Gov. Terry Branstad is scheduled to visit Rogers University at Rogers Elementary School in Marshalltown on Tuesday, July 2. Now in its third year, Rogers University is an innovative, six-week, extended learning program for Rogers Elementary School students entering Kindergarten through sixth grade in the fall.
During the visit, Branstad will tour Rogers Elementary School to see the program’s activities firsthand, speak to the children and their parents, and meet with representatives from the Marshalltown Community School District (MCSD), Mid-Iowa Community Action, Inc. (MICA), and the steering committee of Marshalltown’s All-America Grade Level Reading Plan, which is using the Rogers University model as the cornerstone of its efforts to improve educational outcomes for children in Marshalltown.
“Gov. Branstad is a strong proponent of innovation in education and great outcomes for all students,” MICA Executive Director Arlene McAtee said. “We are honored to share one of our community’s efforts that mirror his commitment.”
Rogers University combines small-group educational instruction and individualized learning plans with enrichment activities including Red Cross Swim lessons, nutrition education, self management skills development, service learning, reading and library time, art, drama, and technology programs. New to the program this year, is the addition of 4th-6th grade students and a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program for the 4th-6th graders led by Iowa State University students.
Rogers University is offered through a partnership of the MCSD and MICA. Rogers University is funded by a 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant from the Iowa Department of Education, a Promise Neighborhood Grant from the U.S. Department of Education, funding from MCSD, and two-weeks of pre-K programming have been funded by the Martha-Ellen Tye Foundation.
