all was everyone got to take the meals they made home. The Out of School Time grant (OST) takes a close look at maximizing opportunities for youth and reducing barriers. The entire school population is targeted with Goal #2 the social and emotional well-being, connectedness, parent-engagement, and community connections all suffered from the disruptions due to COVID. Now, more than ever, reintroducing the focus on connection and social/emotional health is vital for our students, staff, and their families.
Since our community is at least an hour away from a larger city, the current local level of out-of-school time resources for PK-12 students are not as extensive as in a bigger city and many run through the hub of the school: Rivermen Readers, Eagles Academy, Rivermen Clubhouse before and after school care, Right Start, VEX robotics, church and community clubs like 4-H, school clubs and school athletics are where our youth spend time after the school day. The following began this year: The elementary school is implementing Character Counts: Purposeful People themes every month in the elementary school with a kickoff assembly, recognition through Alma Pride measures, morning meeting focus, etc. There is a school-wide Rivermen Readers monthly initiative with themes such as Bucks for Books that encourage parent involvement and added incentives. The Out of School Time grant just further supports the priority areas that have already been identified.