A new grant is going to allow one of Kingfisher Public Schools’ most popular programs to be open to even more students.

KPS received word from the Oklahoma State Department of Education last week that it was a recipient of a Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant.

The five-year grant totals more than $1.3 million.

It allows the school district to extend its STARS (Students Together Achieving Remarkable Success) program to students in Gilmour Elementary and continue the program for those at Heritage Elementary.

STARS, an after-school program, has been available for 15 years for students in fourtheighth grades.

The new funding will also allow the district to continue the Rising STARS program for second and third graders that began three years ago with the use of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds made available after COVID-19.

And now, the new funding will also make before- and after- school programs available to students in kindergarten and first grade as well.

“We are excited to extend the program to kindergarten and first grade as we know that it will be a great benefi t to students and their families,” said Gilmour Elementary Principal Makylah Tollefson.

One of the benefits is to working families, Tollefson said.

“Parents will have a safe space for their children to go before and after school, so they can get to work or complete their full work day before having to pick up their child,” Tollefson said.

It will also aid in academic achievement.

“Students will have the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the school day with our new beforeand after-school program,” Tollefson said. “They will engage in enriching learning opportunities and receive extra academic support when needed.

“Providing a structured environment where students can make new friends, explore through engagement in many different learning activities, while also building their social emotional skills.”

Makylah Tollefson noted the program isn’t offered to pre-k students, but said she’s proud to see the STARS program extended into her building.

Students at what used to be Kingfisher Middle School (Grades 5-8) and then turned into Kingfisher Upper Elementary (Grades 4-6) have experienced the benefits of STARS for well over a decade. That program is now directed by Terry Willis and Sheila Redwine. The latter is a reading specialist for the school district and wrote the grant application along with Dawn Tollefson, who works in the administration office. The ESSER funds allowed second and third graders to also enjoy the program the last three years, but school leaders knew that funding was only for a limited time. With that in mind, Dawn Tollefson and Redwine started working on ways to allow the program to grow in both students served and funding received. “The wheels were put in motion to write another grant for grades K-third,” Tollefson said. The ESSER funds for Rising STARS didn’t allow for a before-school program like the new funding does, noted Dawn Tollefson, adding to its benefits. “The new grant will allow the mornings to be used for students who are needing additional time with the preparation for the school day.” Funding will support salaries for teachers, support staff and student who participate in teaching and mentoring the students in the program.

The program has been designed to extend a learning enrichment program with an out-of-the-box challenging curriculum that is not like that of the regular school day.

“STEAM and STEM are a big part of hands-on learning,” Dawn Tollefson said.

Remaining funds will be used on materials and new interactive curriculum.

Morgan Fialkowski will be the director of Rising STARS with Kara Brueggen serving as site coordinator at Gilmour and Kris Schaefer at Heritage.

The school district plans to provide more information for student participation for parents whose students are eligible on the school’s website (www.kingfisher.k12. ok.us), the various school Facebook pages and letters will be sent home once school begins.