Wareham outlines summer programs: ESY at elementary and high school sites; Boost, preschool and care offerings

At the May 29 meeting, district staff presented the 2025 summer program plan, describing two Extended School Year (ESY) sites for students with significant needs, a restructured Boost intervention for K–4 students, a preschool pilot funded by a CPPI grant and full‑day care options that will account for interlocking registrations.

The special‑education ESY will run July 7–Aug. 7 at two locations: Wareham Elementary School serving pre‑K through grade 7, and Wareham High School serving grades 8–12 (including students who remain eligible until age 22). The district said the ESY program will run Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–11:30 a.m., with current enrollment at 83 students and an anticipated wave of late registrations. "Our program runs Monday through Thursday from 08:30AM to 11:30AM," a special‑education staff member said, noting that the district currently has 10 teachers, about 20 paraprofessionals, a coordinator, two nurses (one half‑time in each building), a secretary and 12 related‑service providers assigned to ESY.

Nut graf: District leaders said concentrated, higher‑need placements are driving staffing needs and that ESY must staff at high ratios to meet IEP requirements and keep students safe. Administrators also described flexible scheduling so students in Boost or Accelerated Academy can remain in care programs to accommodate family needs and transportation.

Elementary summer care and Boost: At Wareham Elementary the care program (K–7) will operate July 7–Aug. 7, Monday–Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.; the presenters reported 35 students enrolled so far. The Boost intervention for K–4 was restructured into morning and afternoon cohorts, with each cohort receiving 50 hours of the Boost curriculum. Capacity for Boost was described as up to 240 students (two cohorts per grade), and registration numbers announced during the meeting included roughly 20 kindergarten→1st grade, 39 first→second, 20 second→third and 14 third→fourth students in place at the time of the presentation.

Preschool and other notes: For the first time the district will operate a preschool summer program (3–5 year olds) July 7–Aug. 7 funded by a CPPI grant; the presenter reported 10 students enrolled. Presenters said enrollment is typically rolling and they expect upticks as summer approaches; the district also plans to target higher‑risk students for morning Boost slots and use the care program to keep families whole when transportation limits apply.

Administrators answered committee questions about staff ratios and changes in the student mix. A district presenter said caseloads and intensity have shifted toward smaller groups with higher needs: "More intense. We have a lot of students that are transferring from the middle school to the high school this year... the level of support that's needed within just that one classroom is requiring six staff." Committee members asked whether additional funding would allow the program to serve more students; presenters said they serve students identified for ESY and would not turn students away but that concentrated intensive needs determine staffing.

Ending: Registration was ongoing; presenters said final counts often increase up to the program start. Committee members asked staff to continue outreach to families and to report updated enrollment figures as the start date approaches.