8 minute read
Is This the Summer for School?
How to decide if summer school is right for your child
By Marie Holmes
The words “summer school” can invoke a draconian misery— and are often uttered as a threat from a teacher or parent. But after more than a year of pandemic shut-down, summer school, like many things, looks very different through COVIDcolored glasses.
What has the school year been like?
If your child thrives with in-person learning, summer offers an opportunity for more. On the other hand, if they are anxious about the return to normal, summer school could be a low-stakes way to ease back into the rhythms of the school day. “For the greater part of the year, children, and teachers, have been behind screens,” says Amelia Clune, who teaches third grade in the Bronx. The Summer Rising program, NYC’s free summer plan for kids in kindergarten to 12th grade, she believes, “will provide children with an opportunity to develop not only academic, but also social-emotional skills which, after an isolating year, many of our students need.”
There are many reasons summer school makes sense this year. For one, parents are worried about learning gaps. Whether their kids have been remote, hybrid, or in school, parents are eager for them to catch up—both academically and socially. They want their children to reacclimate to the classroom—and to spend the day away from home and among peers again. And many local educators agree that far from being punitive, this year’s summer school offerings can and should provide opportunities for students to delight in the in-person company of their classmates and teachers. If you’re thinking about summer school for your child, here are a few things to consider:
Does your chilD have learning gaps that neeD to be aDDresseD?
If your child is struggling with assignments, it’s a good indicator they could use extra academic help. Check in with your child’s teacher to see what they recommend. Some summer programs are tailored for kids with specific challenges. For example, the Windward School, which has campuses in Manhattan and Westchester, serves students with language-based learning disabilities. This summer, it will offer its academic summer camp program, running July 6-30. “If students have lost any ground, this is an opportunity for them to make that up,” says program co-director Tanya Ehrlich. Optional afternoon enrichment classes include sports, arts, and drama. “Most kids who come to our program end up feeling like it’s not a punishment for them,” says program co-director Ashley Di Salvo.
is this a transition year for your chilD?
Your kindergartener may never have experienced a typical school day with a classroom full of children. An incoming sixth-grader might be anxious about entering a new building and meeting new classmates. While you can reassure them that they won’t be the only one who feels this way, having some familiar places and faces is always helpful. Regardless of the program you choose, summer school can help soothe anxieties about returning in September.
hoW much can you afforD to spenD?
If your child’s public school district doesn’t have a summer school program in place, you can consider one of many private school programs or even an academic-focused summer camp. While not free, they can offer the advantages of specially trained teachers (Windward School’s teachers, for example, have degrees in special education) and very small class sizes.
hoW Will you balance summer activities?
Kids who need academic intervention have the same needs for play and unstructured time as everyone else. It’s important that kids have some downtime and are forced to find creative ways to entertain themselves. So, figuring out the right balance of play time and school will be up to each family—they’ll have to factor in vacations, summer camp sessions, playdates, and family time.
The 2021-2022 academic year, a much longed-for return to normalcy, has a lot riding on it. In addition to getting back up to speed academically, our children have to reacclimate to the idea of school as a destination and learning as a communal activity. While summer school might be something you’d try to avoid at another time, this summer offers everyone a chance to reimagine what school can be, and to carry those lessons with us into September.
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856 Main St., New Rochelle 914-278-9477 agamesports.net/little-learners
A-Game Academics Little Learners Pre-School Academy offers a solid basis for kindergarten readiness and a developed and proven curriculum. In a new state-of-the art classroom and facility, children will learn to write, learn math and phonics-as well as science, sports, art and technology.
Alcott Montessori School
535 Broadway, Dobbs Ferry 914-693-4443 27 Crane Road, Scarsdale 914-472-4404 alcottschool.org
Alcott School provides children ages 2-6 a supportive, multicultural, learning environment where they develop independence, self-confidence, and pride in their abilities. All sites offer a developmentally appropriate curriculum with Montessori materials, music, creative movement, and nature enrichment programs.
Ann and Andy Child Care
2170 Saw Mill River Road, Elmsford 914-592-3027 annandandychildcare.com annandydca@aol.com
Family-owned and operated since 1973! We offer a variety of fun activities for children ages 3 months to 12 years. We are NYSOCFS licensed. We offer flexible schedules, reasonable rates, nutritious lunches, a caring staff, individualized attention, age-appropriate field trips, 25 play areas, and 13 classrooms. COVID safety regulations are followed.
Easter Seals Project Explore
70 Columbus Ave., Valhalla 914-328-1578 easterseals.com/newyork
We serve children with and without disabilities in inclusive, integrated, small classrooms. We offer high-quality full- and part-time programs, school year and year-round, for children ages 18 months to 5 years, from 8:30am2:30pm. Vacation clubs during school breaks and summer camp are available.
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317 North St., White Plains 914-597-4098 setonchildrens.org/elizabeth-seton-childrens-school Jennifer Geskie, principal: jgeskie@setonchildrens.org
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French-American School of New York (FASNY)
914-250-0401 fasny.org admissions@fasny.org
Founded in 1980, FASNY is an international and bilingual N-12 day school educating more than 700 students on three campuses in Mamaroneck and Larchmont. No French required! It is the only school in the New York metropolitan area accredited to offer both the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma and the French baccalaureate.
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Green Meadow Waldorf School
307 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge 845-356-2514 gmws.org
Green Meadow Waldorf School offers a beautiful 11-acre campus, busing from Westchester/NYC, and outdoor learning spaces. Our focus this year prioritizes our core values: diversity, equity, and inclusion; COVID-19 safety protocols and a healthy campus; strong daily rhythms; deep relationships; and place-based education for the whole person.
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Maria Regina High School is a Catholic, college preparatory, secondary school for girls founded by the Sisters of the Resurrection. Located in Hartsdale, MRHS offers Advanced Placement, college credit, and honors courses. Students are challenged to develop their intellectual potential through individualized academic programs, strong athletics, and extracurricular and service opportunities in a spiritual atmosphere.
Winston Preparatory School
Seven schools located in New York City, Long Island, NY, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, in addition to a fully online school accessible anywhere in the U.S. 631-779-2400 winstonprep.edu liadmissions@winstonprep.edu
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