$9.7 million US grant for Washoe County schools

Published September 29, 2012 3:32pm ET



SPARKS, Nev. (AP) — The U.S. Department of Education has approved $9.7 million in federal grants for the Washoe County School District to help bolster math and science programs.

Sparks High School and Sparks Middle School have been targeted for the assistance along with seven elementary schools — Drake, Greenbrae, Lincoln Park, Maxwell, Mitchell, Risley and Smith.

School District chief of staff Kristen McNeil says the money will go to professional development and training for teachers. She says the district will partner closely with the University of Nevada, Reno and its College of Education and Engineering.

McNeil says Sparks High School is an especially good fit for the grant because of its Signature Academy, the Microsoft IT Academy, which put a special focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

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Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, http://www.rgj.com