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Students Excel In Summer Academic Enrichment Program

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Over a dozen students shined in Newtown Continuing Education’s Summer Academic Enrichment program, where they received support through half-day academic morning lessons and special enrichment activities covering chemistry, paleontology, animals, and more.

The program ran Mondays to Thursdays from June 30 to July 24, and was held at Reed Intermediate School.

Summer Academic Enrichment is for students exiting kindergarten through sixth grade who are recommended by teachers to receive additional support in mathematics and language arts (reading/writing).

It is overseen by Hawley Elementary School second grade teacher Anne Fries, who started running it two years ago.

The program is generally formatted in half-day academic lessons, where students receive educational instruction from certified teachers in small groups depending on grade level.

Classes usually have a student-teacher ratio of 8-1. Fries said this year they happened to have a ratio of 9-1, but they often have a teacher assistant, student coordinator, or paraeducator supporting the teacher.

Under the guidance of their teacher, students will work on mathematics or language arts through various different activities, from worksheets to group exercises where everyone is encouraged to participate.

A nurse is available on-site who helps take care of students in the program as well.

The program also has one-on-one tutoring for individual academic support, as well as support for students who have English as their second language.

Parents and caretakers also have the option to extend their students’ day with Summer Splash Academy at Newtown Community Center.

Enrichment Programming

Each week had a wide variety of enrichment programs for students to enjoy, according to Fries.

Week two had representatives from High Touch High Tech visit, a Connecticut-based interactive science enrichment program. Students in grades 3-6 discovered the physical and chemical properties of matter by mixing solutions to that created heat and cold.

K-2 students got a “Jurassic Junior” lesson in paleontology, the scientific study of ancient life. Students dug for items in the sand and also used broken down chocolate chip cookies to “dig” for morsels.

Mobile petting zoo Critter Caravan visited in week three, where students got to interact with a chinchilla, porcupine, bearded dragon, snake, and rabbit.

Head O’Meadow Elementary School counselor Lisa Kilcourse and Middle Gate Elementary School counselor Melissa Arsenault visited in week four, where they led students in mindfulness lessons with yoga poses and taught them other ways to calm themselves down.

An ice cream truck stopped by on the last day of the program as a way to treat students for all their hard work.

“So in addition to what we already do, those were some of the extra activities we did,” Fries said. “We just wanted to celebrate our students.”

Overcoming The Summer Slide

The goal of the program, Fries said, is to prevent regular education students from facing the “summer slide” — a regression of students’ skills and knowledge between the end of the school year and the start of the next.

“It keeps skills and knowledge current and prevents that regression over the summer,” Fries explained. “It’s not like we’re trying to push them ahead, we’re just trying to keep them where they were to maintain the skills they gained throughout the school year.”

The gap between the middle of June to the end of August can be a very long time for some students, according to Fries. With the carefree structure of summer, Fries said it can be very easy for those students to slip.

The program is based on need, and is usually recommended and talked about with a teacher at spring parent-teacher conference. However, Fries said it can be brought up by the parent or caretaker if it is something they think their student would benefit from.

“It would be worth a conversation with the classroom teacher to see if they were in agreement,” Fries said.

In that sense, the program is an extension of Newtown Continuing Education’s greater mission to provide accessible and community-centered learning opportunities.

After being involved with the program for two years, Fries said she is proud of how Summer Academic Enrichment is always evolving and how the team is constantly looking for ways to improve the program.

“We’re always making changes to make it better,” Fries said. “I think we as a team are just so cohesive ... and we try to make it enjoyable for teachers to be here, as well as the kids.”

To that end, Fries said they ask for evaluations from teachers at the end of the program and use that input to improve the program for the following year.

A new addition to Summer Academic Enrichment this year is a mindfulness room and an indoor recess room. These rooms were funded thanks to a grant secured by Newtown Continuing Education Director Jennifer Arnold.

The mindfulness room features breathing and coloring stations, as well as items such as kinetic sand that students can use to calm and regulate themselves.

Fries said it is important for students to have different tools to practice mindfulness because everyone expresses it or needs it in a different way.

“Some kids, when they’re dysregulated, need to physically touch something. Some kids just like to go in and color and draw,” Fries explained. “Different kids have different needs, so we make it comfortable for all of them.”

Fries will also try to introduce small, fun activities for students in the program. Last year, she started an “ultimate rock paper scissors challenge” where whoever wins gets a gift card.

“We have little fun things like that because they’re here in the summer, and I appreciate them so much that I feel like they need to know how much they’re appreciated to come and spend their time here.”

Seeing everyone come together and have a fun, from students and teachers to special guests and custodians, is what makes Fries adore the program. She hopes that her peers, as well as students, enjoy the program as much as she does.

“I just love it so much,” Fries said. “It’s such an enjoyable part of my summer.”

Reporter Jenna Visca can be reached at jenna@thebee.com.

Students thrived in Newtown Continuing Education’s Summer Academic Enrichment program held from June 30 to July 24 at Reed Intermediate School. The program offers half-day academic lessons, enrichment programs, and fun interactive activities for students exiting kindergarten through sixth grade who are recommended to receive additional support. Exiting kindergarten students can be seen playing with Play-Doh after finishing their morning activity. —Bee Photo, Visca
Madeline Damon (left) and Brooke Duncan discovered the physical and chemical properties of matter in a special “Chemistry Sensations” workshop.—Newtown Continuing Education photo
Student Cy Sterner (left) was guided by Emma Ekstrom from Critter Caravan in gently touching a hedgehog.—Newtown Continuing Education photo
Head O’Meadow Elementary School counselor Lisa Kilcourse (back row, far left) and Middle Gate Elementary School counselor Melissa Arsenault (front row, second to left) visited and guided students in mindfulness lessons with yoga poses.—Newtown Continuing Education photo
Middle Gate Elementary School teacher Christian Allen led students in the “Chemistry Sensations” workshop, where they mixed solutions that created heat and cold. —Bee Photo, Visca
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