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Students describe summer service‑learning and summer school programs to Saint Croix board
Summary
Teachers and students presented highlights from service learning and summer school programs, describing community projects, swimming lessons, nutrition classes and student engagement challenges including staffing and attendance.
Teachers and students summarized summer programs for the Saint Croix School District Board of Education on Oct. 22, detailing service‑learning projects, summer-school class offerings and participation levels.
Rhonda Malicek, a special education teacher, introduced a student showcase on the district’s service‑learning summer program. Students described activities including farm visits to a district-run solar farm and cattle operation, animal care (ducks, goats, chickens), volunteer landscaping and packaging food donations for local charities. One student said the group packed meals through Feed My Starving Children and delivered about "302 pounds of donations" to a church, and another reported that the program produced a large total of prepared meals through service work.
Jackie Palmer, middle school assistant principal, presented the district’s summer‑school recap. She reported 358 students participated across kindergarten through eighth grade (233 elementary and a higher middle‑school turnout). Palmer described program elements such as a new nutrition class, indoor‑outdoor games, run club culminating in a 5K, band instruction, sport‑specific skills sessions for high‑school athletes, and swimming lessons delivered in partnership with an Ellsworth instructor; she noted weather forced early finishes on some swim days.
Both presenters and board members discussed operational challenges: recruiting enough certified teachers to staff courses, maintaining consistent attendance for scheduled activities (which can lead to instructor scheduling and cost issues), and ensuring transportation for field trips. Palmer said an August session targeted students with active reading plans and drew 31 students for an eight‑day session.
Board members thanked staff and volunteers. The district’s summer programs were presented as both community service and student enrichment; administrators said they will continue recruitment efforts for certified summer staff and evaluate program offerings for future summers.
