Wood County Schools officials talk with West Virginia BOE
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CHARLESTON -- Wood County Schools officials spoke to the West Virginia State Board of Education on Wednesday about the district's new summer school program.
Superintendent Will Hosaflook, Director of Curriculum & Instruction Christie Willis, Curriculum Coordinator Ashlee Beatty and school board President Justin Raber discussed the district's new summer school program that is made possible from the state's Summer SOLE (Student Opportunities for Learning and Engagement) funding.
Hosaflook said the purpose of the summer program is not only to get students caught up due to time lost in the classroom but to reestablish the student's love for learning for all students in Wood County, not just Title I or non Title I students.
"Our summer programming strategy is very simple, we're here for all the kids, not some kids. be it Title I kids or non-Title I kids," he said. "But more importantly, we wanted to recapture the love of learning. We know we are going to catch kids up, but that is not our goal. Our goal is to recapture the love of learning. That's the most important thing right now, we have to get students engaged in school again, we have to get students loving coming to school and wanting to be involved, doing projects and activities with rigor involved," Hosaflook said.
The programs are being paid for with Summer SOLE grants which use $34 million in federal funds given to states to help with academic recovery from the pandemic. The funding will be distributed over a three-year period.
Beatty and Willis both went over the eight different programs that will be offered to students depending on their grade level in front of the state board.
According to Willis, about 1,400 students in grades K-8 have enrolled in the summer programs, while high school enrollment numbers are still being compiled. The programs range from STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programs to credit recovery classes.
State officials from State Superintendent Clayton Burch to State Board President Miller Hall praised Wood County Schools, saying the summer programs will be held up as a model for other school systems throughout West Virginia.
"This is exactly what we had in mind" when officials earmarked funds for summer programs, said Burch. "You have taken advantage of these dollars for your students and I have absolutely no worries that in three years when I stand up in front of legislators and say what happened in that three years, I promise you this will be one of the stories I tell."
Tyler Bennett can be reached at tbennett@newsandsentinel.com