May 21, 2012

A Big Job Well Done

A huge “thank you!” to eighth and eleventh grade students who have given their all this past week on the New England Common Assessment Program exams. The combination of incentives, preparation provided by teachers Hanah LaBarre, Rachel Doty, Bruce Whitman, Paul Paytas, and Ruth Ann Dunn, and effective supervision in a small-group setting have encouraged our students to take the exam seriously and try their best. The NECAP science exams test student learning of Vermont’s Grade Expectations in physics, chemistry, biology, and earth science, taught in grades 5-8 and grades 9-11.

On Spirit Day on Monday, June 4^th, students will hear the raffle ticket winners, and the Class of 2013 will have tickets added for Project Graduation prizes. Next fall, Dr. Steven John, Superintendent of Schools, will present students who demonstrate proficiency (score of 3) and proficiency with distinction (score of 4) a certificate of recognition. These levels of achievement will also be added to students’ secondary school transcripts.

Planning Summer

“What are you doing this summer?” I have asked numerous Leland and Gray students. To my surprise, many were not sure. Only a month away, an untold number have yet to determine how to spend the dozen hours, dozens of days, and almost two dozen weeks of summer break. As academic achievement receives ever-greater scrutiny, summer activities have been identified as a critical factor contributing to student learning. In today’s world, just because students have summers off doesn’t mean parents/guardians are working any less, which makes supervision of activities difficult. Indeed, what students do over the summer makes a big difference.

During my time as a school administrator, I have expressed concerns to the Vermont Department of Education about the timing of the fall NECAP exams. Since summertime can either boost student passion for learning or derail student interest from school altogether, the achievement gap schools seek to narrow becomes impossible to measure on exams when given right after a long break. Research at Johns Hopkins University reveals that youth can lose 2-3 months of reading each summer, and may explain why the achievement gap widens up through the grades. Yet the importance of meaningful summer activities for each individual student far exceeds any standardized test.

Teen summer employment has steadily decreased since the millennium. Currently only about one-third to one-half of teens find a job. At the same time, families are under increasing economic pressure that prevents older children from attending summer programs. Compounding this is the reluctance of teens to do anything in summer. Many seem begging for a break, as if directionless lounging was a viable endeavor. 60% of parents report difficulty in encouraging them to engage in constructive activities (Brady, 2007). Nevertheless, no one should give up. Whether or not students have found employment, they must recognize that summer fosters personal development. Will that development include sleeping in the daytime and eating snacks at all hours? Or will it include facing healthy challenges and meeting goals? Here are a few goals that build personal strength, smarts, and character:

• Hiking: Select routes of increasing length or difficulty, pack snacks and a safety kit, and bring a notebook or sketchbook and drawing materials.
  
  
• Water activities: Vermont summers are too short to let the opportunity to go swimming, boating, and fishing to pass.
  
  
• Gardening: Start big or small, at home, with a neighbor, or in a community garden. Better yet, volunteer at a local farm and learn the ropes. High school and college students are “woofing” all over the world on small farms to meet people, spend weeks outdoors, and get in touch with nature.

• Reading and writing: Stock up at the library and buy a notebook to try crafting a novel of one’s own, making up characters, reflecting on one’s own experience, or creating a modern fairy tale.

• Volunteering or job shadowing: Speak with Coop Teacher David Ahern or see a school counselor about arranging activities to learn on the job in any field, from animal care, first aid, and food prep to carpentry, landscaping, and office management. The strengths and ideas of young people are needed in the workplace to pass skills onto the next generation.

• Youth programs: City dwellers all over the country send children to Vermont for the nature. This summer, the Community College of Vermont, University of Vermont, and other colleges are offering lower-cost and free courses to high school students. Leland and Gray is offering enrichment, academic, and recreational programs for incoming 7^th and 8^th graders, plus employment opportunities for high school students. Please contact after-school program coordinator Megan Altshuler for more information.

• Routine: People thrive on a predictable schedule most days of the week. A plan for each day develops the habits of mind for healthy living and personal productivity. Whichever of these ideas are chosen, create a daily schedule so that progress on personal goals can be clearly seen. Limit recreational technology use to no more than two hours each day, reserving the computer for learning activities like writing, creating art or music, or conducting research.

• Friends and family: Set a few goals with those close by, such as hiking and swimming, with a schedule to count on. Together relationships will grow in ongoing dialogue about the important things in life.  

Helpful Websites for Summer Planning

Leland and Gray  – summer programs: https://sites.google.com/a/lelandandgray.org/hey-after-school-programs/s-e-e-k

Leland and Gray – coop program: https://sites.google.com/a/lelandandgray.org/david-j-ahern/course-1

Windham County Youth Services Bureau – summer programs: http://youthservicesinc.org  

Windham County Sheriff’s Department – summer camp in leadership, military experience, and law enforcement: http://www.windhamsheriff.com/program.php?pid=16 

Works Cited

Brady, Jennifer E. “Summer as a season for learning.” Presentation at the New England 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Conference, Portland, ME. 2007. Print.

National Summer Learning Association. More than a hunch: Kids lose learning skills over summer months. 2007. 20 May 2012. Web.