Peekskill Modified Sports, After School Programs in Jeopardy

A number of after school school programs in the middle school are in jeopardy of in the Peekskill school district if a federal grant isn’t renewed next year.

This is the last year of a five year grant totalling that was awarded to the district for its LEAP, or Learning Enrichment Activities Program.  Through LEAP, the school district provides a number of after school activities and  academic enrichment  program at the middle school. Those activities include modified athletics, dram and music programs and afterschool preparation for state exams.

A total of about $4.3 million of federal funds, which was by administered the state, was allocated to the LEAP program.

“We’re waiting to hear any day if we got the grant renewed,” James Willis, superintendent of Peekskill schools said during Tuesday’s school board meeting.

Officials expected to hear about the status of the grant renewal sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Since LEAP is funded through a grant, it is not counted in the district’s general fund and will not impact the $78.4 million plan that’s being presented to residents during the May 21 budget vote.

Joseph Urbanowicz, president of the school board, said the district needed to reach out to its representatives on the state Legislature and plead with them to help get the funding restored.