A program designed to improve student learning in Fairfield schools will be expanded, thanks to a $50,000 grant from the Cinergy Foundation.

        It is the third year that the district has received a grant through Cinergy's Building Assets & Support for Innovative Communities and Schools program.

        Seven other school districts in Southwest Ohio were also awarded grants of $25,000 or $50,000.

        “What makes these grants unique is that coalitions of educators, business people, and other key community members have made a commitment to a long-term collaboration to raise academic standards,” said Joe Hale, president of the Cinergy Foundation.

        In Fairfield, educators spent a year setting up a program piloted at Central Elementary. Teachers established an instructional calendar for the year outlining what skills would be taught when.

        Activities are designed to either reinforce a skill for students who didn't master the skill or expand it for students who have mastered it.

        Superintendent Robert Farrell said standardized test results showed a 12 percent increase in Central's math scores after one year.

        Other schools receiving grants:

        • Deer Park Community Schools: $50,000, to provide teachers more opportunities to work together on the new Ohio academic standards in math and language arts.

        • Mariemont City Schools: $50,000, to use toward development of teaching models focusing on higher order thinking skills.

        • Northwest Local Schools: $50,000, to train educators to develop assignments for students to create a Learning Labs environment that allows students to more actively participate.

        • Norwood City Schools: $50,000, to align curriculum to new state standards in reading and math.

        • West Clermont Local Schools: $50,000, to reform literacy and math instruction, particularly in kindergarten through eighth grade.

        • Princeton City Schools: $25,000, to focus on improving student education in seven areas.

        • Georgetown Village Exempted Schools: $25,000, for staff development and teamwork skills.

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