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CONTRA
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS • , .. ;-
.• COSTA
FROM: Federal D. Glover, Supervisor COUNTY
District V
Y
DATE: August 6, 2002
SUBJECT: Letter to Pittsburg','Unified School District Board — Urgency Item
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUNDAND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMM'ENDATIO (SI:
APPROVE letter transmitted to the Pittsburg Unified School District Board in support of the retention
of the Federal 21st Century Learning Community Grant Funds,
BACKGROUND/REASON(S) FOR RECOMMENDATIONtS):
The Pittsburg Unified School district has been awarded a $3 million federal grant for after school
activities. The grant is intended to enable implementation of programs, which will °help local youth
grow and expand their minds and bodies through sports, drama and field trips, along with computer
training, homework assistance and other academic pursuits.
Continued participation in the grant supports the Board of Supervisors interests in helping support
programs and services devoted to the academic achievement, social development, health and safety
of the County's children especially during the 3-6 p.m. timeframe, a time of day when research shows
children are most at risk of harm or unhealthy behavior choices. This 21St Century Learning
Community grant improves our afterschool infrastructure to meet these needs.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOM NDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S);
ACTION OF BOARD ON 7 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
UNANIMOUS(ABS,ENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ON MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS'ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact: John Sweeten,County Administrator
cc: John Gregory,CAO
Chris Linville,CAO fR f � f
ATTESTED W
OHN SWEETEN,CLERK OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS'
AN D'COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
r .
BY DEPUTY
The Board of Supervisors Contra John Sweeten
Clerk of the Board':..
iota and
county Adm�nisiration Building County Administrator
651.Pine Street,Room 106 (925)3351900
Martinez,California 94553-1293 County
John GWa,1st District V ��/
Gayle S.Ullkema,,2nd District
Donna Gerber,3rd District
Mark DeSaWnler,4th District
Federal Glover,5th District '
August 6, 2002
Joseph Arenivar, President
Governing Board
Pittsburg`'Unified School District
2000 Railroad Avenue
Pittsburg, CA 94565
Dear Mr. Arenivar and Members of the Governing Board:
This letter is to strongly encourage the trustees to maintain your acceptance of federal 21s'
Century Learning Community grant funds for the benefit``of the Pittsburg students
participating in these afterschool programs.
While this decision is one that can and must be made locally,the benefits that accrue from
increasing afterschool opportunities,particularly for low-income students,are positive ones
for the County as a whole. Research shows that children and youth participating in safe,
supervised and structured afterschool activities are less likely to become perpetrators or
victims of crime and are less likely to choose unhealthy behaviors such as substance abuse.
These benefits not only help students thrive, they help reduce costs for crisis services,
many of which are administered by the County. In addition, low-income working parents
in the county who can access safe and reliable programs for their children are more likely
to be able to get and keep jobs, contributing to the overall economic development of the
County.
As part of the County's"Afterschool4Ali" initiative, the County is currently partnered with
Pittsburg Unified School District,the Bay Area Partnership and three other school districts
in a collaborative to offer state-funded afterschool services through the'Before and After
School Learning and Safe Neighborhoods Partnership Program. The County is committed
through this and other activities to engaging actively with schools and community partners`
to expand the size and quality of the:Contra Costa afterschool system.
Because of the great need for afterschool funding, the competitive nature of the funding
sources and the overall lack of funding related to revenue reductions and budget cuts
currently berg experienced by,state and local governments, these efforts could be dealt
a serious blew if the 2111 Century grant funding, which is such a critical support for the
students and families currently served, is returned. It is in both the overall interest of the
County and the Pittsburgcommunity''that the Pittsburg Unified School District retain its 21st
Century grant funding for Its ongoing afterschool programs;
Sincerely,
}
r--
Johb,tlola, Chair Fed al D. Clover, Supervisor
Board of Supervisors di rict V
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