Building Successful Summer School Program EdOptions Academy
Summer school programs are a fantastic opportunity for learners to recoup credits, get ahead, and prepare for critical grade-level transitions. However, many constraining factors, such as budget, schedule, curriculum, and access to instructors, can get in the way of providing students with the options you know they need.
In instances with such challenges, a virtual program option with a trusted partner can often be your answer.
Make your Summer School Program Successful with EdOptions Academy
Let’s take a closer look at the best ways to approach building an online summer school program using our flexible virtual learning program, EdOptions Academy.
Define the goal
Every good program needs a North Star to follow. Are you aiming to make your program all about credit recovery? Before the school year ends, identify the students who are a suitable fit, and start getting in touch with families to drive enrollment.
Want to offer flexible options for learners to get ahead? Consider how you can position your summer offering as one that will enable increased schedule flexibility the following school year.
Have you seen 9th graders historically struggle with the transition from middle to high school? Consider how you can set up a virtual program just for those learners, focused on shoring up gaps and previewing key content to promote academic success.
For these and other programmatic needs that you might decide to focus on, decide early and communicate effectively for maximum success.
Assign educators
Perhaps the most difficult challenge of any summer school program is garnering support from your staff to stick around during the summer months and keep teaching. If you are facing staffing shortages or simply know that your overworked staff will require the time to recharge, there are options you can turn to for outside help.
Through Edmentum’s EdOptions Academy, we pair rigorous, credit-bearing curriculum with our own state-certified virtual teachers to drive effective learning across a robust catalog of course needs.
Select your summer school program format
Even with a virtual school partner in place like EdOptions Academy, you still have options on how to orient your summer program.
We’ve seen success from our partners who choose to make the program still brick-and-mortar in style but utilize reduced staff to support logistics, just-in-time student support, and other school needs while students receive the specialized instruction that they require from their EdOptions Academy virtual teacher.
Other programs might utilize some brick-and-mortar component and create a hybrid option where students have more autonomy to decide when to come in, perhaps with requirements for in-person learning on key testing days. And finally, others still may elect to go with a fully virtual program, giving students maximum flexibility to complete their summer learning goals.
Consider your budget, building access, transportation, enrollment numbers, and technology needs before planning what learning environment is right for you.
No matter what your goal is for your summer school program, Edmentum is here to help. By partnering with EdOptions Academy, you can structure an online summer school program that will make a difference in the lives of your students and set them up for a successful school year.