The month of July could be a busy one for some county schools, as schools throughout Limestone County are hosting a variety of summer programs for students.

The school system announced on social media Thursday there would be a four-week program at Elkmont, Tanner, Piney Chapel and Sugar Creek elementary schools as part of the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants awarded to those schools.

The programs are generally held after school during the school year and in June, but due to the coronavirus pandemic, Limestone County Schools federal programs director Allison Usery said the summer portion has been moved to July. They will start July 6 and run 8 a.m.–1 p.m. weekdays until July 30.

Students who participate will still enjoy activities focused on reading, math, science, art and technology but Usery said there will be a few changes to help maintain social distancing and reduce the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus.

In addition to a nurse at each site for temperature screenings, there will be bottles of water provided to students to prevent use of water fountains, breakfasts and lunches will be served in the classroom instead of a lunchroom, and teachers will wear masks and/or face shields during class. Usery said students will not be required to wear a mask but can if their parent decides it’s best for the child.

Student helpers will also be onsite to help maintain social distancing, and sanitation stations will be available at each site. Classes will be limited to 10 students per teacher, and LCS is working with area museums and organizations to bring field trips to the school instead of students traveling like they would during non-pandemic summers.

When schools closed in March, some activities, such as the drumline started at Piney Chapel Elementary or the ballet class, had to end prematurely. Usery said the school system is working to continue those activities during the summer program.

Schools that have received the 21st CCLC grant are currently reaching out to families who participated in the program during the 2019-2020 school year. Usery said in a typical year, that number is usually 45–50 for Elkmont, Tanner and Piney Chapel, and as many as 75 or 80 for Sugar Creek.

Families who did not participate last year but want information on getting involved this summer should contact their school.

More to do

While 21st CCLC events are limited to students who attend the schools that have received the grant, the school system has worked to provide new summer camps for students at every school in the district.

SOAR, a summer reading program for grades K-3, is an invitation-only camp focused on providing small-group instruction catered to each student’s specific reading needs. Students in the program will also get to participate in robotics activities at each of the 21st CCLC sites, as well as the onsite field trips.

SOAR will take place at the four 21st CCLC sites and Creekside Elementary. Usery said students who attend Johnson, Cedar Hill or Blue Springs elementary schools will participate in SOAR at Creekside, Elkmont and Tanner, respectively.

Camps for secondary students, or those in grades 6–12, will also be offered. Usery said the camps are open and free to all students, with a foundational robotics and coding camp also being offered to students in fourth and fifth grades.

Beginner and intermediate robotics and coding camps are available as well. An art camp, featuring a different medium each day, and a music camp featuring small group lessons will be held, with the art camp set for one week in July and the music camp still being finalized. Usery said it will likely be split into one lesson a week with focuses on guitar and/or vocals, but details will be announced soon.

Usery said the additional camps are being paid for through Title IV funding. She said a task force met at the start of the 2019-2020 school year and realized there were not enough art electives for students in the district.

“This was a need our team saw, to offer something to our secondary students that are more in the art field,” Usery said. “This is a start to see what we can do in the future.”

One camp not being hosted this year is a teambuilding and collaboration camp called EPIC. The program was a hit with students, who got to participate in challenges to better their leadership and coworking skills.

“We had such great reviews from parents and students,” Usery said. “One of the students said they never felt comfortable, when they had to do small-group things at school, being a leader in that group. Now, they feel comfortable leading a small group, project or things like that.”

However, many of the activities involved working in close quarters with students from different households, something heavily cautioned against during the coronavirus pandemic. Usery said the district is hopeful they will be able to offer EPIC again next summer.

Anyone seeking information on SOAR or the camps available for secondary students is encouraged to contact Michelle Mitchell, summer administrator, at michelle.mitchell@lcsk12.org.