ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Rochester City School District has been awarded a State-funded grant of $350,000 for school violence prevention programs.
According to school officials, the grants, totaling $350,000 each year, will be administered over a five-year period, from July 1 to June 30, 2026, totaling $1.7 million.
The grant money will allow the District to fund a wellness center and a student support center coordinator at Roberto Clemente School No. 8, Dr. Charles T. Lunsford School No. 19, and Henry Hudson School No. 28. Additionally, this money will allow the District to support intervention services for students who are victims of violence, trauma, and/or gang-related activity.
“The safety of our scholars is a top priority, and student support centers have provided imperative services for nearly 30 years in the Rochester City School District,” Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small said in a statement.
At these centers, students are equipped with academic and social-emotional skills along with resources to help them succeed both in school and in the community. Services include counseling, mentorships, restorative practices, and connections to partnerships. Community agencies also had the opportunity to apply for particular grants, and Encompass, Inc. was awarded $350,000 annually over the next five years to support extended school day activities.
As a result, the District will offer expanded learning opportunities for students before, during, and after school at John James Audubon School No. 33, Andrew J. Townson School No. 39, and World of Inquiry School No. 58.