South Colonie summarizes summer school, ESY and Summer Academy results; enrollment, pass rates and staffing noted

District staff provided detailed reports on three summer programs during the Oct. 7 board meeting, summarizing enrollment, course offerings, student outcomes and operational lessons for 2026.

Summer school (grades 5–12) Stephanie (summer school lead) reported the program ran July sessions at Sand Creek due to construction at other sites. Core course enrollment included roughly 49 students in grades 5–6, about 84 in grades 7–8 and 151 in grades 9–12, for a total near 284 students in credit-bearing classes; an additional 249 students enrolled in virtual Regents test preparation and 104 students passed Regents exams in August. Presenters said approximately 89% of students who completed credit-bearing courses earned course credit and the program had an 89% attendance rate for those classes. Staff noted difficulty hiring an earth science teacher for in‑person instruction; the district used Edmentum independent coursework for that subject and reported low pass rates for that offering.

Extended School Year (ESY) for special education ESY coordinator Melissa Judge reported 104 students "said yes" to ESY this summer and about 98 attended consistently. ESY ran for six weeks, K–12 up to age 21, with speech, occupational therapy, physical therapy and social work services provided based on IEP recommendations. Attendance averaged roughly 87%. Judge highlighted strengths including two consistent nurses, strong transportation support and partnerships with SEPTA and community vendors. Recommendations included broadening TCIS de‑escalation/restraint training for ESY staff, exploring additional sensory training, and continuing specials such as music, art and field experiences.

Summer Academy / UPK Summer Academy lead Jen Mills reported it was the program's 10th anniversary; this year participation dipped (about 297 versus prior averages near 350) because late budget approval delayed invitations and many families had already booked summer plans. The program reported a 95% attendance rate and 33% of participants were classified as English language learners (up from 25% the previous year). Summer Academy again measured maintenance on F&P reading levels; staff recommended earlier recruitment and continuing targeted TA support and remedial small-group instruction.

Common operational notes and recommendations Presenters thanked transportation, food service, custodial and IT staff for logistical support. Several speakers recommended returning some summer programs to smaller sites (to contain high schoolers in one wing), adding ENL staffing to summer school, expanding driver's education offerings, and recruiting summer staff earlier to improve continuity. Several board members asked for three‑year trend data on Regents and Edmentum outcomes and for follow‑up on which students who did not pass were ELLs; staff committed to providing additional breakdowns.

No new policy or budget actions were taken at the meeting based solely on these presentations; the reports were provided for board review and to inform planning for summer 2026.