Summer for the Books

BY MICHAEL TAYLOR, SUMMER SCHOOL COORDINATOR

After the cancellation of Summer School in 2020, students were welcomed back to Marburn’s campus in the summer of 2021 on July 7th for four weeks of learning and fun. The 2021 Summer School theme was “Summer for the Books,” and that it was!

Marburn welcomed a record-setting class of 85 students in pre-k through rising ninth graders and helped address the academic gap created by over a year of remote and disrupted learning. Students focused on reading, mathematics, writing, and comprehension skills and developed academic confidence as they prepared for the next grade level.

Throughout the program, students engaged in learning more about different books through interactive activities such as “Music Monday,” when students would listen to a song from a movie based on a book and take their best guess to identify the book. One morning the song was “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. by L. Frank Baum. Throughout the day, students spontaneously shared their thoughts about the story, and a few students were heard singing the song during breaks and transitions.

Summer School wrapped up with Recognition Ceremonies live-streamed for families to watch and celebrate student progress. Students then enjoyed an afternoon of fun field day activities.

In the last few days of Summer School, students shared their thoughts about the program and created a word cloud to illustrate the joy, fun, and learning that was experienced during 2021 Summer School: “Summer for the Books!”