Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Three District Middle Schools, One Charter Ready to GEAR UP

Harriet Tubman Village Charter, Marston Middle School, Montgomery Middle School and Taft Middle School were among 51 schools selected statewide to participate in the California GEAR UP grant program.

GEAR UP, which stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs, supports staff development to increase instructional skills and student achievement at the middle school level.

Each school is participating in the planning phase of the program, and if selected to continue, will receive $10,000 per year for six years.

“Being selected for this phase is a huge accomplishment,” said Taft Principal Mike George. “I know I can speak for all my peers at the other schools - we all plan to be accepted for the final award.”

Selected California GEAR UP schools commit to strong academic programming and a cohesive college and career readiness curriculum, beginning at the middle school and connecting with area high schools and local postsecondary institutions. GEAR UP provides a network of support and professional development activities to integrate a college-going culture into school site reform efforts.

For more information about the grants, please contact each school’s principal. For more information on the California GEAR UP grant program, please visit their website.