Special to the Enquirer

Hartselle City Schools’ 2021 summer school and extended school year served as many as 125 students ranging from kindergarten through 12th grade.

For young students, a literacy-based summer school was provided by science and reading trained Hartselle City Schools elementary teachers and hosted at Crestline Elementary School. The Alabama Literacy Law supports this endeavor and was in attendance for the first day. From June 7-24, elementary students attended full academic days. Principal Karissa Lang, Crestline Elementary, assistant principal Jonathan Bragwell, Barkley Bridge principal Tina Towers, F.E.Burleson principal Phillip Jarmon, and assistant principal Dr. Carolyn Pistorius collaborated as on-site support for students, parents and teachers.   Nearly 100 students were engaged in student-specific remediation skills.

Hartselle City Schools also partnered with local colleges. Professor Dr. Tina Sloan leads the Athens State University’s partnership and helped ASU provide fifty preservice teachers. These teachers worked closely with and learned from Hartselle’s Highly Qualified reading teachers. This was the first time in more than a year that preservice teachers gained real-world, face-to-face classroom experience.

Athens State University Physical Education preservice teachers creatively worked with students to enhance phonological awareness, alphabetic principle/phonics, reading fluency, reading accuracy, reading comprehension, vocabulary and spelling.

Data will be submitted to the State Department of Alabama in early August on the impact of summer school. The preliminary teacher survey suggests that students who attended every day made reading gains.

Extended school year services led by Katie Black are special education and related services that are provided to a child with a disability beyond the normal school year. Eligible students participated in academics and related services (speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.)

Hartselle’s Intermediate School led by principal Earon Sheets, and assistant principal Bryant Whitlock collaborated with the Hartselle Junior High teachers and principal Rocky Smith and assistant principal Tina Kimbrell for a rich summer school experience.

Hartselle High School principal Dr. Brad Cooper, Assistant Principal Jordan Lybrand and assistant principal Pat Smith also hosted a summer school for their students.

All HCS students were provided free breakfast and lunch as well as bus services.