A Summer of Adventure

Students Embark On New Summer School Program

By Katie Duncan

May 30, 2002

Students at Kennett Public Schools are going on an adventure — a Summer Adventure during summer school beginning today, May 30 through July 2, 2002.

The new program is operated by the Kennett School District in partnership with Edison Schools.

Edison Schools, founded in 1992 as the Edison Project, is the country’s leading private manager of public schools. Edison Extra, a division of Edison Schools, operated summer school programs across the state of Missouri.

According to summer school coordinator and South School principal Ken Shumate, the teachers and students are excited about the change in the way summer school is facilitated.

“The teachers are excited,” Shumate said. “Edison has given us the curriculum and the supplies necessary for instruction.”

The curriculum has a lot of hand on activities in math and science according to Shumate. The curriculum is based upon the scholastic needs of the district and is written specifically for the Kennett School District by Edison Schools.

Students, kindergarten through eighth-grade, will attend academic classes such as language arts, reading, math, science and social studies.

In the afternoons, students will attend three one-hour elective courses on such fun topics as the art of puzzling, arts and crafts, the coolest game room, kid’s ed computer games, lifetime sports and rockets plus.

Student will also be able to take part in a puppet theater or musical.

Students will attend three classes for the first 12 days then a different three classes for the final 12 days.

According to Shumate the high school curriculum is set-up differently than the lower grades.

“Since we have high school students taking classes for credit, the scheduling is different,” Shumate said.

Core academic classes will be offered at the high school level as well as electives such as drivers education, project art, TV-media, team sports and fitness and theater arts.

Along with a change in the structure of summer school, students have an additional incentive for attending classes daily — prizes.

“I know it would motivate me if I had a chance to win a grand prize, a gift card and then a daily prize,” Shumate said.

Students who have perfect attendance throughout the summer school semester and no major disciplinary marks will be eligible for a grand prize at each level. One high school student will receive a motor scooter, one middle school student will receive a motorized foot scooter and one elementary student will receive a 5-h.p. two-seat go-kart.

Each student who has perfect attendance will receive a $100 shopping card. Students only missing one or two days will receive a $75 shopping card and those missing only three or four days will receive a $50 shopping card.

A daily drawing will be also held to award even more prizes including books, educational materials and assorted toys.

Shumate is quick to point out that each of the prizes are not only based on attendance but attitude and achievement as well.

“It’s not one of those things where the kid can just show up everyday and win a prize, they have to participate and have no behavior marks against them,” Shumate said. “A student has their own future in their hands.”

Last year South School had approximately 200 students sign-up for summer school. The school averaged 130 students a day and six teachers taught summer school.

This year more than 340 students signed up for summer school and Shumate has 12 teachers ready to teach summer school at South school alone.  Shumate estimates there will be 45 teachers district wide taking part in instruction of summer school.

“We want to keep at student teacher ratio of 20:1,” Shumate said.

The district has 450 students attend summer school last year. At the end of the school, more than 1,000 students had signed-up to attend the newly revamped summer school.

“Numbers have doubled across the district if everyone shows,” Shumate said.