CLEARFIELD – Kevin Wallace, high school principal, recommended discontinuing the summer school program at the regular meeting of the Clearfield Area School District Board of Directors on Monday night.
Wallace said the students don’t experience an academic benefit from the summer school program. He said he doesn’t believe it’s the result of the teaching or instruction.
“We have some of the best faculty and administration in the state. It has nothing to do with the presentation (of course materials),” Wallace said.
During summer school, he said they condense nearly 130 regular course hours into in the area of 40 hours. He said they often have to combine courses together, such as Algebra I, Algebra II and Geometry.
Wallace said they would ensure no student was left behind if the program was eliminated. He said students would still have continued improvement opportunities through independent studies and correspondence courses.
“It was started with good intentions,” Wallace said of the summer school program. With the re-roofing project set to get under way this June, he said he believed it was a good time to phase out the program.
Board member Tim Morgan inquired if students utilized the summer school program to work on projects. Wallace said they did not, adding they’re encouraging seniors to begin their projects years earlier now.