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Grafton summer enrichment program reports higher early enrollment, $5 price increase
Summary
Program directors told the School Committee that early registrations for the 2025 summer enrichment program exceed last year's at this point, with added classes for older students and a $5 per-class fee increase to cover paraprofessional costs.
Rachel Murray, co-director of Grafton's summer enrichment program, told the Grafton Public Schools School Committee on April 8 that early registration for the 2025 program is ahead of last year and the program has expanded offerings for older students.
Murray said the program had more than 300 registrations as of the meeting and that the district published its brochure about two weeks earlier than in 2024. She said staff retention is about 90 percent and that more cooking and STEM classes, an SAT course and a freshman orientation are among the new or expanded offerings. The brochure and registration information are available on the Grafton Public Schools website under the Parent > Summer Enrichment link, Murray said.
The program raised the per-class fee by $5, Murray said, to help cover the cost of hiring paraprofessionals. Murray said students typically register for multiple classes: on average, this year each student has signed up for about four classes, up from about three last summer.
Committee members asked about catalog clarity and capacity. Murray said course descriptions will indicate when an identical class is offered multiple weeks so parents can avoid duplicate sign-ups. The presenters and committee members also discussed capacity: Murray said the current count refers to individual students who have signed up for at least one class and that total class registrations could be substantially higher because many students take multiple classes. She said the program coordinates classroom space with Extended School Year (ESY) and town operations staff and will finalize which classes run in early May if some do not fill.
Murray credited outreach for stronger early numbers, noting the brochure release date and active marketing via Facebook and direct email. She said the program again plans to recruit NHS students for volunteer hours to assist class teachers.
Why it matters: Summer enrichment affects families' childcare and academic planning and uses school facilities shared with ESY. The program's modest fee increase and expanded offerings may change participation patterns and staffing needs.
Speakers at the presentation emphasized that the program is open to all Grafton residents and Grafton faculty children; committee members praised the added classes for older students and the freshman orientation.
Ending: The committee had no formal action on the presentation. Organizers will continue enrollment monitoring and will finalize class lists in early May; registration information remains available on the district website.
