(above) Roosevelt School Counselor Kim Schumacher leads Peaceful Playground, an ESY course on conflict resolution for preschool to 5th grade students.
Strengthening Skills During Extended School Year Program
Submitted by Mary Ann McGann
The Extended School Year Program in the Westfield Public School District focuses on maintaining and strengthening academic skills through the summer to prepare students for the new school year. In its 17th year, the five-week, state-mandated ESY program assists students in preschool through high school who have been identified as those who would benefit from additional instruction and related services during the summer.
Instructional specialists in reading, behavior/social skills, speech, occupational and physical therapy join special education teachers, paraprofessionals and a registered nurse in administering the program. Many of the ESY staff are longtime educators and aides with Westfield Public Schools.
“The ESY program prevents significant regression for students who require direct, intensive instruction throughout the summer,” says Andrea Lo, supervisor of special services for preschool to 12th grade. “I applaud the creativity of our staff who provide academic instruction which is engaging and exciting for their students.”
Approximately 32 students in grades 6-12 attend the ESY program at Westfield High School, each with a morning homeroom and a rotation schedule of core academic classes. Students at the high school program also receive OT, PT, speech, behavioral services and reading instruction through the Wilson Reading System.
Enrolled in the preschool through fifth grade ESY program at Wilson Elementary School are about 130 students who also receive instruction in reading, writing, and mathematics, along with related services, while learning about conflict resolution through an engaging course called Peaceful Playground.
“I am so fortunate to have the opportunity to supervise the ESY program this year. I love seeing how much students have grown over the years and reconnecting with the parents of my previous students,” says TranLe Hill, a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC) at Lincoln. “ESY is the perfect blend of providing students with the opportunity to maintain the academic skills they learned during the school year and strengthening their social emotional skills within a structured and safe environment.”
The ESY program in Westfield Public Schools runs from July 1 through August 6.
Photos by Westfield Public Schools
(above) Kindergartners enjoy painting during an Extended School Year (ESY) program in Westfield Public Schools.
(above) Students in grades 6-12 attend an Extended School Year (ESY) program at Westfield High School to maintain and strengthen skills.
(above) Drawing and painting as part of an Extended School Year (ESY) program for students identified as those who would benefit from additional instruction and related services in the summer.
