District reports measurable gains from Summer Learning Academy; public urges expansion beyond credit recovery

District staff updated the Board of Education on the Summer Learning Academy and the Extended School Year program and reported measurable gains on pre- and post-assessments, while a public commenter urged the board to expand summer opportunities beyond credit recovery programs.

Mister Naglek, a district staff member who presented the update alongside Alyssa Petrino and Christy Michael, said the K–8 Summer Learning Academy used weekly communications with families, breakfast and recess, STEAM activities and ‘‘Theme Thursdays’’ to keep students engaged. He said the program scheduled a Friday off each week based on teacher feedback to avoid choppy weeks around holidays.

“The main goal was to obviously prevent any kind of regression in skill sets, also bolstering any skill sets they do currently have,” Mister Naglek said, describing the district’s use of pre- and post-assessments to measure growth.

Staff reported average academy attendance of about 83 percent and that kindergarten enrollment included 24 students. Growth from pre- to post-assessment by grade, as presented to the board, included: kindergarten math 59 percent and reading 41 percent; first grade math 67 percent and reading 50 percent; second grade math 80 percent and reading 108 percent; third grade math 38 percent and reading 15 percent; fourth grade math 126 percent and reading 76 percent; fifth grade math 84 percent and reading 22 percent; and grades 6–8 combined showed 45 percent growth in math and 62 percent growth in reading. Staff cautioned that third-grade gains were smaller because of the curriculum shift to multiplication and division standards at that grade level.

Mister Naglek said the district limited summer instruction in some grade-level classes to four to five priority standards aligned to Achieve the Core rather than attempting to cover multiple standards in a four- to five-week program.

For high school students, staff reported a credit-recovery program with 94 students enrolled; 82 students had completed the credit and four remained working to complete it. Staff said students pay a fee for summer credit-recovery enrollment. The recovery option can be completed remotely, but students who need more one-on-one help may attend in person; staff said students who come in are required to be in the building for the full time the first three days to be oriented and get teacher support.

Staff also reported 47 students participated in the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) program. Presenters said they will continue to monitor participants over the fall and through longer breaks to gauge whether summer attendance produces faster recoupment of learning.

During public comment, Mister Doyle, a resident, praised the condition of school grounds and asked the board to press presenters about expanding summer classes beyond credit recovery. “I hope board members will speak up and ask the presenting team about opportunities available for all students, not just those requiring credit recovery,” Doyle said, urging live summer classes that promote engagement and mitigate learning loss for a broader student population.

A board member noted prior discussion and said the board had agreed to return with next year’s proposals on summer programming for further consideration and possible expansion.

No formal vote accompanied the presentation; the item was a report to the board and discussion included follow-up direction to return with proposals for the next year.