ROSWELL, N.M. – Several schools across the City of Roswell received grants to help with activities and programs within the school during the Roswell Independent School District board meeting.

Goddard High School received a $50,000 grant from a private foundation to help with tutoring.

Dr. Porter Cutrell, the principal at Goddard High School, says it has been a challenge since the pandemic. 

“We noticed that Goddard High School students faced a lot of different academic challenges, and pressures in school, even coming back from being out of school, and staying at home, their time management organization skills, and yeah, we think that there was quite a bit of learning loss at that time,” said Cutrell.

The school has worked on solutions to help students, tutors, and teachers make up time.

“We purchased what they call the ICU database. Which organizes missing assignments, contacts, parents, and helps us provide the guidance support that they need,” Cutrell said.

They started the database this time last year and have already seen a 35% drop in class failures when you compare the first and second semesters. They realized they could use more help.

“We wanted to put adults and peers in our tutoring center to help out, I mean, nobody really wants to do anything for free. We have to figure out a way to, you know, to encourage them to come there,” said Cutrell. 

The grant will help pay for tutors and supplies that they need. 

“Schools really aren’t set up to hire extra people to do extra help,” said Cutrell.

Extra help the school hopes will create a supportive center not only for students and teachers but for families as well.