Summer Learning
Westfield Public Schools
Nineteen Westfield students in grades K-5 took part in the English Language Learners (ELL) Summer Experience, a two-week summer camp that provides meaningful enrichment activities to help students continue their English language acquisition.
This year’s ELL program ran from July 10-21 at Wilson Elementary School and welcomed students whose native languages include Spanish, Chinese, Tamil, Russian, Ukrainian, Portuguese, and Turkish.
“The ELL Summer Experience is an enrichment program,” says K-12 World Languages and ELL Supervisor Enrique Pincay. “Our main goal is for our students to learn through fun and for them to make meaningful connections between language and everyday life experiences.”
Pincay credits teachers Jillian Martinez and Pilar Vasconez Urgilez with “working hard every day to provide hands-on, student-centered activities that yield lasting, meaningful learning” that culminated in a visit to the Liberty Science Center.
“We enjoy connecting with our students and seeing the happy faces ready to learn and have fun every morning,” says Pincay. “I am glad to see our families take advantage of the ELL Summer Experience program and participate in an immersive environment tailored to students who are learning English as their second language.”
Now in its 21st year, the Extended School Year (ESY) Program assists students with Individualized Educational Plans (IEPs) in preventing skill regression and preparing for the upcoming school year.
“It is crucial to provide the ESY program for students to help them maintain skills learned from the previous school year,” says ESY Supervisor Julia Torres. “It also provides a smoother transition between grade levels and helps foster peer relationships with students from schools all across town.”
The ESY program operates from July 6-August 9 and serves approximately 171 students in preschool through grade twelve. The instructional day is structured with a focus on maintaining language arts and math skills, along with the students’ IEP goals. The schedule allows for opportunities to learn and build on important social emotional skills as well. Students also may receive Wilson reading instruction and speech, occupational, and physical therapy.
“We have some fun activities this year, including music classes, therapy dogs, and yoga class, Torres says. “The students also participate in Peaceful Playground to foster teamwork and positive play interactions.”
Torres praises the district teachers and paraprofessionals who support the students in the ESY program, saying: “We hope the students come away from the ESY program energized and excited for the new school year with more confidence in their skills.”
