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Educators Want Summer Programs for Good Students: Officials Ask Bibb BOE for $85,000

Posted on: Thursday, 16 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By Julie Hubbard, The Macon Telegraph, Ga.

Mar. 16--Summer school isn't just for struggling Bibb County students anymore.

School officials have asked the Bibb County school board to spend $85,000 to allow achieving students to attend advanced math and science summer camps in June.

The money would pay for up to 400 students entering third through sixth grade to attend the weeklong environmental science, math and paleontology camps at Alexander II Magnet School, officials said.

The board approved the expenditure in its committee meeting last week, and it is expected to officially approve the proposal at tonight's board meeting.

"We wanted to start a program for kids making good grades -- to help them go forward," said Karol Stephens, Bibb's school improvement coordinator. "We have students who excel in (math and science), and we wanted to push their knowledge further."

The camps are available on a first-come, first-served basis, Stephens said.

Camp applications should go home with students and be available on the system's Web site early next week, she said. Parents would be responsible for transportation.

The camps scheduled to be offered are:

-- Math Masters, 9 a.m. to noon, June 19-23. For students entering fifth and sixth grades. Curriculum focuses on algebra, geometry and problem solving.

-- Junebugs, 9 a.m. to noon, June 19-23. For students entering third and fourth grades. It's an environmental science camp.

-- Math Maniacs, 9 a.m. to noon, June 26-30. For students entering third and fourth grades. Hands-on algebra equations, geometric principles, solving problems are focus.

-- Fossil Fanatics, 9 a.m. to noon, June 26-30. A camp for students entering fifth and sixth grades to explore paleontology and earth science.

The school system is hosting nine summer programs in June and July, including remediation, defensive driving and some for academic credit, Stephens said. About 800 students at the elementary level are expected to attend remediation camps this summer.

"The summer opportunity program is geared toward students who need to make up work on their grade level or who failed the CRCT," she said. "We want to give them every opportunity to pass that benchmark assessment and move on" to the next grade.

-- The camps for third-, fifth- and eighth-graders who face retention will be held June 5-29. Third-graders attend Hamilton Elementary, fifth-graders attend Hartley Elementary and eighth-graders attend McEvoy Middle. Times are being determined, she said.

-- Students in the first, second, fourth, sixth and seventh grade who failed subjects and want to be considered for promotion can attend another camp June 5-29. Students in first, second and fourth attend Burke Elementary. Students in grades six and seven attend McEvoy Middle.

-- Remedial work for juniors and seniors who need to pass the Georgia High School Graduation Test will be held June 1-23 at Hutchings High, 2011 Riverside Drive. Transportation is not provided.

-- Regular academic and vocational summer school for ninth- through 12th-graders will be offered at Southwest High, 1710 Canterbury Road. The program will run from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 1-June 22 or June 23-July 14. The program is open to Bibb students, private school students and students in surrounding counties. Tuition for Bibb students is $150 per semester and $250 per semester for out-of-county students. Students can earn up to one Carnegie unit. Courses offered are economics, biology, U.S. history, physical science, algebra I, freshman literature, geometry and American literature.

-- A summer defensive-driving course is also available for high school students from 8 a.m. to noon, June 5-July 14, at Hutchings High. The Bibb County school system is partnering with the Bibb County Sheriff's Office to teach driving safety. Certificates will be awarded. The session is free.

To contact Julie Hubbard, call 744-4331 or e-mail jhubbard@macontel.com [mailto:jhubbard@macontel.com].

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Macon Telegraph, Ga.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Macon Telegraph (Macon, Ga.)

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