Thousands of School District 43 students are expected to enrol in summer school programs this year in what has become as much of a tradition as heading to the beach.
And while high school credit courses continue to attract students looking to boost marks or free up their schedules during the school year, most of the growth in enrolment has been among students in the younger grades.
This year, for example, some 6,000 students are expected to enrol in Coquitlam Summer Learning programs, more than half of whom are kids in kindergarten to Grade 8, while enrolment in high school credit courses is holding at 1,800 students and remedial programs (for students wishing to upgrade to a passing mark) is similarly stable.
"As our numbers would indicate, it's matching a need in the community," said Murray Peters, vice-principal for Coquitlam Continuing Education.
The courses are also free for B.C. residents, and there are many more options than the traditional reading, writing and math, giving students an opportunity to learn a new skill, such as a musical instrument in beginner band, how to cook in a culinary arts course or building leadership skills in a physical education class.
Peters said SD43 will once again offer a few new courses; for example, some for students in Grades 3 to 8 will blend two subjects in a single course, such as reading, writing and outdoor science or math and outdoor science. In these integrated courses, students will focus on a "big idea" using elements of the two subject areas, Peters said.
"This is not necessarily revolutionary, many teachers for a long time have been integrating those subjects and we wanted to formalize that this summer," he said.
The new integrated courses have also been developed in line with the provincial curriculum being rolled out for kindergarten to Grade 9 students this fall. The new curriculum — which stresses personalized and project-based learning, among other things — has already been introduced to many SD43 schools.
"We want our summer learning to be part of the innovation that's going on," Peters told The Tri-City News.
This year, approximately 240 teachers will be hired for summer, with courses available at about a dozen Tri-City schools. As well, specialized courses for Montessori, French immersion and international baccalaureate students will be offered.
And for families wanting to get a jump on summer planning, registration will soon begin. To get an account, you must have the student's PEN number, which is available from their home school; all registration is done online and starts at 6 a.m. on the following dates:
• elementary, Tuesday, April 26;
• middle and secondary skill building, Friday, April 29;
• Grade 10 high school credit, Tuesday, May 3;
• Grade 11 high school credit, Wednesday, May 4;
• Secondary remedial, Friday, May 6;
• Grade 12 high school credit, Wednesday, May 11.
More information is available at www.summerlearningcoquitlam.ca.
