Summer school about Greene County available
Greene County moms and dads wondering how to keep their youngsters occupied when the inevitable boredom sets in after summer vacation excitement wears thin can send them back to school. Any fourth- through eighth-graders, regardless of grades or family income, who are looking for a fun way to learn something can sign up for Greene County TRAILS summer school. Activities will be held at the schools June 17 to July 22, Mondays through Thursdays, from 9 a.m. to noon. Special activities may take place on Fridays, and there is no cost to parents.
Working through the 21st Century Community Learning Centers of Greene County (21st CCLC), Jefferson-Morgan School District is among the Greene County districts planning a full schedule to keep participants busy.
“Our teachers have started planning the summer school already. We’re doing the Greene County theme, and lessons will focus on Greene County. They will be looking at historical things, folklore, nature and crafts. They will have local field trips. They will look at how the river has influenced the development of the county and background on the name itself,” said Donna Furnier, director of federal programs and the Jeff-Morgan representative for this program. “We are really excited about the activities and building skills over the summer.”
Furnier said parents can watch for registration forms that the school district will send home.
Students in Southeastern Greene School District asked for rock climbing and science presentations in this summer’s program, said Dr. Philip J. Savini Jr., assistant to the superintendent.
Savini said the students completed surveys, asking for the added activities. He said mathematics and reading are the primary focus, but the district is expanding its lessons further into science, since the state has come out with academic standards in that subject.
“We are also going to focus on environmental awareness and relating science to real-life conditions,” Savini said. “This summer, we will continue our focus on reading and math and add science activities. Rock climbing will be held in the summer and carry on to the fall. There will also be some athletics.”
Anyone interested in Southeastern Greene can call Bobtown Elementary School. Registration forms also will be sent home.
The summer program is being held through 21st CCLC for which the county last year received a federal grant. Director Linda P. McCracken explained TRAILS stands for technology, recreation and integrated learning skills/standards.
“Anyone in grades four to eight are eligible to sign up for the summer. Call your local school,” McCracken said.
McCracken recently presented the Greene County commissioners with an executive summary of the 21st CCLC 2001-2002 school year, noting the summer and after-school programs were held at six sites. The focus was on reading literacy, math, recreation and technology, with some science and the arts. Programs got under way for the first time last summer and continued as after-school efforts through this school year.
McCracken said 526 students served in the academic year and 227 in the summer. She listed 681 total (unduplicated) students served, with 176 who attended 30 days or more. The teaching staff totaled 46.
Fourth- through eighth-graders were served at Carmichaels Junior-Senior High School, Margaret Bell Miller Middle School, Jefferson-Morgan Junior-Senior High School and Mapletown Junior-Senior High School. Graysville and Aleppo elementary schools included third through fifth grades. The Greene County Area Vocational-Technical School was a seventh site, where the focus was on transition to the world of work for 12th graders attending the vocational classes.
“I think the most important thing was being able to work with that many students in reading and math,” McCracken said.
She said the offerings started at two days a week and expanded to three in most cases. She said she hopes for a steady four days a week and more parental involvement.
“We had an excellent year for the first year, and parents and kids seemed to like it,” she said.
McCracken said the grant is for the after-school and summer activities that teachers have said make a difference in improving their students’ grades. She said the purpose has been not only to enhance student achievement but also to give the youngsters a safe haven after the regular school day.
Furnier said the first year for this program at Jeff-Morgan was a success, noting that the numbers of students attending and the frequency of their attendance grew and that the after-school sessions did expand to three days a week.
“It’s been tremendous and the teachers have been tremendous. They are so thrilled with being able to work with the kids in the small groups, and sometimes it is one on one,” Furnier said.
Savini said the program also has been positive for Southeastern Greene, where one day a week expanded to two days.
“We were pleased with what we did and the support we got from children and parents,” he said.
The 21st CCLC executive summary for the year noted each school district has had a high school and middle school/junior high school People Using Leadership Skills Effectively (PULSE) team that was trained this year.
PULSE is a drug and alcohol prevention/intervention process, and the team is made up of teachers, nurses, administrators, parents, community people and county agencies.
Fall and winter computer classes were offered at no charge to 131 people in Carmichaels, Jeff-Morgan, West Greene and Central Greene districts, with classes taught by 21st CCLC technology personnel.
An online adult literacy class got under way in Carmichaels through collaboration with Intermediate Unit 1, state Department of Education, PA Team Career Link and PBS, with 12 participants.
Among future 21st CCLC activities are child care services for Greene County parents participating in the educational classes and activities, with the centers to be located in Carmichaels, Jefferson and Waynesburg through the Greene County Industrial Development Authority and 21st CCLC.
The 21st CCLC Web site is www.21stgreene.com
. Information about last year’s summer schools at Carmichaels and Margaret Bell Miller schools can be found at the Web site.