More than a quarter million dollars is likely to be headed to LCHS in January as the school was awarded the WV Department of Education Innovation Zone Grant spend, pending board approval.

$299,355.00 will be awarded to improve the academic atmosphere in the school in hopes that fewer students will drop out and more students will be academically successful.

The grant will span three years with nearly $100,000 awarded each year.

The Innovation Zone Grant is currently in the final stages of being processed.

According to an email from Ms. Rebecca Derenge, of the WV Department of Education, the school is awaiting approval from the WV Department of Education.

The grant was written by members of the leadership committee with Ms. Jill Balser leading the team. Balser said, “before we had the S3 grant, which we no longer have the funding for.” Balser also said, “our school’s drop-out rate is very high and needed to be improved.”

The grant consists of numerous components which will decrease the school’s drop-out rate.

Mrs. Pamela Heaster, another leadership committee member, said more students will be given opportunities. All students will have chances to be successful.

The grant is different from other things the school has done before, because it will go toward hiring a “Minuteman Motivator” who will work with the middle and high school students on activities like Read Aloud and mentor ship opportunities. Grantwriters said they hope the money will also improve the over-all atmosphere and academics at the school. An academic booster organization has already been formed as part of the initiative.

The school implemented the S3 grant for the last four years and a few ideas over-lap between grants. The s3 team did not exactly focus on improving the school’s drop-out rate.