Summer school classes to feature virtual learning
The first session of summer school will begin next week in the Grafton School District, but students will have to attend classes virtually due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We continued to hold out hope that we would be able to do in-person (classes), but the Washington Ozaukee Health Department and our own medical adviser (in May) recommended we do not hold in-person sessions,” Supt. Jeff Nelson said, noting that the start of the first session was delayed to Monday, June 22.
Nelson said 386 students signed up before registration closed June 9. Last year, 839 students were enrolled across the three sessions.
Nelson said the courses offered this summer are a mix of enrichment and academic classes for students in kindergarten through high school. He said students who struggled in a virtual learning environment during the school year may be helped by the smaller online class sizes this summer that will offer them more individualized instruction.
“Students have been doing online learning for the last three months and our teachers have been discovering what has worked and what has not. A lot of times, there’s the summer slide and our concern is not having that occur,” Nelson said.
Several new classes are being offered, including Greek mythology, computer-aided design and 3-D printing, a history course on unsolved mysteries and a music class on the fundamentals of composition.
“These new course offerings are very adaptable to online learning, and we’ve heard rumblings that our students are excited to try them out,” Nelson said.
Students not enrolled in summer classes are being encouraged to read books this summer. Students will have a chance to earn prizes when school resumes.
“We’re challenging all of our students and staff members to read at least two books over the summer, which will get us to over 4,600 books,” Nelson said.
The first summer school session ends July 2. The second session runs from July 6 to 16, and the final session will be from July 20 to 30.
Nelson said there is no fee for virtual classes.
“Although we will not have in-person summer school, it is the district’s mission to serve every student, every day,” Nelson said.
“We hope to resume in-person classes by the start of next school year, but we will wait until we know it is safe for our students, teachers and staff members.”
Category:
Feedback:
Click Here to Send a Letter to the EditorOzaukee Press
Wisconsin’s largest paid circulation community weekly newspaper. Serving Port Washington, Saukville, Grafton, Fredonia, Belgium, as well as Ozaukee County government. Locally owned and printed in Port Washington, Wisconsin.
125 E. Main St.
Port Washington, WI 53074
(262) 284-3494