Teacher‑led STEM pilot at Solano praised by parents; organizers urge district to expand free summer offerings

A teacher‑led summer STEM pilot at Solano Elementary drew strong praise from parents and staff at Tuesday’s Osborne School District Governing Board meeting, and the program coordinator urged the district to consider making free summer camps a regular offering.

Third‑grade teacher and camp coordinator Kirsten Callison told the board the weeklong pilot, run in partnership with the Arizona Science Center and funded by an Arizona Department of Education grant, provided targeted tutoring in literacy and math alongside hands‑on science experiences. “Students stayed curious and engaged,” she said, and parents “raved about the experience.” Callison said eight instructors were funded by the grant and that nutrition staff supplied breakfast and lunch at no cost to families.

Callison outlined daily themes — medical, veterinary, forensic, meteorology and marine biology — and characterized the program as both academic support and an inspiration to students to see themselves in STEM fields. She read a parent letter during public comment in which the parent described a child coming home “excited” and sharing new facts about meteorology and seismology.

Callison thanked volunteers and staff who supported the pilot and asked the district to prioritize a STEM‑camp initiative next summer “especially in one of our higher‑need schools so students who primarily walk to school can have access.” Board members and the superintendent expressed appreciation and said they would consider ways to scale and sustain the work; no formal commitment or budget action was made at the meeting.

Several board members later said the camp could serve as both a student enrichment and family‑engagement strategy and noted the pilot’s potential as a district‑wide recruiting and retention tool.