NEWPORT — Next year, Newport Independent Schools will be open nights and weekends all year long.

        The district was awarded a $1 million, three-year federal grant to establish after-school community centers to provide educational, recreational and social services for students and adults.

        “It's after-school school for adults and kids,” said Paul Baker, director of Newport Middle School's youth services center, who wrote the district's grant application.

        Newport is the only Cincinnati-area district and one of 386 districts across the country awarded grants this year as part of the U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Center program.

        Other Greater Cincinnati districts that have received the grants in past years include Norwood City Schools, Princeton City Schools, Covington Independent Schools and Dayton, Ky., Independent Schools.

        Newport, in collaboration with various community organizations, plans to develop two learning centers at Newport Middle School and A.D. Owens Elementary that will provide services for students and parents at all of the district's five schools.

        The centers will be open until 8:30 p.m. during the week and on Saturdays during the school year, and will also hold summer activities, Mr. Baker said. Activities could range from cooking classes to Japanese lessons to trips to the Newport Aquarium.

        “When the building goes dark at 4, they weren't being utilized, but now they can be,” he said. “The idea is to have the lights burning in these schools for the community to have access, adults and children alike.”

        The federal program is aimed at keeping schools in high-need communities open longer to provide tutoring and homework help, academic and arts enrichment, college preparation, drug and violence prevention counseling and recreational activities.

        Newport also plans to establish an Urban Learning Center, similar to the one in Covington. In partnership with area colleges and organizations, the center would provide entry-level college courses to Newport's low-income residents at a nominal fee.

        Newport Superintendent Dan Sullivan said he hopes the center will help the district create another link with the city's families.

        “We can bring parents in the community to a closer identity with us. We need more parent involvement,” he said. “We're going to have an effect on these young people longer than six hours a day.”

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