Local summer school programs still in effect

by Erica Bush
For The Post

While some summer school programs across the country are being canceled because of lack of funding, some local programs will not be worrying about finding funding or students this year.

Athens City School District, Nelsonville-York City School District and Trimble Local School District offer different types of summer school programs. Schools fund the programs mostly through grants, so there is little out-of-pocket expense.

Athens offers summer school programs for the high school and elementary schools but not for the middle school, Superintendent Carl Martin said.

Two programs are offered at the elementary schools — a mandatory program for fourth graders who do not perform well on the fourth-grade proficiency test and a Kids on Campus program. Volunteers, some from Ohio University, teach literacy and technology skills in the Kids on Campus program.

Approximately 80 students participated last year in the high school program, which is funded by a state grant. Kids on Campus is funded by a federal grant. Participation in all programs, between 75-80 high school students, has stayed relatively the same during the past several years. Because of the grants, funding does not really pose an issue, Martin said.

In Nelsonville-York, the Summer Academy program is offered to students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, said Anita Reliford, director of special programs.

Last summer, 95 students participated in the elementary program, 45 in the junior high program and 26 at the high school, she said. The numbers are similar to previous years.

The school board, Title IX Education Act and the Reading Excellence Act grant fund the Summer Academy. The only loss in funding came when the district lost help from the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services. That funding was used for incentive programs such as swimming, so other programs have not been affected, Reliford said.

Trimble offers a summer school program at the elementary level, Superintendent William White said.

Between 50 and 60 students in kindergarten through fourth grades participated in summer school during the past few years, said Delores Stamper-Zesiger, Trimble Elementary School principal.

“This participation is increasing due to more funding and a greater number of faculty,” Stamper-Zesiger said.

The Ohio Reads Community Grant funded the program in the past. But funding through this grant has decreased this year because of grant disbursement. The grant is disbursed according to school priority and need, Stamper-Zesiger said. Schools in need of greater funding for summer school programs receive a larger grant, and Trimble Elementary was not among them this year.

Funding this year will include the Ohio Reads Community Grant, along with general funds and reimbursement the school will receive through the state.