Camden to expand summer school program
The Camden School District is offering a daylong, five-week summer school this year for as many as 1,000 students from ages 3 to 19, officials said Tuesday. The free program, from July 6 through Aug. 5, will focus on reading and math but also include field trips, sports, and other curriculums.
The Camden School District is offering a daylong, five-week summer school this year for as many as 1,000 students from ages 3 to 19, officials said Tuesday. The free program, from July 6 through Aug. 5, will focus on reading and math but also include field trips, sports, and other curriculums.
The voluntary program will include breakfast and lunch, and run from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Students can take school buses to get there, officials said. Summer school programs offered by the district in previous years ran only to midday, and provided no transportation.
Paymon Rouhanifard, superintendent of the state-run district, said the programs are aimed at preventing summer learning loss and keeping students on track for graduation, as well as providing a safe place to have fun.
City Council President Frank Moran, a Camden native, was one of several local officials who attended the announcement of the program Tuesday.
"We all know that being born and raised in the city of Camden, when summer vacation came upon us, we had a staycation," he said. "We didn't go anywhere. There is a lot of valuable time being underutilized."
The program offerings include early childhood education for children as young as 3, special education and bilingual programs, high school credit recovery classes, and a summer job internship program for older students.
Monday through Thursday mornings will be devoted to reading comprehension and math, with enrichment programs and other activities taking place in the afternoons, district spokesman Brendan Lowe said. Fridays will focus on sports and recreation.
Officials could not say how many students have participated in summer school programs in years past, but chief academic officer Andrew Bell said he hoped that extending the day and offering transportation will make it easier for working parents to enroll their children.
"I'm excited for the opportunities for growth for our students," Bell said. "Many times in the summer, our students are in the streets, looking for things to do."
Parents can get more information by calling 856-966-2507 or visiting www.Camden.k12.nj.us/SummerProgram. The registration deadline is May 20.
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