Central Primary School recently concluded its first academic summer program aimed at combatting the dreaded scholarly summer slide.
“We started thinking about doing a summer program in December. Some of the teachers were worried about summer slide and the students losing what they learned over the year,” Molly Kosbab, Central Primary principal, said.
Fifty-two students from grades first through fifth were chosen to participate in the 18-day program, which concluded Thursday.
Students attended the academic summer program for an hour-and-a-half three days a week.
From beginning to end, the students were engaged in fast-paced and creative learning focusing on reading comprehension for the older students, basic phonics for the younger students, writing, math and computer literacy.
“When they’re in here, they’re at eight-minute learning stations, and it’s really fast-paced,” said SuAnne Krick, one of the six teachers who planned and taught the summer program. “Even though we know that it is intense academics, I don’t think the kids know that at all.”
The curriculum, she said, was fun to plan and teach because the teachers were allowed to be more creative than a traditional classroom setting allows.
On Thursday, entering first-grade students were journaling about what they liked the most about summer camp.
“I like throwing Beanie Babies,” wrote Jack Limas, 7.
After journaling, Jack and the others went to play the Beanie Baby game one last time.
When Jack picked Stinky the Skunk out of the large box, he started searching for the letter S in the alphabet laid out on the floor.
When he found it, he threw Stinky the Skunk on the letter and ran to choose another Beanie Baby.
The students’ skills were tested three times throughout the program.
“We compared their scores to their spring test scores. A large majority was either back to their spring goal or had gained a little depending on their attendance level,” said teacher Alecia Bambrick.
She and Krick also worked with Tess James, Jon Smith, Laura Stuff and Whitney Westerman teaching the summer program.
Parents paid $240 per student to cover all materials and the teachers’ extra hours. The district did not incur any extra cost outside of the normal budget.
Kosbab said she hopes to expand the program to other subject areas and be able to admit more students next year.
“There’s nothing like this program in our area. Bradley and ICC offer summer programs but the difference is that we know the kids and know the curriculum they need in order to stay up to date with what they learn here in school,” said Kosbab. “We thought we were the best ones to offer it to the kids.”
