Learning for Canutillo ISD students will not end when school officially concludes. The District Curriculum and Instruction Department (C&I) administrators have developed Summer S.A.L.T. (Sustaining Academic Learning Together), a robust remote instruction program that will launch June 8.
The program partners with parents and supports the continued growth and learning of their students to prevent a loss of information and preserve all they learned this year.
“We are not about to lose the momentum we had when we rapidly switched to distance and online learning during the health crisis,” Canutillo ISD Superintendent Dr. Pedro Galaviz said. “Our students, teachers and parents adapted very well to the dramatic change in the learning environment this spring and we are determined to take what we learned and deliver a high quality program to boost their progress.”
The C&I department explains that during typical school years, teachers can account for the summer slide, or loss of information, at the beginning of the next school year. However, this is not a typical year. School closures due to COVID-19 may have a bigger impact on students and the amount of information students lose over the summer will be greater.
Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Debra Kerney says that CISD recommends a whole-child approach to learning and this is an opportunity to spice up the summer.
“This summer, we want students to relax, play outside, and experience adventures with their families,” Dr. Kerney said. “A dash of Summer S.A.L.T. daily will give children time to explore new ideas, play, and strengthen math and reading skills. This will help them to successfully leap into next year and land on their feet.”
Summer S.A.L.T. is a menu of activities for parents and children to choose from. Students are asked to spend a little bit of time each day reading and practicing math. In addition, the menu includes activities for social studies, science, art, community, citizenship, and exercise. There are an abundance of other fun activities to do while at home this summer.
Children will also be able to participate in a schedule of online lessons provided in English and Spanish by CISD teachers. Every CISD student in Pk-5th grade will receive Grab ‘N’ Go Packs by mail, more than 21,000 books in all, to be used during
Elementary Literacy-Extension Live-Stream Sessions. In addition, dual language students will receive a set of books in Spanish.
Students will receive credit at the start of the next school year for the time they put into the menu this summer. Organizers have planned a
contest for middle school students for time spent reading and online use of Imagine Math, myON, and Istation, and students in PK through 8th grade are encouraged to login at least 4 times a week.
The Summer S.A.L.T. Menu and links to the live-stream sessions will be available on the District Website at:
http://www.canutillo-isd.org/COVID19/Summer_SALT.