Hempfield Area School District students have the opportunity to participate in summer programs this year aimed at addressing what they call “the summer slide” and pandemic-related learning loss.

The programs — which include summer classes for students who failed a course and need to recover credits, enrichment camps and elementary small group instruction — come after two years of covid-related impacts that included school closures and extended periods of online learning.

“One of the things we know is, coming out of this period of the pandemic and all the different modes of instruction and all the different interruptions, that we want to continue to offer these things for the purpose of continued learning enrichment and closing those gaps,” said Kimberlie Rieffannacht, assistant superintendent of elementary education, during a school board meeting this week.

There are about 420 students enrolled in the programs. That’s more than 7% of the district’s students.

Of those, 108 students are set to participate in summer courses.

The first phase of courses, which will focus on social studies and science, begins next week.

Courses will run from Monday through June 30 at the high school.

The second phase, which will focus on English language arts and math, is scheduled for July 11-14 and July 25-28 at the Central Westmoreland Career and Technology Center.

Students will be assigned to a CWCTC program that incorporates both content areas. Programs could include construction trades, welding, electrical, restoration and design or automotive technology.

“We’ll have students doing mini projects,” said Matthew Conner, assistant superintendent of secondary education. “They will be learning with a purpose. They’ll be applying the math skills and the English skills to the project and being introduced to our awesome CWCTC program.”

There is no cost associated with the summer credit recovery program, which is typically offered each year. Transportation will be provided.

District officials also are planning enrichment camps, specifically aimed at addressing learning loss because of the pandemic.

Planned camps include band camp for middle school students; Hometown Happenings, where first and second grade students will go on field trips around the area and then research and write about their experience; Flat Stanley, where second through fourth grade students will read a story about Flat Stanley and the places he’ll go; kindergarten camp for students transitioning into first grade; and a writer’s workshop for middle school students.

The camps are scheduled for various times throughout the summer.

According to Rieffannacht, 205 students are enrolled in the enrichment camps.

Finally, elementary small group instruction will address students’ academic needs and the disproportionate impact of covid-19 on underrepresented students. Small group instruction will be held in each of the district’s elementary schools between July 11-28.

“Our small groups at the elementary level will be running as they have in the past,” Rieffannacht said. “We looked at our student data and invited our students from all grades k-5. … Each of those groups were created to have small group activities to support closing those achievement gaps and continuing learning.”

There are 110 students enrolled in small group instruction.

Costs of each program will be paid for with covid-19 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds.

In addition, officials are planning to pay for transportation wherever possible. They also raised the hourly rate to $50 to help recruit staff.

The programs will run through August.

“Thank you for all your hard work on these programs,” board member Jeanne Smith said. “I know we have covid slide and also summer slide that we’re dealing with, so thank you.”

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