Teacher Kathryn Mlynarek and student Morgan Thomas work on an assignment in the Roseville Community Schools summer school program.
By: Maria Allard | Roseville-Eastpointe Eastsider | Published July 27, 2022
ROSEVILLE/EASTPOINTE — Even though the calendar reads July, Roseville Community Schools and Eastpointe Community Schools have been welcoming students to class.
That’s because the districts are offering a number of summer school programs for students. There are no tuition costs to attend, and free breakfast and lunch are offered. Busing was also available, depending on the student’s distance from school.
Eastpointe
Eastpointe High School students behind in credits are taking advantage of a virtual credit recovery program. Approximately 170 students registered for at least one session to get caught up on their credits.
Eastpointe Middle School is hustling and bustling with several programs for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The district offered two sessions: July 5 through July 21, which was session A, and July 25 through Aug. 11, which is session B.
The K-8 programs are held from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and from 12:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. In between, the students go outside for recess during lunch.
LaShawn Baskin is the Eastpointe Community Schools summer school principal. The programs are provided through a partnership with the Macomb Intermediate School District, and the classes are taught by Eastpointe staff members.
“Overall, they’re doing a great job. There is a lot of teaching and learning taking place,” Baskin said. “You see teachers working in small groups and one-on-one. Older students are working with younger students. We have activities going on in all the classrooms.”
The Eastpointe programs include KinderConnect for students entering kindergarten, First Fundamentals for students entering first grade, and summer scholars, which is a literacy and math program for students entering second through fifth grades.
Also offered is STEM literacy and learning for students in second, third and fourth grades; a middle school readers and writers program; and a math mindset program for middle school students. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and math.
“Some asked for reading and writing, and some asked for math mindset. They had a choice to do one or the other,” Baskin said. “The students are happy to be here. They’re engaged in what the daily experience is.”
Eastpointe students also have the chance to participate in enrichment activities, including 3D art, math games, graphic arts, yoga and computers.
Roseville
Roseville Community Schools teachers and students also are staying busy this summer.
“We have been at the forefront of keeping the education going for our students during the summer months for several years now,” Roseville Community Schools Communications/Marketing Facilitator Joe Genest said via email. “Our extended learning program provides our elementary students with an additional five weeks of learning throughout the summer months, mixing classroom learning with outdoor activities, field trips and fun projects.”
The Elementary Extended Learning Program is running from July 5 through Aug. 4 at Steenland Elementary School. The classes include full days for students Mondays through Thursdays.
For the first time this summer, Roseville offered a teacher cadet academy. The program welcomed students entering 11th or 12th grade in the fall who are interested in a future career in education.
Teacher cadet students underwent an application and interview process earlier in the school year. The selected students attended a workshop training session in June. The teacher cadets spent time in the Elementary Extended Learning Program this summer, working with the younger students and job shadowing teachers.
Roseville students also are enrolled in KinderConnect and First Fundamentals at Kment Elementary School. Middle school students are involved in reading and writing camps and math at Roseville High School. High school students also are taking credit recovery classes at RHS from July 5 through Aug. 4.
Roseville also held a girls’ STEM camp the week of July 13 in the Roseville High School makerspace lab for a select group of girls entering sixth grade this fall. Eighteen students attended four full days Monday through Thursday. Students completed design challenges with LEGO Spike Prime robots, used power tools and interacted with female STEM professionals.