The Tuxedo school district will use a $450,000 grant from a local foundation to offer scholarships to out-of-district students who may want to attend George F. Baker High School.
The scholarships will range from $4,000 to $6,000 and cover a portion of the $13,745 annual tuition, according to a statement from the Rockland Community Foundation, which is handling the funds for the school district. Applications, available on the Baker High School website, www.tuxedoufsd.org, are due July 6.
The number of scholarships is contingent on the application pool and the availability of funds, the Rockland Community Foundation said in a statement.
Baker High School has a capacity for 400 students but the enrollment for the next school year is expected to be about 80. The current enrollment of 320 fell dramatically after the Greenwood Lake School District ended its three-decade-long contract to send its high schoolers to Tuxedo over tuition and other disputes.
That led to a loss of 200-plus students and a $2.5 million budget hole, leading to a debate whether the high school should be closed. The district decided to keep Baker open, but must also deal with the low enrollment.
The district hopes to attract non-resident students who might view its small class size an advantage.
"We have the ability to include tuition students while maintaining our intimate class size and individualized attention, and we welcome them," schools Superintendent Carol Lomascolo said in the statement.
The money was donated by long-time Tuxedo Park residents Chris and Sally Sonne's Vincent Mulford Foundation. It donated another $150,000 to help purchase technology hand-held devices for K through 12 students.
"Small schools can be at such a disadvantage and yet they offer such opportunities for greatness," said Sally Sonne in the statement. "We hope this will help make a difference."
heasley@th-record.com
Source: Tuxedo to offer scholarships to Baker applicants
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