When school wraps up in about a month for students in the Berwyn South 100 school district in Berwyn, Ill., all 4,000 of them will have the opportunity to take part in some sort of summer school program.
This preK-8 school district about 11 miles away from Chicago doesn鈥檛 view summer school as simply a chance for students who are behind to catch up. School leaders believe it鈥檚 about making sure all students can keep learning and get the support they need, whether that鈥檚 remedial help or enrichment.
鈥淎ll students need to continue learning throughout the summer to avoid the summer slide,鈥� said Allison Boutet, the district鈥檚 summer school coordinator and principal of Heritage Middle School in Berwyn.
Boutet expects about 1,000 students to participate in a summer school program, with about one-third choosing to take part in a virtual learning experience.
Logistics
The district began offering a virtual summer school option four years ago. Students in the program attend class on Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. During that time they work on reading, math, and writing with the opportunity to participate in a science, technology, engineering, and math, or STEM, activity as well.
The rest of the time they work independently on school-issued iPads.
鈥淚t offers students who may not be able to participate in a daily program due to other activities in the summer or vacation, it allows them to continue their learning, and it provides them access to reading and learning resources,鈥� said Boutet.
Teachers who lead classes through the virtual summer school program communicate with students throughout the week and maintain online systems, but because they鈥檙e not required to be at school as often, the program allows the district to save some money. Boutet says the district spends about $700 dollars less on teachers in this program.
This type of program is not without its critics. In a recent Chicago Tribune , Rena Shifflet, an associate professor at Illinois State University鈥檚 School of Teaching and Learning, expressed concerns about the effectiveness of these programs for young learners.
鈥淓specially with the younger child, just expecting them to be put in front of the computer and that they鈥檒l do what they鈥檙e really supposed to do, there鈥檚 really no guarantee that that鈥檚 going to happen,鈥� Shifflet said.
One of Four Options
Virtual learning is not the only option for students in the district. In addition to the virtual summer school program, the district also offers three other summer school options, including one that meets three days a week, a leadership camp, and what鈥檚 called a 鈥渟tep-it-up camp鈥� for middle school students that focuses on social and emotional learning.
Students are recommended for the program that鈥檚 best suited to their needs.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think virtual summer school is probably meant for everyone,鈥� said Boutet. 鈥淪ome students do better in other settings, and we鈥檙e able to offer that. There鈥檚 never a one-size-fits-all when it comes to students鈥� learning.鈥�
Photo: A student works on a math problem at school through the Berwyn South 100 school district鈥檚 virtual summer school program. (Credit Allison Boutet)