In years past, the rooms and hallways at Blanchard Elementary School would be mostly empty during this time in the summer, apart from a few teachers preparing their space to welcome a class or an occasional parent enrolling a new student. Instead, kindergarten teacher Joanie Edmundson can be heard leading a group of students in "Going on a Bear Hunt."

From a fourth-grade classroom, Kristi Pennington enthusiastically praises a group of students as they come up with the right answers to her math problems.

Instead of May or June, summer school began July 25 and ends Friday at Blanchard for about 190 Cape Girardeau elementary students who left kindergarten through fourth grade in May. This year is the first of three for a 10-day pilot program focused on ensuring success for students who are significantly below grade level in reading and math skills. There is a similar program for fifth- and sixth-grade students at Central Middle School.

Elementary administrators are hopeful holding summer school sessions closer to the beginning of a new school year will help students retain what they learn and give them an easier time catching up.

Blanchard Elementary School principal Barbara Kohlfeld is administrating the program. Kohlfeld said there have been times when she and other administrators had tried to find an existing summer school plan that would accommodate the needs of Cape Girardeau elementary students but could not find a good solution. To meet the needs, she said, they constructed their own.

They decided to change the timing of the sessions after Franklin Elementary School principal Rhonda Dunham presented research on successful remedial summer school programs. Dunham attended a workshop by author and speaker Mike Mattos, who is known for promoting the effectiveness of remedial summer school programs held close to the start of a new school year.

The district's elementary schools have in recent years been moving in the direction of a strictly remedial program versus programs only for enrichment purposes. Kohlfeld said while past sessions have focused more on academics, this year is the first time students have attended for a full day and spent a set number of hours on strictly trying to improve reading and math skills.

Also different with the new program are the students who are eligible to attend. Certain criteria are now in place. Administrators evaluate students' reading and math assessments from the spring to see who needs extra instruction. Summer school is no longer open to any student.

According to Kohlfeld, a change in the timing of the session to the end of summer has equaled a good attendance rate. Out of 254 students in the district who were invited to summer school, 191 are attending.

"It's a little easier on parents when they don't have to get the kids to summer school right after the regular school year ends," she said. "People have more time off and have other things they need to do. Or the child might have time they need to go spend with another parent right after school is out."

The availability of bus transportation has also made a huge difference in the attendance rate, she said. Most days the bus is full, bringing between 60 and 70 children from four stops in the city.

While Kohlfeld said 10 days of curriculum may not seem like much, there are a set number of hours each day spent on reading and math remediation. Much planning went into creating curriculum binders for teachers to follow, she said.

"Our time is limited, and we want to hit the ground running," Kohlfeld said.

In addition to improving reading and math skills, Kohlfeld said emphasis is placed on motivating and engaging students. At the end of the session, teachers will complete student evaluations for several areas in addition to reading and math skills. Other areas of evaluation include attitude and effort, work habits and social skills.

Teacher responses so far on the new program have been very positive, Kohlfeld said.

"They appreciate having the binders, and they appreciate having the scope and sequence of what they are doing from start to finish," she said.

Mary Ann Lewis teaches kindergarten at Blanchard Elementary and has taught summer school classes in the past to students who have just left preschool, kindergarten, first grade and third grade. This summer she has a class of 16 students who will enter first grade. Lewis is working with the students on sentence writing preparation, alphabet sounds, counting numbers in fives and tens, and teaching them how to reach out for help when they have trouble reading.

She said she sees a positive difference in the attitudes of the students in the new program that has to do with timing the session later in the summer.

"You could tell before that the kids had just finished the school year and were tired," Lewis said. "This time they seem excited about being here, and they work well because they've had time to rest."

Lewis said the days of the sessions being full-length, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., have also allowed her fit in instruction for students in small groups and spend individual time with students.

The program will be evaluated for success after it has been held for three years. Kohlfeld said the ultimate goal of the program is to avoid retention of students at all costs and make sure the students are able to be successful in their next grade level.

eragan@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent addresses:

1829 N. Sprigg St., Cape Girardeau, MO

301 N. Clark St., Cape Girardeau, MO