Skip to main content

Ferguson schools reopen, offer calm amid chaos

By WTOP Staff

ALAN SCHER ZAGIER
Associated Press

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Schools in Ferguson welcomed back students from their summer breaks on Monday, providing the children with a much-needed break from the raucous street protests and police patrols that have gripped the St. Louis suburb since a white officer killed an unarmed black man more than two weeks ago.

Classes in the Ferguson-Florissant School District were scheduled to begin Aug. 14, five days after Michael Brown’s shooting death. But subsequent demonstrations marred by frequent clashes between police and demonstrators led to several delays in the start date. The district serves about 11,000 students from the two northern St. Louis County communities.

Students, teachers and parents expressed an eagerness to return to their routines, describing school as a place of refuge and a nurturing environment shielded from the chaos of the past two weeks.

“They know they’re safe and they’re excited (be)cause they’re in school,” said Donetta Cleveland, a Ferguson Middle School parent. “And, the teachers have been prepared for it.”

Teachers and staff members spent one of their unexpected free days last week receiving special crisis training. The district has doubled the number of counselors available in its 24 schools, at least for now. But noticeably absent from district schools Monday morning was a visible police presence — by design.

“We want school to be as normal as possible,” said Rob Chabot, a Ferguson business owner and school board president.

Brown was a recent graduate of Normandy High School, where classes resumed as scheduled last week. He spent the summer living with his grandmother in the Canfield Green apartment complex, a part of the Riverview Gardens school district. School there and in the nearby Jennings district also started on time one week ago before officials abruptly scrapped classes after a mid-week escalation in violence.

“These kids should be able to be kids,” said Kenna Lewis, a 31-year-old Canfield Green resident, as she walked her two children to school with another parent.

Briona Hamilton, 12, said she felt “protected” upon returning to school Monday. She also described a sense of nervous excitement marked by more practical concerns, from making sure she could find the right classrooms to fitting in at a new school.

“I can compare it to a little girl getting a pony for the first time or something like that because, like, I’ve been waiting so long for school to start back,” she said.

___

Associated Press video journalist Alex Sanz contributed to this report.

___

Follow Alan Scher Zagier on Twitter at http://twitter.com/azagier

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote