PARLIER – The Parlier Unified School District (PUSD) 2024 summer programs were a rousing success, both in terms of academic achievement and in terms of student spirit and growth.
So said the programs’ leaders, Parlier High School Learning Director Javier Martinez and Matthew J. Brletic Elementary School Principal Cristina Aguilar. The two presented a report on the programs to the PUSD School Board at its Aug. 6, 2024 meeting.
The programs lasted six weeks from June 11 to July 19 and included elementary, junior high and senior high school students.
ELEMENTARY SUMMER PROGRAM
Aguilar began with a presentation on the elementary school program. During week one, which lasted from June 10 through June 14, 307 students enrolled in the program, with an average of 248 students attending the sessions. Both enrollment and attendance declined in the ensuing weeks, with 208 students enrolling in week six (July 15 through July 19). The weekly attendance averaged 168 students.
Aguilar said the programs focused on two disciplines – English language arts and mathematics. Kindergartners focused on letter names and sounds. First through fourth graders brushed up on their reading schools, writing and reading comprehension while fifth and sixth graders practice syllable division and writing and reading comprehension.
In the math programs, the kindergartners through second graders focused on base ten, comparing numbers, and addition and subtraction. Third through sixth graders worked on place value, multiplication and fractions.
The programs were not entirely devoted to academics. There were field trips to the Maya Cinema. First through sixth graders also attended Fresno State’s STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) camp.
Enrichment activities included water day activities, a day with Reptile Ron, African drumming sessions, a color run, arts and crafts and Kona ice treats.
JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM
Martinez said 79 junior high school students – 34 seventh graders, 45 eighth graders – participated in the program. The junior high program was focused on mirroring the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) standards.
Like the elementary school program, the junior high program focused on English and mathematics. In the English component, seventh graders focused on citing evidence and making references with an emphasis on writing components. Eighth grade students focused on the R.A.C.E. (restate, answer, cite, explain) method. The strategy culminated in teaching students to write a five-paragraph expository essay.
In the mathematics component, seventh graders focused on adding and subtracting positive and negative integers, the number line, and multiplying and dividing integers. Eighth graders studied automaticity – the ability to perform a task without conscious thought or effort as the result of practice – and memorization of key components.
Acknowledging that all English and math make seventh and eighth graders dull boys and girls, the junior high program offered a multitude of excursions. These included field trips to Skyzone, No Surrender and Fresno State. Over diversions included designing totes, perler beading, cooking and art classes, sports activities, and nail art design classes.
HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER PROGRAM
Martinez said 420 students participated in the high school program. This program ramped up the focus on academics, with a focus on earning school credits.
The high school program focused on art, biology, conceptual physics, English, history, math and physical education. The grade distribution across these disciplines broke out as follows: 206 A grades, 117 B grades, 100 C grades, and 14 D grades.
Martinez said students could earn credits either with an in-person instructor or through Subject.com, which is an online service that offers over 120 high school courses. According to Martinez’s presentation, the 420 high school students earned a total of 1,470 credits – 1,070 in-person, 400 online.
Credit recovery was another academic component of the high school program. Students could make up missing credits by completing online classes through Subject.com.
Ninety-nine students enrolled in 73 online courses through Subject.com. Students were expected to complete all courses and achieve at least 70% course credit to earn missing credits. As a group, the 99 students averaged 73% in the courses and earned 375 credits.
Like their classmen, high schoolers were also feted with fields to Skyzone, No Surrender and Fresno State. They also partook of the same activities, including a drone class. An open gym was at their disposal if they were so inclined.
