New Haven Independent

Their counselors, led by Luis Diaz, at the center, who’s a student at Gateway Community College, and Jemmy John (leaning into the photo on the right), who’s an aspiring epidemiologist at Southern, led the way.

At Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, Dr. Charles Warner, director of the BOE’s special programs, and Renee Chatham, the coordinator of the extended school hours programs, briefed the board on the summer’s start. In sum, about 7,000 students, at all grade levels, are being planned for in programs ranging from state-required mandatory reading programs for first, second, and third graders (or they don’t get promoted) to music enrichment, advanced placement calculus and college prep for incoming seniors.

Warner said that the summer programs, which run from July 5 to Aug. 3, have enrolled already between 4,500 and 5,000 students. “Because of the holiday,” he said, “we’re a little late getting started, but this is on a par with previous summers.”

With some 23 different agencies, in addition to the NHPS (such as LEAP, Parks and Recreation, for example) utilizing 27 school buildings, Walker said that in his opinion New Haven’s array of summer offerings, in scope and depth, was the largest in the state. The programs include round trip transportation and in most instances breakfast, lunch, and a snack.

“I can assure every parent,” added Chatham, “that if they call our office there is a program right for their child, and available.”

For the BOE’s listing of programs and phone numbers for each, click here.

Lteracy — and an emphasis on what is called “shared reading” strategies — are the number one educational priority in the programs (even those science-based or athletics-based). Warner explained that what’s new in 2007 are state-mandated summer programs for grades one through three for kids who have not shown sufficient improvement based on their DRAs (Developmental Reading Assessment tests).

In years gone by, mandated summer programs used to be held for fourth and sixth graders, but the direction has been recently to emphasize the younger grades. New Haven has 491 first graders enrolled, 383 second graders, and 438 third graders. The mandatory programs are being conducted at Lincoln Bassett, John S. Martinez, Barnard, Clinton Avenue and the Ross/Woodward schools. If these kids do not attend, they do not get promoted.

Other programs include a summer studies program to repeat subjects, one called “incoming senior boot camp,” another for rising ninth graders to transition into high school, and Gear Up programs, operated with UCONN with a focus on mathematics, and there theater and music camps too, and accelerated achievement programs at Yale and Southern.

BOE member Frances Padilla (pictured with fellow BOE member Carlos Torre) asked if the mandatory, as well as the other reading, CMT prep, science-based programs, and, at the high school level, the “Gear Up” college prep classes were fun as well as academic. “After all, “she said, “these are children.”

Leida Pacini (pictured below), the BOE’s chief of staff, answered that the teachers make the learning fun, but there’s no mistaking that especially in the mandatory and summer reading academies utilizing the time to improve literacy and other subjects is the unremitting focus. The classes are far smaller than during the regular school year, with, in the mandatory programs, a maximum of 18 students served by a teacher and a paraprofessional in the grade one and two mandatory; for grade three, there are three paraprofessionals.

“Look,” added Pacini, “we have so many other agencies running programs as well, like Parks and Recreation, that when the mandatory is over, the kids can transition into a more fun-focussed after-school activity.”

Superintendent of Schools Reggie Mayo, who recently opened with the mayor several new schools as all-day and evening drop-in centers, said, “Our goal is not only for the kids to learn but to keep them absolutely as busy as possible so that don’t drift into, what shall I say, less desirable activities.”

Padilla was also assured that formal assessment of the kids in the programs are done at the beginning, as well as the end of the activities, and results would be provided to BOE.

For most of these activities, the BOE encourages parents to enroll their kids as early as possible, but at any time during the program is okay as well. And this parent, Carla Chappel (on the right, with Pacini) did just that. “I’ve got a high school kid I really want to get ready for college,” she said. “I didn’t know about the Gear Up program,” she said, but, talking, after the meeting with Pacini, she not only now did, but Pacini promised to call her in the morning with the enrollment information.

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