GUILFORD – SAD 4 and Union 60 learned recently that their joint application for a $640,000 federal 21st Century Community Learning Center grant was funded.

The money, which will be awarded over a five-year-period, will provide a variety of opportunities for further learning in the two school systems, SAD 4 Superintendent Paul Stearns said Friday.

“Basically it will provide some wonderful opportunities for after school and vocational programs,” Stearns said. Because the two school systems only recently learned of the award, no concrete plans have yet been made, he said.

The grant was written by Crystal Priest, SAD 4 technology coordinator, Elaine Bartley, a private technology consultant, and Linda McBrierty, teacher-librarian at Greenville High School, with collaboration from Becky Brown and Faye Booker of Evergreen Enrichment in Greenville.

“It’s tremendous,” Dr. Steven Pound of Union 60 said Friday. “I think it has great benefits both for our students and our communities.” The grant will touch everything from technology and literacy to study programs, he said.

Priest said the funds would focus on after school and summer programs, both remedial and for enrichment. “We want to offer similar programs in both districts,” she said, but added that the programs will be customized to fit the needs of each area.

“Money like this allows us to really develop and build some programs over time,” Priest said. School officials know what needs constantly pop up year after year, and this money can help address some of those needs, she said. “We hope to be able to do exciting things with the kids.”

Priest said Evergreen Enrichment, a private educational organization that offers summer enrichment programs, will provide some of the program offerings, all of which will be aligned with the Maine Learning Results. “This gives us the opportunities to expose kids to things they don’t see in a normal day,” she explained.

Pound said he was very pleased to learn of the award. “It just shows how we have and can collaborate,” he said.