Access Kicks Off Summer School
Access Academies Kicks Off Summer School at St. Cecilia School
Saint Louis, MO. June 3, 2013 – Today, 55 NativityMiguel middle school students returned to class at St. Cecilia School as part of Access Academies extended school year.
Some were smiling, some were a bit unsure, but all were in uniform and ready to learn.
“The purpose of the summer program is to extend the school year and work on foundational skills. By having a longer school year, the students’ attrition rate during July and August lessens, making them more ready for the following school year. In addition, we work on basic skills which will set them up for success in every subject area,” said Principal Joe Kilmade.
According to a report released in 2011 by the RAND Corporation, a student’s average summer learning loss in math and reading amounts to one month per year. More troubling is that it disproportionately affects low-income students, who are said to lose two months of reading skills.
At St. Cecilia School, students will attend class the entire month of June, which does include field trips. Tomorrow, for instance, students will be visiting Mid-America Transplant Services on a health sciences excursion. Later, students will attend a four-day college exposure camp at St. Louis University.
St. Cecilia students entering sixth grade will also be introduced to Access Academies, who makes a seven year commitment to each child through the St. Louis NativityMiguel model of education. This includes a robust academic curriculum, homework assistance, service projects, and enrichment for students in grades 6, 7, and 8.
Access Academies NativityMiguel program also encourages family involvement and eases the transition to high school and into college through graduate support such as tutoring, mentoring, academic scholarships, and tracking each student’s individual academic growth and achievement through high school and into college.
Students attending St. Louis the King at Cathedral and Most Holy Trinity, two other Access Academies in the city, will start their summer school programs June 10th. For more information regarding this release, please contact Julie Linder, Public Relations for Access Academies, by calling (573) 268-0639 or emailing [email protected]
###
About: Established in 2005, Access Academies (Academies Creating Challenging Education for St. Louis Students) is a not-for-profit corporation established to ensure that socially-and/or economically-disadvantaged students in the St. Louis area have Access to top-quality, values-based education, regardless of race, ethnicity or religious affiliation.