Don Grammer, a Classical Christian School for the Arts teacher, installs a new floor in a classroom.
PINELLAS PARK – The Classical Christian School for the Arts until recently was an exclusive school of mostly students from moneyed families.
But now it is opening its doors to Pinellas County’s less privileged and accepting students with state scholarships and at discounted rates.
“We have become very proactive with people who lost their jobs due to the current recession,” Sylvia Baker, school director, said.
Thanks to the Florida Price Scholarship program, the school is helping families qualify their chidden for money to attend the private institution.
“For parents who have been unemployed for at least 12 months we are offering a sliding scale tuition rate to further reduce the cost of education,” Baker said.
The latest venture to help people follows a food drive for local pantries and shelters. The school also has raised money for the United National Children’s Fund or UNICEF. Students also purchase items for “shoeboxes,” containers of gifts for children whose parents are unemployed.
“We also support the Clothes for Kids program in Clearwater and provide recycled school uniforms to help incoming students,” Baker said.
Teachers and other employees are donating their summer months to spiffing up the school building that it leases from the city. Classrooms are being refurbished, new floors are being installed and other facilities are being redecorated.
The school is located at 4981 78th Ave. Call 547-6820.
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