Cooperstown Central School officials have received word that the funding for the free after school program, Creating Rural Opportunities Partnership (CROP), has been renewed.

The program was reinstated this week at the school.

"We're very, very pleased," said David Pearlman, Principal of Special Programs and Projects at CCS. "We are going to scramble for the next two weeks to re-enroll kids."

"It's just a real shot in the arm," said Rosemary Brodersen, Site Coordinator of the Cooperstown after-school program. "Our staff is thrilled to be continuing."

Although they should receive the money for CROP II from the state in March, BOCES has authorized the local district to begin the program, said Pearlman.

With the help of Betsy Morcom, Peg Ellsworth and Karyl Sage, the 21st Century Community Programs grant has been successful, said Pearlman. The grant will run for the next four and a half years and include not only the after school program, but the summer program as well.

" We've been in a six-month limbo," described Brodersen.

CROP had originally run out of funding last June after a three-year run. Carry-over money and a grant was used to extend the life of the program. The Cooperstown Central School Board recently had approved a modified version of the CROP which began Jan. 5. It included a sliding fee scale for participants.

"We lost a lot of people who couldn't afford it," Pearlman commented.

With the establishment of CROP II, they are now able to accommodate a rate of 100 students per day, he said.

"We're hoping that more parents will be able to take advantage of the program," said Superintendent of Schools, Mary Jo McPhail.

They hope that students sign up for a minimum of two days per week to get the academic benefit from the program, said Pearlman.

"We want there to be some consistency in the academic enrichment part," he said.

The program has more components than just recreation, he explained. It includes 45 minutes a day of academic enrichment involving a homework club, computer time as well as presentations and volunteers from CROP partners: SUNY AmeriCorp, Upper Catskill Community Council for the Arts and The LEAF Council on Alcoholism and Addictions.

"It was never meant to be daycare," Pearlman said.

Participants are also required to do 10 hours of community service a year.

All research shows that the hours between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. are the most dangerous hours of a child's life because they are often spent unsupervised, said Pearlman. This can lead to poor decision making, he added.

"We're lucky this is the type of community to raise their children collectively," Pearlman said, noting the availability of resources such as the Clarks Sports Center and the CROP program.

"It's structured and supervised. That's important," he said.

A few goals have been set with the reinstitution of CROP.

"Our goal is to see that 50 percent of the students in CROP are eligible for free and reduced lunches," said Pearlman.

They also hope to do-away with the waiting list for those looking to get into CROP. Restructuring of the program to hopefully allow more students to attend, specifically in grades Kindergarten and first, is their next mission, Pearlman said.

"We want to make it even better," he said.

"I'm really excited to try and build up our middle school numbers," said Brodersen.

Although snacks were sometimes provided previously, the state will not grant money to continue that any more, said Pearlman.

"We will probably be charging a nominal fee for snacks," he explained. This will not begin until February 23. The school district has received donations to cover snacks until that time.

There will also be no transportation until that time, he reported.