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DCHS Students Begin Summer School

Posted on: Tuesday, 6 June 2006, 18:00 CDT

By Joy Campbell, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Jun. 6--Amber Shelton's algebra I students play games a lot. But there's a method to that madness.

"I use games to teach cooperative language and paired group activities," Shelton said on the first day of summer school for Daviess County High School students.

Today, the students will be blowing bubbles outside, an activity that will allow them to collect data to measure central tendency -- mean, median, mode and range.

"I want to show them a place where numbers can come from and bring the numbers back inside and do calculations," the teacher said.

Shelton also uses worksheets to reinforce concepts and assess what's going on in the classroom, and she has a peer tutor available to provide one-on-one help for students who need it.

This year about 140 Daviess County High School students are enrolled in summer school, which is all about recovering lost credits and getting students back on track, educators said.

Three students, who were poring over a worksheet, did not complain about giving up 20 days of their summer break.

"I won't have to take the class again next year," said C.J. Turner, 15, of Owensboro.

"That would be hard to do," said Miranda White, 16. "We'd have to take algebra and geometry at the same time, and that would be too hard."

Chase Vanhooser, 15, said he just got behind a little and didn't catch up.

"There are a lot of people in class, and teachers move fast," White said. "Summer school is slower, and you can get it better."

Jessi Sprankle, a peer tutor, helps Shelton assemble activities until students need her. She also has been a peer tutor during the regular school year.

"I enjoy it; to think that I'm helping the kids get back on track is really satisfying," she said.

The 20 days of instruction are funded by Extended School Services dollars. Sprankle and other peer tutors also are paid for helping with summer school out of the funds.

Most summer school students are making up a math credit.

To make up the course, students must be in class 80 hours this summer.

Some instruction is Web-based through a program called Novel Star, which allows students to work individually, submit assignments and take tests online. The computer courses are facilitated by a teacher.

"We have a few students in all general course areas, and that could be hard to set up without substantial staffing costs," said Julie Clark, director of middle and secondary education. "Novel Star has helped us address that."

Daviess County Public Schools opted to have only DCHS students this year since Apollo High School is using a credit recovery program that operates during the regular school year.

At Apollo, students can earn a half credit in their first semester when school is in session. Any student who doesn't earn that credit is identified and the recovery process begins right away.

Make-up classes are held before school in mornings and after school in afternoons. A technology-based program also is used to facilitate the make-up work.

"Sometimes it's easy for a student to give up during the year and just say, 'I'll make this up in the summer,' " Clark said. "Apollo school officials wanted students to know they will have to make up the course during the regular school year along with their other classes. ... It gives them an incentive to get it right the first time."

So far, administrators have received positive response from students, parents and teachers on Apollo's different approach to credit recovery, Clark said. By the end of the next school year, officials likely will have enough data to determine if they're meeting students' long-term needs.

Only a few students from other districts were attending Daviess County's summer school. Clark notified them in September that the district's session would serve only DCHS students.

Owensboro High School is having summer school by reservation only from June 12-29, Assistant Principal Elaine Winstead.

Owensboro Catholic High School is not having sessions this year.

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Copyright (c) 2006, Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: Messenger-Inquirer

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