Due to district cutbacks and budget concerns, this summer was the first time since 2003 that the Columbia School District hosted their own summer school without the aid of an outside company. In previous years NewtonLearning, now EdisonLearning, would build the curriculum and provide supplies to teachers.
“We were looking to save money and make it more locally owned,” Jan Mees, president of the Columbia Board of Education, said. By no longer relying on EdisonLearning for the summer school curriculum, local teachers were required to build their own classes, making them more targeted at Columbia youth.
New Curriculum
“When teachers in Columbia write the courses they become rich,” Connie Dewey, Lange Middle summer school principal, said.
Teachers in the district have written class curriculums unique from anything EdisonLearning offered by focusing on hands on learning. Students in elementary and middle school have access to classes taking them to Rock Bridge state park to learn about nature, cooking meals while also learning etiquette, building with cardboard to understand physics and other classes meant to educate and excite students.
The high schools have also made changes to their curriculum to offer more advanced courses and options to complete graduation credits. Students who failed courses during the school year can earn recovery credits in the summer. If a student received between 50-59 percent in a class during the school year they can take a class for credit competition requiring them to complete sections they failed for full credit.
High schools also offered advancement courses in physical education, health and personal finance for students in the summer instead of taking them during the school year, an ACT prep course and online courses. This is the first year online classes have been offered to high school students.
“I think the motivation for students is the credits,” said Ian Mette, Rock Bridge summer school principal said.
Attendance
Summer school attendance numbers were a concern from the beginning. Under EdisonLearning students were rewarded with $100 gift cards for perfect attendance, however the school district is not allowed to offer financial incentives to students.
“The loss of the $100 gift cards did have an effect on attendance, but I think the students that are here are for the right reasons,” Dewey said.
Despite the shrinking attendance overall, 7,100 students this year compared to 7,800 last, not all schools have seen a decline. Hickman high school attendance as of Tuesday, July 13, was 650 students, the final tally for last year was 515.
“I like the emphasis not being about the money,” Marietta Monroe, summer school principal of Blue Ridge elementary, said referring to no longer having the gift card incentives. “The kids seem more interested in learning.”
Funding
When the superintendent and the school board approved summer school in April there was no guarantee it would receive state funding. Budget cutbacks on the state level made summer school funding a possible target for trimming, however when the legislative session ended mid-May summer school remained in the budget.
Despite summer school remaining fully funded, cutbacks were still required.
“(We) sharpened the pencil on the supply budget,” Mary Humlicek summer school director.
Teachers who used supplies provided by EdisonLearning in the past were required to work with less and share with other classes. Administrators tried to get a hold of whatever teachers needed.
“The first week involved me running around town trying to find supplies,” Dewey said.
Despite concerns about funding and uncertainty of attendance numbers, summer school began and ended with few problems. Although attendance shrunk without the incentives, administrators and teachers do not seem disappointed.
“They’re all still here, and it’s the second to last day,” Blue Ridge Elementary kindergarten teacher Linda Kaoenig said.
