The College Park City Council unanimously approved $35,000 in education grants for local public schools Tuesday night.
These grants, which were recommended by the city’s Education Advisory Committee, can be up to $7,500 for the four main schools catering to the most students from College Park — Hollywood Elementary School, Paint Branch Elementary School, Greenbelt Middle School and Parkdale High School, according to a mayoral update from the city on Oct. 31.
Other schools that serve at least 14 kids from College Park neighborhoods can receive up to $2,500 in grants, according to the same mayoral update.
The city awarded $7,500 each to Hollywood Elementary, Paint Branch Elementary, Parkdale High School and $2,500 each to Berwyn Heights Elementary, Cherokee Lane Elementary, University Park Elementary, Buck Lodge Middle and Hyattsville Middle, according to the council’s agenda.
“We’re thankful to the City of College Park for being able to provide [these grants] for us,” said Emmett Hendershot, the principal of Paint Branch Elementary.
The money will be put toward improvements such as additional programming, technology and field trips. More specifically, Paint Branch Elementary School will be using its grant money to purchase Chromebooks “to provide instruction in literacy and reading,” according to the mayoral update.
Hendershot said the school is excited to upgrade technology for all of its students, particularly those with special needs.
“A lot of [our students] have language needs and special education needs … learning disabilities,” he said. “The technology and the visuals [are] helpful for those with disabilities [because] the technology aides their learning.”
Other schools such as Hollywood Elementary School are also using the money for assistive technology “for investment in iPads and iReady Diagnostic and Instructional licenses for teachers,” and Cherokee Lane Elementary will be using the money for their Lego robotics programming, according to the mayoral update.
