Elmont’s summer school reinforces learning

Sixth-grade students enrolled in Elmont Union Free School District’s Academic Summer School program at Dutch Broadway School tested their math skills when they took part in the Cradle of Aviation’s interactive presentation ‘Fly By Math.’

The program, offered as an in-house field trip, recreated the intense atmosphere of an air traffic control center and allowed students to act as air traffic controllers, giving pilots instructions on where and how fast to fly. As part of the activity, students also determined the appropriate speed, spacing and altitude to prevent near misses and collisions, all while using the mathematical skills they learned during the regular school year.

Fly by Math is just one of many programs highlighted during the Academic Summer School program, which is offered to students in grades 1-6, who are enrolled in the English as a New Language (ENL) and special education programs, as well as those receiving resource room and academic intervention services.

According to the program’s Principal Cynthia Cameron, who also serves as the assistant principal at Alden Terrace School, the Academic Summer School reinforces the skills students learned during the school year while preparing them for the year ahead.

“We want to ensure the students achieve mastery before they move to the next grade level,” Cameron said.

As part of the summer program, students study English Language Arts, math, science and social studies. They also attend art, music, physical education and computer classes and participate in local and in-house field trips. In addition to its traditional offerings, an enrichment component was added to the curriculum this year, giving students an opportunity to use the school’s computer labs to complete in-depth research projects in the areas of science and social studies.