Friday, August 18, 2006 7:58 PM CDT

School's 'in' for summer

By Phyllis Coulter
pcoulter@pantagraph.com

Mackaii Hampton, 10, completed a written composition in Curt Broughton's fifth grade summer school class at District 87's Sheridan School in Bloomington. (The Pantagraph/DAVID PROEBER).

Jennifer Martinez Arriaza said she probably would have been bored at home if she wasn’t in school this summer. “You get out earlier. You do fun stuff, and learn more,” said Martinez Arriaza, who is entering fifth grade, of the differences between regular classes and summer school that ended Friday for District 87 elementary school students.

They, like kids across the Twin Cities, return to the regular classroom on Thursday.

Martinez Arriaza, 10, was one of 190 children who attended summer school at Sheridan Elementary School the last four weeks.

The students attended school 3½ hours a day, including a working breakfast. The schedule still allowed them to do fun things the rest of the day, said Sheridan principal Jim Cooper.

Usually, Sheridan offers an Early Start program for students needing a boost in reading, math and other skills before school starts. It gives them a little time to get familiar with the school, too.

This year, District 87 had its summer school in two sessions at different locations because of the extensive renovations being done in schools across the district.

The extended-school-year session for junior high and special education students in June at Bloomington Junior High School. But the elementary (K-5) session was held at the end of summer break instead at Sheridan.

Normally, summer school is held entirely at Bloomington Junior High School, which has been undergoing a $6.5 million renovation program, meaning not all classes could be held there.

That was just fine with Sheridan teacher Sonja Huddleson, who has taught summer school at the junior high for eight years. The first grade teacher said it was a treat to teach in her own school this summer, adding the classes “boost the confidence” of children, helps them brush up on skills, and get into a routine.

Makaii Hampton, 10, who starts fifth grade at Irving Elementary School, said he will take with him new skills learned this summer at Sheridan, including an introduction to working in a group.

One of his favorite parts of the summer was taking pictures with a digital camera in the school’s Poetry Place and butterfly garden. One of his photos even made the “wall of fame” in teacher Curt Brough’s classroom.

“It’s a fun part of the summer,” said Hampton, admitting if he hadn’t been in school he probably would have been sleeping at 8:30 a.m. when class started.

In neighboring Normal-based Unit 5, summer school ended a while back. The summer sessions for Title I students, special education and English as a Second Language students were held in July, said John Pye, assistant superintendent of Operations/Human Resources. They included a camp for students with autism.

Some classes also were offered at Parkside Elementary and Junior High schools and a there was a limited selection of high school summer classes.