Highlands considers summer program to combat 'summer slide'

Highlands elementary students who aren’t up to speed in reading and math may be invited to take part in a summer school program.

If approved by the school board, the district would be able to take up to 120 students in kindergarten through fourth grade, district curriculum coordinator Cathy Russo said.

The program is intended to combat the learning that children tend to lose over the summer, which Russo called the “summer slide.”

Students at Highlands Early Childhood Center and Highlands Elementary who are below district benchmarks in reading and/or math would be offered space in the program first, Russo said. Participation would be voluntary.

Those parents could expect to be contacted in the third or fourth week of May, following spring assessments, Russo said.

If space remains available, other parents would be able to enroll their children on a first-come, first-served basis. The district will notify parents about availability, Russo said.

If approved, the four-week program will run from June 17 to July 12. It will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at the elementary school in Tarentum.

The program will include math and reading, physical education, art and mini-field trips in the community, Russo said. Lunch will be provided at no cost to the district.

There would no cost to families, Russo said.

The district will pay for the program with grant funding, Russo said. It is expected to cost a little more than $30,000, including about $18,000 for eight teachers and about $11,000 for transportation.

Each teacher will have 15 students, Russo said.

The school board is expected to vote on approving the summer school program when it meets at 7 p.m. Monday, April 15 at the high school in Harrison.