Explore, the summer program in Springfield Public Schools, is finding a new balance this year.
The offerings for elementary and middle school will largely resemble the courses before the pandemic, with a few changes and extra precautions.
High school courses will be almost entirely online this summer.
Dana Hubbard, director of summer learning and student experiences, said seated or in-person learning will be an option for kindergarten through eighth grade.
“We are really hopeful that we can get our families reengaged in that way,” she said.
In a nod to the pandemic, there will also be a virtual learning option for elementary and middle school students.
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“The new thing we bring with us, after a year of COVID and shifting, is we will also have — starting with first grade all the way through eighth grade — online options for courses,” she said.
Elementary courses, in-person and virtual, include “Route 66 Road Trip” and the Earth Explorers. The seated-only courses include Explore Diversity, Life Lab, and the STEAM Works.
Hubbard said Central High School will have in-person classes for students with special needs, students with limited English skills, and individuals significantly lagging behind their peers academically.
“We are keeping that in place,” she said. “Those kids need that face-to-face interaction.”
The Springfield district will offer two sessions of Explore. Students may sign up for either one or both. The first session in June 7-30 and the second session is July 7-30.
Hubbard said enrollment has been open for weeks and will continue until the day each of the sessions start.
Overall, summer enrollment is below pre-pandemic levels.
“We have just over 7,500 kids enrolled and right now about 2,400 of those are virtual,” Hubbard said. “Two years ago, this particular week, we hit 10,000 enrollments so we are down.”
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Summer courses will help students catch up or work ahead
Hubbard said the courses available during Explore allow students to work ahead or to catch up.
The district is aggressively reaching out to the families of students who are struggling in reading and math. At the high school level, students who need to acquire credits needed for graduation are also contacted.
“Parents of those students who are identified, we let the know specifically why engaging in Explore is important,” Hubbard said. “We’re very transparent about what we’re seeing in their children with their academic gaps and why we want them to attend.”
Hubbard said many of the middle school courses that were a huge draw pre-pandemic have returned.
“We have our African-American studies, Escape, Game On, and Iron Chef,” she said. “Those are happening again this summer as well as the academies, where kids can do some coding, some math and reading.”
The Outdoor U course is available again. Students in grades 6-8 will learn archery, fly-fishing, hiking and survival skills.
Hubbard said Explore has significantly curbed the number of hands-on activities out in the community amid the pandemic. This year, part of those activities will return but they will remain limited.
“We went from 850 some odd experiences outside the classroom two years ago to just having a half-dozen experiences for this summer,” she said.
The field trips or outside-the-classroom experiences are primarily at the middle school level. However, an FFA course available only at Hillcrest High School will allow the older students to kayak, hike and complete service projects near a stream.
Asked about masking and social distancing, Hubbard said whatever safeguards are in place at the end of the 2020-21 year will be in place for the start of Explore. The district will work with health officials to see if changes are warranted.
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“Anything that changes, they will let us know just as soon as that happens,” she said. “And, we’ll communicate that out.”
The district offers a Kindergarten Jump Start for students who will be enrolling in that grade this fall. It offers basic number, letter and social skills. The courses is offered in person only.
“Two years ago, at this time, we had about 730 kindergartners enrolled. This year, we have 630 so we are not too far off that number,” she said. “That is a positive sign.”
Breakfast and lunch will be offered daily at each Explore site. Students will be able to eat for free in June and July. The district is also planning grab-and-go meals, at select sites, for students learning virtually in June.
Claudette Riley is the education reporter for the News-Leader. Email news tips to criley@news-leader.com.
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