Students Are Cool; Learning is Cool in Peekskill Summer School

From the Peekskill City School District: This summer, about 250 Peekskill students have enjoyed learning in the cool comfort of the new Peekskill Middle School. From students aged five to seventeen, there were learning opportunities for all.

During the month of July, multiple programs operated at a high level of student engagement and activity. First, the Rising Stars Academy program offered classes for 100 of the District’s youngest students: incoming kindergartners through fifth grade. Directed by teachers Marisa Ansovino and Alicia McCorvey, who are participating in the Future School Leaders’ Program of Bank Street College, the program offered the four core subject areas of English, math, social studies, and science, as well as music, art, and gym. “This program is very successful in helping children maintain their learning progress from the school year just completed and get off to the best possible start in the fall,” explained Joseph Mosey, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction.

The Summer School Academy for grades six through eight offered instruction in English, math, social studies, science, and reading for about 100 students. This grant-funded program is part of LEAP, the District’s initiative for after-school and summer programs. The Summer School Academy was under the capable administration of Naima Smith-Moore, who has made extra efforts this summer to make sure that parents receive communications about their children’s progress in summer school and that the students receive as much individualized attention as possible. She is especially pleased with the use of a new innovation in literacy this summer: a large inventory of e-readers. “With our set of 33 Nooks, each student in a class could benefit from the tools that these e-readers provide to boost literacy,” she reports. Teacher Jenna Ferris, who ran the PACE program, concurred: “The students read much more quickly when using the e-readers,” she reports. “They ended up way ahead on their summer reading.”

Also using technology, teacher Gloria Blackman ran the READ 180 program for incoming sixth graders. “This computer–based reading program gives students many supports to help them through a text,” she explained.

Following special closing ceremonies for the K-8 summer programs, in August, high school students will be in place for Regents’ Exam Review classes. And a special two-day Jump Start Orientation for all incoming sixth graders at the end of August will wrap up a very active summer.

Peekskill Middle School Principal David Fine observed, “Extending the school year and providing rich support, both academically and socially, is a wonderful opportunity for an adolescent. The staff made each day fun, professional, productive, safe, and positive.”