As the school year draws to a close, everyone is looking forward to the next school year being a lot more normal than the last year has been.
The month of May also brings a touch of spring fever to students who begin looking forward to summer break. Consequently, as the end of the academic year approaches, there’s often a tendency for students to not work as hard in the last weeks of the school year.
The Brookings Institution found that, during an average summer break, students in grades 2-9 lose 25-30% of the knowledge they gained during the previous year.
Making things even worse, Forbes reports that, after a year of COVID, summer learning-loss may be as high as 40%. That means that each fall, teachers have to spend an average of two months of valuable classroom time re-teaching the skills that students have forgotten over the summer.
To keep that information loss at a minimum, it’s extremely important that students end the school year in a position of strength. Parents can help by making certain their children:
- Attend school every day, right up to the last day of classes
- Are ready to start the school day … whether in-class or distance learning … the moment it begins, with all assignments completed
- Finish all school work each day so that students are totally up-to-date when the school year ends.
Everyone knows that it’s been a difficult year, but we’ve all come through it together. However, now it’s important that students understand that summer break doesn’t start on May 1. All students need to be conscientious and enthusiastic about learning until the final day of classes.
Planning for the Next School Year
Whether you have a child that’s just starting school, or your student will be continuing their education, parents can be certain that their children have a great academic year in 2021-2022 by planning now for the upcoming school year.
If you have a child that is just reaching school age, and you’re conflicted about whether you want them to attend kindergarten or wait until first grade, Psychology Today looks at a study that emphasizes the importance of kindergarten. The study found that children who attended kindergarten:
- Went to college in higher numbers than those who started school with the first grade
- Had higher incomes, and had retirement plans compared to those not attending kindergarten
- Were less likely to be single parents
The study also implied that attending kindergarten may also instill a belief in the value of education and a joy for learning, may build students’ confidence in their competence and their ability to learn, and may better learn important life skills such as motivation, discipline, patience, and persistence.
A report from UNICEF agrees, and found that kindergarten has positive effects in every country, culture, and income bracket.
If your children are currently attending an ACS school, keeping them at the school they’re in for the duration of their K-8 education has huge benefits for them throughout life.
Research from the University of Notre Dame shows that changing schools has a negative effect throughout the system, for all students. When a child switches schools, they have to make new friends, for a while they may feel like they don’t belong, and it takes time for them to get their academic footing and adjust to the new teaching methods they may encounter. A new student also takes time away from academics because teachers have to often spend more time helping new students acclimate to their surroundings.
News organization, Seattle PI, did a story which showed that elementary students that switch schools also face the following challenges:
- School difficulties
- Class disruption
- Academic challenges
- School-Child relationships
The two conclusion at which academics have arrived are:
- Enroll your children in kindergarten
- Keep your child in the same school for their elementary-school years
The campuses of ACS — La Paloma Academy, Heritage Elementary, and Liberty Traditional — are all tuition FREE, offer FREE breakfast and lunch programs, and FREE before- and after-school care. Most campuses also offer FREE transportation.
Do what’s best for your children. Enroll them in an ACS kindergarten and, if they’re currently attending an ACS school, re-enroll them as soon as possible.
For those who may be new to southern Arizona, you won’t find a better, higher-rated school than one of the La Paloma, Heritage, or Liberty campuses.
We hope to see our students — whether returning or new — in the fall for another great year.
