Roadmap to Summer Success

Mon. 06/01/2020

A Summer Slide on Steroids – With all schools closed due to a state-ordered shutdown and students not returning to the classroom for the remainder of the academic year, parents are increasingly worried about the impact on their child’s education. These fears are not unfounded. Educators and parents alike have long observed the “summer slide” or learning loss many children experience during the summer months. According to research from Northwest Evaluation Association, kids in third to fifth grade typically lose about 20% of their literacy gains over the summer and 27% of their math skills. A new report from the organization suggests that coronavirus learning loss could be much steeper. NWEA researchers believe that 30% of literacy and 50% of math gains could be lost. “Research shows us that summer slide is real,” said Dr. Joan Mele-McCarthy, Executive Director of The Summit School, “Consider the number of months outside the classroom due to coronavirus and potentially you could have a summer slide that will be difficult to overcome.”

Summer Learning – Many working parents during this coronavirus pandemic have been struggling to work a full-time job from home and, at the same time, support their child’s learning. Parents, teachers and students have been thrown into one, big, learning experiment. An entire system that relies on face-to-face interaction was, with little notice, turned into remote learning experience with each locality achieving varying degrees of success. Now, with the school year wrapping up, parents are wondering what next? What are the options? What can be done to minimize summer slide yet at the same time allow kids to be kids? What can parents handle while continuing to fulfill work obligations from home?  And, while some remote learning experiences might not have been ideal, access to teachers, technical support and prepared lessons go away in the summer. The idea of structuring your child’s days this summer may seem overwhelming.

Helping Your Kids Avoid the Coronavirus Summer Slide – OK, so the bad news is that some resources you have been depending on go away during the summer. The good news is that “school” in the summer doesn’t have to be the same as it is during the regular school year. While your child’s day may include some academic activities, it can also focus on play-based and exploratory learning experiences. And if there is an upside it’s that we are becoming more efficient using technology and it allows for greater access to academic material. It’s been a long few months but we are meeting the challenges of our new normal and there are some bright spots.

Be Summer Smart – The Summit School Hosting a Variety of Discussions to Help Parents Develop a Roadmap to Summer Success

Camp Chats – Learn if Camp Summit – Remote Learning is right for your child. Staff will provide program details and then host an informal Q&A Session. To view an earlier Camp Chat click here. For a Camp Flyer click here.

• June 5, 10:00 AM – Virtual, REGISTER AT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/106970443476

• June 16, 3:30 PM – Virtual, REGISTER AT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/106971432434

Community Talk – Roadmap to Summer Success – June 9, 7:30 PM – Virtual

Join us for a discussion about summer learning opportunities.

• From the many educational programs developed in response to COVID-19, Summit identifies our favorites
  • educational institutions
  • children’s authors
• Summer Camp Options
• Tutoring
• On-Line Resources Available for Academics and Literacy, Math, Arts, STEM.

REGISTER AT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/107077311120

 The Summit School Open House – June 27, 9:00 AM – Virtual

Education as we know it, is changing. During this historic time, we find ourselves functioning not only as parents, sibling conflict mediators, chief activity coordinators, screen-time moderators, but also as work-from-home-employees and teachers or teaching assistants. The juggling and navigating required to do all these jobs is stressful and often frustrating. Parents have gained new insights into how their children learn. If parents had any inkling that their child was struggling in school, and if there were questions about how a child managed grade level expectations, parents have now had a front row seat to their child’s approach to schoolwork. They have seen their child’s difficulties first hand.  As a result, parents have questions about their child’s academic growth and the continuity of learning delivered by their schools.

As we finish the school year through remote learning, did you notice your child:

• having trouble understanding concepts or not showing progress on material reviewed several times
• struggling to read fluently and comprehend material as compared to other children in the class
• having difficulty planning their day, locating the necessary items to do work and/or not turning in assignments
• experiencing different or more negative emotions surrounding schoolwork?

JOIN US – from the comfort of your home. Discover how Summit students continue to learn in our Remote Learning environment while remaining engaged and connected to their school community.

• Learn more about testing, tutoring, and other resources in support of your child and their unique learning profile.
• Explore summer learning opportunities.
• Meet our Executive Director and other faculty and staff members.
• Hear from current parents.
• Take a virtual tour of our campus.

We hope to offer you support, suggestions, and options as we, parents and educators, navigate this time in children’s academic endeavors. Staying safe is paramount, but learning is essential.  Come visit with us – let’s talk.

REGISTER AT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-summit-school-virtual-open-house-june-27-tickets-104870005008

Summit’s Unique Program, Why Summit Students Succeed – July 23, 2:30 PM – Virtual

Dr. Joan Mele-McCarthy, Executive Director, will share how Summit’s well-rounded program and research-based teaching methodologies create an environment where students thrive and meet their individual potential.

REGISTER AT: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summits-unique-program-july-23-tickets-107572750994

The decisions you make regarding summer learning could impact the success of your child as they return to school in the fall. If you cannot attend but are interested in receiving information presented at any of our events, or a link to the event recording, please contact: Nancy Rhodes at .

#          #          #

About The Summit School – The Summit School was founded to serve children, grades 1-8, with dyslexia and other learning differences. The Summit School has an incredible record of helping children become successful learners. The core of Summit’s program incorporates: highly trained teachers, evidence-based instruction, hands-on, multi-sensory learning environments and small class sizes. For more information about The Summit School and the resources offered through the Summit Resource Center please visit www.thesummitschool.org.