Walnut Street School Program Keeps Learning Going In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The summer "brain drain" is a frequent topic among parents and educators alike.

And while parents with more financial resources may be able to send their children to camps and programs designed to challenge kids' minds, for parents facing financial challenges, those opportunities can be out of reach.

Walnut Street Elementary School in Toms River is working to bridge that gap this summer, in a very simple way: opening the school's media center. The goal: get kids engaged and keep them engaged until school opens again the fall.

"We recognize the importance of keeping our students engaged in learning and connected to our school throughout the summer," said Rich Fasnacht, the principal at Walnut Street Elementary School. " Because of this, we have opened our Media Center doors to the community on Wednesday mornings throughout July and August."

The media center is open from 9 a.m. to noon, during which time students have access to books and technology to complete summer reading projects. Staff members have volunteered their time to work with students individually or in groups on specific skills.

"Last week we had 20 to 25 students that attended sometime during the 9-12 window," Fasnacht said.

He said the first opportunity for the kids to visit the media center was well received.

"The kids enjoyed their time and all said they will be returning the following week," he said. "We are looking forward to seeing how these sessions will progress over the summer."

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