The Mancos School District has launched a two-week summer program, led by kindergarten teacher Nicole Gregersen, to support elementary students’ academic growth and ease the transition for incoming kindergartners.
The summer school initiative offers students a chance to build on their skills and get a head start on the expectations of the grade level they will enter in the fall.
Last year’s program yielded great results, as measured by the STAR assessment. First grade STAR Math scores rose from an average of 775.86 to 797.14, while second grade scores improved from 853.5 to 860.25.
Third-grade scores increased from 917 to 920.33. Fourth grade students saw their STAR Math performance climb from the 34th to the 39th percentile, and fifth-graders improved from the 17th to the 23rd percentile. Reading accuracy and fluency also showed notable gains across all grade levels.
“This program also gives our students a feel for the next grade level and expectations for the new grade level they are entering,” Principal Seth Levine told The Journal. “I am so proud of my teachers and the students for all of the hard work they showed during our summer school program.”
The Kindergarten Transition Academy, a key component of the program, introduces incoming kindergartners to essential academic and social skills. Students practice name writing, color and shape identification, counting, number recognition up to 20, number writing to 10 and identifying uppercase and lowercase letters. They also learn practical skills, such as navigating the school, finding bathrooms, walking in hallways, locating the playground and using the cafeteria line.
“These skills are big skills for our incoming kindergarten students,” Levine said.
