Schools are stepping into their summer programming carrying on a virtual schooling model, for the most part.
Students with an Individualized Education Program, or IEP, are sometimes entitled to what is known as an Extended School Year, or specialized instruction provided when school isn’t in session. This includes during the summer months, though it is different from summer school, and are meant to help the student not lose skills or academic progress. It can include academic tutoring, or sessions of occupational or speech therapy.
Governor Chris Sununu announced in late May that all school districts in the state must consider extended school year services for all students with an IEP, whether or not they’ve received them in the past, to consider options for in-person or remote extended school year programs.
Macenic Superintendent Chris Martin said currently, for the Mascenic School District, students who are in need of summer programming have been identified, and all those classes will occur remotely, as they have been for the last several months.
Students who have English as a second language are also going to continue to receive summer instruction virtually.
“Everything is being done remotely. That’s the arrangement, currently,” Martin said.
The Mascenic district is also currently exploring other potential Summer programming, such as an arts program, which would also be virtual, but Martin said the district hasn’t committed to that yet, and is currently just trying to gauge how many students might be interested in those programs.
Kimberly Rizzo Saunders, superintendent of the ConVal Regional School District, said the district is taking a highly individual approach to its summer programming, and will be making decisions “student by student” about what their summer classes look like. She said she has not ruled out in-person instruction, if that’s what’s called for.
“There may be, if it’s in the student’s best interest,” Rizzo Saunders said, of in-person instruction.
But in those cases, Rizzo Saunders said, likely the instruction would be limited to one-to-one instruction.
“We wouldn’t have sessions of ten students in person,” she said.
She said the district is anticipating at least “some level” of virtual instruction to continue throughout the summer months, but said teams are currently meeting to determine plans for individual students. Those meetings aren’t complete, yet, she said.
The Jaffrey-Rindge School District may also take a mixed approach, according to Nicholas Handy, communications coordinator for the district.
Jaffrey-Rindge has 18 students who have been signed up for the district’s extended school year, and they will receive one-on-one tutoring. The district is considering two approaches – all remote learning, or a mix of remote and in person.
Normally, Handy said, the extended school year takes on a more camp-like format.
The Jaffrey-Rindge district is also making plans to hold its BEST Camp. The camp will run between three and four days a week during July, Handy said, at the Monadnock Christian Ministries in Jaffrey. The camp will allow students to have outdoor experiences while allowing the district to still maintain the parameters for day camps approved by Sununu. About 50 students entering grades six, seven and eight will participate.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.