More than 2,000 Gilroy Unified School District students spend
summer time in the classroom to spruce up skills
Gilroy – School’s out. The sun’s shining warmly, yielding prime pool-side weather.
For most children, the lazy days of June, July and August are filled with hot afternoons cooling off in the pool and homework is a distant memory. But for a significant chunk of Gilroy students, summer has more to do with math and reading than inner tubes and sunblock. On Monday, after a week-long break, about 2,049 or 20 percent of the district’s 10,000 or so students who attend one of Gilroy Unified School District’s institutions headed to their first day of summer school.
At South Valley Middle School, a group of friends munching on sandwiches and burritos, emphatically explained that a classroom is the last place they want to spend summer. Juan Camacho and Cristian Quiroz, both 10, agreed that hanging out at home playing video games would suit them just fine.
Juan described summer school as “boring” and “just kindergarten stuff.” Yet, when the boys were asked if they’d ended up in the summer program because they’d failed to do well in school and Cristian shook his head, his friend quickly corrected him.
But the boys’ opinions weren’t shared by all. In fact, said Sarah Williams, literacy and English language development facilitator for South Valley’s summer school, the majority are happy to be on campus.
“I would say most of them want the help and school has become a community for them,” she said. “There’s a social aspect (to) school for a lot of kids, that I think they like it.”
Williams’ words definitely ring true for Samantha Coronado. The 10-year-old, who attends El Roble Elementary School, said she’s pleased her summer will be spent at SVMS.
“Yeah, I’m really glad ’cause it’s better than being at home,” Samantha said.
Also, she said she needs to improve her math skills and hopes summer school will help.
Summer School Remediation
Students enrolled in Gilroy Unified School District’s summer school program have one thing in common: all require remediation in one or more subjects.
Paula Cornia, Glen View summer school principal, explained that teachers identified summer school candidates after reviewing a variety of student assessments including the district’s Measure of Academic Progress, California English Language Development Test and California Standards Test.
The majority of students are English language learners, particularly in the preschool through third grade set, where much of summer school incorporates English language development. This year, six prekinder classes are being offered, which primarily cater to English language learners with no previous preschool exposure who will enter kindergarten in the fall, Cornia said.
In addition, the district is offering a migrant education preschool program.
“We have a very, very focused program,” said Cornia, who also ran last year’s K-3 summer school.
Although the student to teacher ratio remains at 20-to-1, as required by class-size reduction, and the instruction is similar, in summer school students receive lessons tailored to their specific needs.
For the preschool set that means a heavy focus on phonics and visuals. Also, summer school lessens the two-month gap that causes most students to regress, especially those who have already fallen behind.
Music is an added bonus of the Glen View summer school program. Children attend a class twice a week and the musical theme “We are the World,” is incorporated into all lessons.
To track the students, they’re assessed pre- and post-summer school.
“Last year we made significant progress,” Cornia said.
The young set of students at Glen View appeared content with their summer school surroundings. In Julie Barros’ class, a group of preschoolers hopped around, their faces covered in smiles, as they sang along to “the hand bone’s connected to the arm bone.”
And in another preschool class, one student stacking colorful plastic shapes into a pile told a playmate “let’s make a volcano.” Cornia explained that summer school is essential for the youngest batch who’ve had no exposure to preschool.
“It’s to really give them a jump start so they’re (better prepared) for the kindergarten experience in August,” Cornia said.
