Ever since I began working in Covington Independent Public Schools 20 years ago, I have always taken an interest in afterschool and summer programs. My experience includes being an employee for afterschool and summer programs, a developer of afterschool and summer programs from the ground up, a coordinator of afterschool and summer programs, an administrator who developed afterschool and summer programs for various schools, and presently an administrator who supports afterschool and summer schools in his own school and district. Summer programs were in full swing in Covington 20 years ago but did not yet have the type of academic focus our programs have today. I have been able to see how these traditional programs have evolved over the years. Until about 10 years ago, our summer programs mostly focused on physical education and fun activities for the kids. While these types of activities are vital and still a major focus in both our afterschool and summer programs, we have seen the need to provide an academic focus for our kids. This focus is mostly due to what some might refer to as summer slide or summer learning loss.
Many administrators and teachers will tell you, summer slide happens. We collect the data each fall that proves it is real. Unfortunately, most consistent with the research is we see most learning losses with our students who already have gaps in their learning, our older students, and our students who already receive special education services. While I feel our summer programs are beneficial for all students, for those specific groups it is even more important. In collaboration with our teachers and summer program coordinators, we are proactive in referring these students to our programs. This referral process is common practice in the summer and afterschool during the regular school year. Over the past few years, our district has also supported our programs by providing funds to hire certified special education teachers, as well as a jump start program for kindergarten students called ‘Me and My School’ funded also by our district and The United Way. Our special education teachers support our students who may need accommodations or modifications in the summer months. It gives those students who may have more involved needs the same opportunities as all students. With Me and My School, our incoming kindergarten students spend five weeks getting to know their new school and some of their peers. They also receive a curriculum provided by a certified teacher and assistant in which they practice some of the needed skills of incoming kindergarten students.
Summer learning loss occurs not only in our urban school districts, but it also occurs in our rural and suburban schools. In fact, researchers have begun to notice that the academic regression can be more prevalent in urban areas due to low socioeconomic status of families. It's common sense that summer programs with an academic focus can help alleviate some of this slide. We also have to remember it is not just the academic focus programs provide; it is the additional five weeks of socializing with peers, arts and humanities, field trips, as well as physical activities that keep our students’ bodies and brains sharp.
Some will argue that students will catch up in the fall when school begins. From a principal’s point of view, in some cases that is true, but that takes time--time that we use to move students forward, instead of being used catching students up. In addition, do not forget the high-risk groups I mentioned above who already have gaps to close. Catching students up during the school year also takes intense instructional systems and well-trained teachers. This also means that schools need to provide blocks of time in the day where this intervention can occur, which takes away from some type of core instruction. These intervention blocks need staffed with trained intervention teachers, which also costs additional money (which most of the time schools do not have). With that said, the truth is with or without summer school, these systems of interventions must exist in each of our schools on a daily basis. Five more weeks of literacy and mathematics in the summer means those students will be more prepared when the school year begins and will spend less time out of the regular classroom in intervention.
As I mentioned above, the needs of our students and families have evolved over the years and academics are not our only concern. We all realize it is no secret mental health services for our children early on has become more and more necessary. About eight years ago, our district began providing school-based therapy to our students during the school day. All Covington Independent Public Schools have been fortunate enough to have a therapist from NorthKey for our students on a daily basis. In most of our schools, school based therapy began about eight years ago for one day a week and is now provided five days a week, both during and after school hours. At five days a week during the regular school year, this therapist sees a full caseload of 40 plus students on a regular basis. Like academics, the need for mental health services does not end in May. So now, having a summer program gives our students access to this therapist each day in the summer. Like during the school year, the accessibility of the therapist on site greatly increases the chances the students will consistently receive the services they need during the summer months. I cannot say how thankful I am that our kids are able to receive these services on site. Receiving these services regularly opens so many doors to academic success for them.
I hope you see what has evolved is the need for our schools to be the hub of our communities. The need for our schools to provide not only academics for our students, but also wrap around support services for our students and our communities. This is progressing slowly but surely, because it takes support from not only school districts, but also all stakeholders involved in our communities. Our schools need to be available as the hubs of our communities not only during the school year, but also during the summer months. Our schools are a safe place for our students and in some cases, the only place our students feel completely safe. Unlike the regular school year, the summer program is a choice, but it has to be a choice available to our students who need it the most. My opinion is that it is not only the responsibility of our school districts to provide these services, but we need partnerships with our communities to provide these opportunities for their children in the summer months. Of course, this is my opinion, and not to be cliché, but we all know it takes a village. As of now, we are so fortunate to have 21st Century grants for our afterschool and summer programs in Covington, district support, and the continued support of our own Covington Partners who bring together many other supporters. Year to year we are reminded that grant funds may not always be available for our schools. What has evolved is something we need to think about and sustain in the future for our kids in Covington.
Scott Alter, Principal, Glenn O. Swing Elementary School