Lawrence school district launches Summer Jumpstart Program for ELL Students

This summer, the Lawrence school district invited 100 kindergarten through sixth grade students to take part in the Summer Jumpstart Program for English Language Learners.

The program aims to provide students with enrichment through engaging activates and targeted learning opportunities.

“We are excited to offer this Summer Jumpstart program to our English Language Learners,” said Kristen Panzararella, Lawrence Primary School’s principal. “It’s more than just a program; it’s a stepping stone for our students, one that enables them to feel confident and prepared as they transition to the next grade level.”

The school district’s aim is to reduce academic disparities and promote long-term student success by investing in targeted support during the summer months. The district is also committed to providing equitable educational opportunities for all students, especially those learning English as an additional language.

“Students were given a baseline the first day they attended the program and teachers have worked with the students each day on a blended model,” Panzararella said. “There’s small group instruction as well as individualized instruction using some of the programs we have.”

The program was also created is to combat the “summer slide,” according to Kathleen Graham, the Lawrence Early Childhood Center principal and the district’s director of special programs.

“Our students work so hard during the school year to gain those foundational skills, especially in reading and often times during the summer those skills are not practiced,” Graham said. “Students will start the next school year almost half a year behind due to that summer slide.”

The students will be reassessed at the end of the program to view their growth in reading and writing, vocabulary, and a collaborative environment.

“The parents are really appreciative, I know we do have good attendance and the kids are genuinely excited,” Panzararella said. “It’s an exciting opportunity for them to continue to learn.”

The program is free and the students are asked to bring their district-issued Chrome book and a snack.

“When we talk about ELL, there is emerging, entering, and up to commanding, we didn’t want to specify just emerging or just commanding, we opened it up to all ELL learners,” Graham said.

Having the program will help the students keep the skills they learned and start the next school year with “confidence” and “ready for the next level,” according to Graham.

“I just find it so beneficial, and I’m really proud to be part of a school district that does have these opportunities for our students,” Panzararella said. “For students that English might not be their first language, the chance to continue and not start the school year without the proper resources and to provide these for the families is something I’m really proud of.”

The program is tailored to the student’s levels and baseline data from the school year and is lead by certified teachers. It runs twice a week and will end on July 31, with students receiving a certificate during a celebration.

“Building these foundational skills are truly laying each skill brick by brick, and each moment we get to have to reinforce those bricks and build a sturdy wall of reading is something that I find very impactful for student learning,” Graham said.