LORAIN — The Lorain school district hopes to use its newly acquired federal grant money within a few weeks, schools Superintendent Cheryl Atkinson said Monday.

The district learned Friday it would be receiving more than $10 million —$3.4 million each year for the next three years — from the U.S. Department of Education’s Magnet Schools Assistance program.  A press Friday didn’t specify the total amount. The federal program provides grants to schools with the hope of helping minority students.

That money will be used for seven schools in order to beef up their curriculum, including hiring a full-time art teacher for Lowell Elementary.

The other schools that will benefit are Masson, Toni Morrison, Garfield and Washington elementary schools and Whittier and General Johnnie Wilson middle schools.

Atkinson cautioned that while the money will help the district, it’s not a cure all for the school system’s woes. In June, the district laid off 243 teachers, which is a third of its teaching staff, to stave off a looming $15 million deficit.

“It’s not going to be able to fix all our issues, but I think we’ll be able to offer more for students than what we’re currently able to offer,” she said.

“It’s a win for us, because the grant will be absorbing some of those costs the general fund would normally incur. It might help us hire an extra (physical education) teacher or something,” she said.

The district must wait for the OK from the federal program manager for the Department of Education on how it proposes to use the money before anything can get under way.

Contact Adam Wright at 653-6257or awright@chroniclet.com.

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