Screenshot from Monday’s Harrisburg School Board meeting
As local families make summer plans, the Harrisburg School District hopes education will be part of them.
At a board meeting on Monday, district officials announced that they are planning summer school opportunities for students to stay sharp and catch up if needed.
“Our overall goal is to provide the opportunity to re-engage our students,” said Jackie Castleman, assistant director of academic services. “We want it to be fun, and we feel like we have a plan in the works.”
The school will provide programs for kindergarten through 11th-grade students. There may be options for both in-person and virtual participation, Castleman said.
This comes after many students spent almost the entire school year learning virtually, in addition to much of last year. Some adapted to the virtual environment while others struggled to keep up.
Small cohorts of elementary students recently returned for hybrid, in-person and online classes.
The district hopes to keep the momentum going through the summer.
Kindergarten through eighth-grade students can enroll in a six-week course that will likely run Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Throughout the half-day, teachers will provide language, writing, math and STEAM classes. The program will run from mid-June through the end of July.
Students in grades nine through 11 have the chance to participate in a three-week program, Monday through Thursday. There will be two sessions each day, one from 8 to 11 a.m. and another from 12 to 3 p.m. This will provide enrichment opportunities, as well as credit recovery for those who failed courses during the school year.
The district plans to hire a district coordinator for the summer programs, as well as site coordinators, Castleman said.
Families will likely receive flyers about the programs by next week, and registration will open, as well.
“We hope to get lots of students involved in this opportunity,” Castleman said.
Acting Superintendent Chris Celmer said the district is planning to continue the summer school program in years to come.
“I can’t wait until we share more details with our families and start to see the enrollments come in,” he said.
For more information, visit the Harrisburg School District’s website.
Support quality local journalism. Become a Friend of TheBurg!
