WESTBROOK – The Westbrook School Department, with help from a grant of more than a half-million dollars, will introduce two new programs starting in March, an after-school literacy program and a summer kindergarten-readiness program.

“It’s a collaboration between the schools and the community center. We live in an age where the residents understand it’s not only a benefit for the kids, but for the community at large,” said Maria Dorn, the director of community services, of the new programs.

The grant, totaling $625,000 through the next five years, comes from the Maine Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Center program. The grant will cover the costs of hiring a program director and buying materials. While the programs cost the city nothing, some aspects, like busing and the use of the community center at the Fred C. Wescott Building, will be paid in-kind.

The after-school literacy program, called Westbrook Leadership Exploration through Activities, Research, Nutrition and Sports (LEARNS), has 20 slots for each of the three elementary schools, for a total of 60 students, and is open to students in kindergarten through Grade 4. Teachers will determine the students who need extra help based on test scores and classroom activities.

“Because of the unique role between the school and the community center, we’re able to offer a lot more,” Westbrook Superintendent Marc Gousse said Monday. “More than half a million is going to be infused for services primarily for the elementary children. It helps fill the gap after school and it involves all the elementary schools,”

According to the grant application, more than half of all the students in the three elementary schools – Congin, Canal and Saccarappa – are eligible for the program because of their low-performing test scores.

The after-school program ties in with many of the other literacy programs Westbrook has implemented in recent years, including programs by the United Way and Opportunity Alliance and Westbrook’s own Response to Intervention. Once students are identified in the RTI program, teachers provide them with extra attention to help them understand the learning materials more. The new after-school program would be a second step in the RTI process.

Students enrolled in LEARNS will be bused to the community center from two elementary schools. Congin students will walk. Parents will pick them up at the center around 6:30 p.m. During the after-school program, students will receive help on their homework, a snack, and participate in activities like listening to books, reading aloud, singing songs, putting on puppet shows to demonstrate reading comprehension and other things to help strengthen their skills.

“We really believe literacy is the foundation to do everything we do. It affects the way we perform in math and science and strengthens our thinking skills,” said Peter Lancia, Westbrook’s director of teaching and learning, who helped develop the program.

Before-school care will also be offered as part of the program. Parents can drop students off at the Westbrook Community Center after 7 a.m. and breakfast will be served. There is no cost to students recommended for the program, but there is a $10 fee per day for any other student.

“No child will be left behind that wants to participate in this program. We will find a way to help get the student here if they want to be here,” Gousse said on the student fees.

Parents are also asked to play a crucial role in the program. According to the program description written by Dorn, parents who take an active role in the education of their children see more successful results.

Once a month, the center will host Family Nights, and each night students will be sent home with books and activities to be completed with their family.

Students will be recommended for the summer kindergarten Jump Start program based on their initial kindergarten entrance interview. Lancia said one of the telling facts is whether a child has a good grasp of the alphabet.

“Kids can show risk if they don’t know many letters of the alphabet or if they haven’t had that preschool support. There is a real difference in kids who have been to a preschool versus those who haven’t. We want everyone to start on a level playing field,” Lancia said.

The Jump Start program runs for four weeks in the summer, five days a week, four hours a day, as an intense way to get children ready for kindergarten. The program will also be run in surrounding school districts, including Scarborough, Gorham and Bonny Eagle.

Dorn hopes the program she spearheaded, along with help from many teachers, administrators and other community members, will help both parents and students keep motivated to learn, even when it becomes difficult.

“The goal is to get more of our kids to graduate,” Dorn said.