Nearly 11,000 students take part in Summer Learning
Nearly 11,000 learners spent part of their summer in the classroom this past July, with 10,950 students enrolled in Summer Learning courses across the district.
At the September public board meeting, Director of Instruction Raj Puri presented an overview of the program, which offers students full-credit, preview and review, and enrichment courses over the summer.
In elementary, 2,708 students took part at 30 sites, where kindergarten to Grade 6 learners received literacy and numeracy support. French immersion classes ran at three sites. Students heading from Grade 7 to 8 also had transition support in literacy and numeracy.
At the secondary level, 8,242 students and adult learners enrolled in summer courses across seven main sites, including:
- preview and review courses, providing core academic learning for Grade 8 and 9 students;
- law, a popular course where students learn how the justice system works and eventually take part in a mock trial;
- specialty programs such as a girls-only aviation program to promote aviation careers to young women, automotive and culinary arts;
- adult education at Invergarry for newcomers working on their English and math; and
- the SFU Film Academy, giving secondary student filmmakers a first look at modern cinema.
Indigenous learning was also a major focus this summer, with programs including:
- learning circles with Indigenous facilitators and teachers;
- an Indigenous math program at the secondary level;
- the Little Eaglets program;
- Tetoten, a new program this year on Barnston Island; and
- Coast Salish Seasonal Studies, offered in partnership with SFU in its inaugural year at Queen Elizabeth Secondary, where students had an opportunity to learn from the land and the language.
Puri credited partnerships across the district and community with making the program possible, “We wouldn’t be able to do these without the partnerships with departments our own district, SFU and other community agencies.”
Moving forward, the district will continue looking for ways to continue to enhance Summer Learning.
