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District says summer Camp Jeff reached hundreds, reports positive assessment growth
Summary
Jefferson Elementary’s summer programs served about 650 students; district officials said Camp Jeff (roughly 300 younger students) showed measurable pre/post assessment gains and that partnerships with Galileo, USF and Jefferson Union High helped broaden enrichment offerings.
Jennifer Lorac, program director of expanded learning and staff supports, told trustees the district offered four summer options in 2025 and served roughly 650 students across programs.
“Camp Jeff is a five‑week summer program…Mornings equal learning power. Each day starts with academic time led by credential teachers,” Lorac said, adding that the district tracked growth with pre‑ and post‑assessments created by the Caesar Chavez Foundation.
Matt Fredericks, who served as a Camp Jeff site leader, described the experience as a condensed leadership and management role for teachers and said staff collaboration with custodial and food services improved day‑to‑day operations. “It felt like we all made a good team…we had a lot of fun,” Fredericks said.
Lorac said Camp Jeff K–3 hosted about 300 students across two sites and that the district partnered with community providers such as the Boys and Girls Club (afternoon activities) and Galileo (STEAM enrichment). The district also brought in USF student teachers to support instruction and noted that summer programming offered a feasibility pathway for staff seeking administrative experience.
Staff said Camp Jeff used a ready‑to‑deliver curriculum from the Caesar Chavez Foundation and that assessment results showed growth at every grade level assessed. Trustees requested follow‑up: staff will analyze fall benchmark data to measure summer participation’s effect on achievement gaps, noting the caveat that summer participants are disproportionately unduplicated students and comparisons must control for that.
The district also ran a green awareness two‑week program for grades 7–8, funded through Jefferson Union High School District, to introduce careers in agriculture, engineering and green transportation; staff said 27 students from summer wait lists were placed into that program.
What’s next: Administration said it would continue to refine staffing recruitment, using curriculum choices and modest pay bumps to attract summer teachers, and to report back with data linking summer participation to fall benchmark outcomes.
