The Douglas County School System hosted over 2,200 elementary and middle school students for summer school in June. Every school was open for face-to-face instruction as teachers worked to catch students up and accelerate their learning.
“After an unusual year when many of our students learned online, we were committed to extending learning opportunities to as many students as possible over the summer,” said Kathleen French, director of K-8 curriculum and instruction. “Our goal was to close any deficits so that students will be ready for the new school year in August.”
At Winston Elementary, instructional lead teacher and site coordinator Meghan Rathel said, “Everyone worked extremely hard to provide their students with exactly what they needed during summer school, with a special emphasis on reading and math.” Winston Principal Chelsie Goodman expressed pride in all that her students accomplished, from small groups with English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) students to social and emotional activities with the school counselor, Sharleta Smith.
At Yeager Middle School, students engaged in STEM activities that focused on renewable resources, among other topics. Factory Shoals Middle School students had the opportunity to employ science, technology, engineering, art, and math skills through the creation of various projects. Students at all high schools worked through the online platform Edgenuity to earn class credits and keep them on track to graduate on time.
Summer school will continue into July for high school students. Now that summer school has wrapped up for elementary and middle schools, administrators and teachers are focusing on the new school year. The first event to welcome students back to school will take place on July 30 with the annual High School Back-to-School Bash. Elementary and middle school students and parents will have the opportunity to meet their teachers at Sneak-a-Peek on August 2. Parents should check the school websites for additional information and exact times. The first day of school is Wednesday, August 4.