While all the details aren’t in place yet, Marysville’s plans for getting students extra help during the summer are starting to come into focus.
In a video presentation at Marysville’s Board of Education meeting Thursday, District Personalized Learning Director Ashley Thompson outlined how schools are preparing to push learning opportunities to students in need during the spring and summer months.
Thompson said a variety of programs are in place for the remainder of the year, such as before and after school tutoring, additional remediation time during the school day, tutoring availability at the Hope Center and Bunsold After School Enrichment program, and extra programming on Wednesdays when most students are still in remote learning.
Educators will target students in need of extra work, with a focus on those who are economically disadvantaged, as well as all first grade students. There will also be a focus to identify students struggling with social/emotional issues stemming from their time away from school.
According to the presentation, those receiving additional tutoring during the remainder of the year will receive skill based instruction in small groups. Their progress will be monitored as teachers try to help them close achievement gaps in reading, writing and math.
In developing a plan of attack for the summer months, Thompson said each building is working on its own framework which can involve remote instruction, in-building work, or a blend of both. She said those students needing to visit the schools for help would be provided transportation and meals.
Thompson said building principals are currently developing plans for each age group but there will be a focus on connecting with students through engaging projects such as summer reading challenges, themed instruction weeks and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) activities.
As an example of the engaging projects, Superintendent Diane Allen said COSI has donated 500 kits for summer learning that contain activities centered aground STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills.
Board member Dick Smith asked when the enrichment programs would run during the summer. Allen said different age groups could be handled differently. For example, she said elementaries are considering two weeks in June and two weeks in July, while high school students could receive targeted instruction aimed at obtaining certain credits, as well as a boot camp late in the summer to propel them into next school year.
In other business, the board:
•Heard an update from Assistant Superintendent Jonathan Langhals about the districts plans for state testing in the coming months.
•Learned from Treasurer Todd Johnson that the district has received a $375,000 payment from the state meant to help with $2 million cut from the district’s funding over the last two years. Johnson said the payment came because Ohio’s economy is recovering from the pandemic faster than expected.
•Voted to approve the resolution in support of the Ohio Fair Funding School Plan, an initiative designed to more fairly distribute money to educate students across the state. The plan was passed by the Ohio House last year but died in the senate. It has been reintroduced this year.
•Learned that Early College High School Assistant Principal Jodi Robertson will be resigning at the end of the school year to take a job as principal at Perry Middle School in Worthington.
•Learned that Human Resources Director Lynette Focht will be resigning to take a position in the Dublin School District.