GILROY
– Due to the success of last year’s smaller-than-usual but more
intensive summer school session, an additional 1,300 students will
go to school through the end of July in 2003.
GILROY – Due to the success of last year’s smaller-than-usual but more intensive summer school session, an additional 1,300 students will go to school through the end of July in 2003.
The district announced its expanded summer school plans last week at the regular school board session, noting that programs for special education, migrant farm workers and high achieving students have returned to the list of course offerings for this year.
Officials said roughly 2,000 kindergarten through 12th-grade students will attend the 2003 summer school session, which is expected to milk district coffers for $870,000 or more.
“We wanted to make sure we were providing a high quality program last year. We weren’t worried about quantity,” said Olivia Schaad, the school district’s director of curriculum and instruction. “We had a successful run last summer, so we’re ready for more this time around.”
Last year’s program was scaled down to 700 students so the district could smoothly implement its new look Summer Academies program, which focused on literacy and math intervention as well as teacher training.
The academies are an offshoot of the district’s goal to improve student performance on state-mandated tests. The summer sessions have taken on added significance for high school students who have yet to pass the state’s high school exit exam.
The Summer Academies program will require hiring around 90 teachers, something which federal and state funds will cover, Schaad said. Tuesday, job postings will be available for teachers interested in summer work.
Despite a massive $35 billion revenue shortfall and significant cuts to other education programs, state legislators did not change the level of funding for public summer school sessions.
State funding is paid on a per student basis at an hourly rate of $3.45. Using funds from migrant education, dual immersion and staff development accounts, Gilroy Unified School District had budgeted as much as $970,000 for the summer.
“Everything we’re offering is an increase from last year, including professional development,” Schaad said. “Parents were concerned there were not enough core academic programs last year, so we’ve brought that back, too.”
High achieving students, usually middle schoolers and high schoolers, often take a summer semester of certain core academic courses. This allows them the opportunity to take more elective courses, community college courses or other advanced classes.
Courses this summer will be held at:
• Rod Kelley Elementary School, for kindergarten through third grade.
• Brownell Middle School, for fourth through eighth grade.
• Gilroy High School, for ninth through 12th grade.
• Las Animas Elementary School, for kindergarten through third-grade dual language immersion students.
For registration deadlines and other information, contact GUSD at 847-2700. Early registration is recommended.
