SUMMER SCHOOL ATTENDANCE BALLOONS IN SECOND YEAR

Don Grossheider, aviation teacher at Jackson High School, gives a demonstration to some attentive elementary students at summer school Thursday.

Attendance at Jackson's K-12 summer school has increased by 30 percent since last year.

There are 754 students in this year's program, 300 at Orchard Elementary, 160 at Jackson Middle School and the remaining 294 at the high school. Only 116 students out of the 754 are doing remedial work. The remaining 638 are in the summer school program for enrichment.

"The concept of summer school has totally changed," Joe Crain, principal at Orchard Elementary and director of summer school, said.

"The kids really want to be here," he added.

Summer school began on June 2 and will conclude June 27 from 8:45 a.m. to noon Monday through Friday.

Students participate at no cost and elementary students are given snacks during the day.

This year's theme is "Space: Inner and Outer." In each two-week session outer space, space exploration and the solar system is studied or inner space from the smallest cubicle on earth to the oceans and the sky is studied.

These broad topics allow the students and the teachers to pursue what they like.

The students study reading, math, writing and language arts to investigate the inner and outer space topics.

There are also many guest speakers that are giving lectures and demonstrations from aviation, space exploration to earthquakes.

"These activities go beyond what we normally do in the regular school year," Crain said.

The summer school also gives moms and dads time off from taking care of their children to do other things.

But the main goals of summer school according to Crain are:

1) To build students' self-esteem and make them feel good about learning.

2) To extend formal learning for an extra 20 days and allow students to view learning as a lifelong process.

3) To provide remediation skills for students who may be lacking in a subject.

4) Enrich student learning beyond what the normal classroom would do in a regular year.

To keep students motivated for summer school a t-shirt is given to the elementary students that have perfect attendance.

"Last year we had some kids that didn't want to go on vacation with their parents because they would miss their chance at a perfect attendance t-shirt."

For high school students in summer school one credit can be gained. This opportunity can be taken advantage of by either a student that is behind in a subject or by a student that wants extra credit.

"A lot of kids would drop out of school if they knew they couldn't graduate." With the summer school option failed credits are made up.

Another feature of summer school is a driver's education course is offered to students that couldn't take the class during the school year.

"That's a real plus."

This is the last week of summer school and Crain said that it has been an outstanding year.

"Comments from the students and parents have been positive."

Crain expects 75-80 percent of the students in summer school to have perfect attendance.

"Should it (summer school) be offered next year we anticipate increased enrollment."

The decision to have summer school is left up to the board of education. Summer school is funded by the Missouri Department of Education and it is based on average daily attendance.