Learning Center principal reports about 490 students served in summer school; board members ask about staffing and special education

Spencer Weneke, Learning Center principal, told the Worthington Public School District Board of Education on a district meeting night that the districtserved about 490 students in summer school this year across multiple programs.

Weneke said the district ran programs ranging from kindergarten transition, targeted services for grades 1–8, extended school year through special education, a ninth-grade transitions program and credit-recovery courses for grades 10–12 at the Learning Center. “This is not exact. I want to be very clear,” Weneke said when presenting enrollment figures.

The presenter gave approximate counts: about 275 students in grades 1–8, 25 students in the ninth-grade transitions program and about 90 students at the Learning Center for grades 10–12. Weneke added that some tenth–twelfth graders were from other districts and included in the totals, and said the district served “a total of 490 students during summer school.”

Nut graf: The presentation summarized summer-school offerings, staffing and credit outcomes; board members focused questions on who was eligible for which programs, how many special-education students participated and how the short summer schedule maps to full-quarter coursework.

Weneke said summer school ran for 14 days and did not meet on the Juneteenth holiday; students in grades 1–9 attended about 5½ hours per day. High-school credit-recovery offerings used three two-hour blocks per day; each block earned the equivalent of a half credit, so a student could earn up to 1.5 credits depending on need. Weneke described how teachers prioritize standards and remove enrichment to concentrate on assessed content in the compressed schedule.

On outcomes, Weneke reported that at the conclusion of summer school 19 students graduated (one from outside the district), and that those results reflected a recent policy change allowing students closer to graduation to walk. “Of those 18 (in-district) students, only five were within a half credit; 13 students would not have been able to walk had we not changed that,” Weneke said. He also reported that staff recorded passing in about 373 classes and that the district logged roughly 86.5 credits earned during the term; Weneke described the totals as approximate and said the total possible credits were about 236.5, a roughly 79 percent success rate.

Board members asked several operational questions. Erin asked whether a three-week summer course compresses material normally taught in a full quarter; Weneke explained teachers “look at the standards that need to be assessed” and drop some projects or enrichment to focus on proficiency. A board member asked how many of the approximately 275 elementary/middle-school students were special-education students; Weneke replied that participation varied by program (extended school year, targeted services/EDGE and general education interventions) and depends on student needs and staffing availability.

When asked whether summer programming accepts students seeking to get ahead rather than recover credits, Weneke said available space is limited because many students need credit recovery; a “couple” of students used the program to increase their credit cushion but generally availability is constrained by demand.

Weneke told the board staffing for summer school included 37 teachers for grades 1–8 with 20 educational assistants, three teachers at the high school, 13 teachers at the Learning Center, and three administrative support staff. He thanked teachers, aides, custodial and kitchen staff for supporting the program.

Ending: Weneke said he would follow up with board members who asked about historical enrollment trends; when asked about that trend he said he would get the information and send it to the board. The presentation moved to questions and then to regular agenda business.