It's always gratifying to see a win-win situation - especially when our youth come out on top.
The Monroe school district's summer school program is just such an example.
The district hosts two three-week sessions each summer, running from June through July. The current session will end July 23. It's a popular program: More than 1,200 students take part in summer classes - which translates to about half the district's attendance of 2,500 students for the regular school year.
Many of the offerings differ from what people may think of as traditional summer school fare. Yes, there's courses for students who need to make up credits from the regular school year. About 40 percent of classes offered are related to core subjects, including some credit-recovery courses.
But that's just a small part of it: There are courses offered in a wide range of subject matters to appeal to young people, including visual and performing arts, crafts, sports and recreation.
This wide range of subject matter seems to draw a few rumblings each year that summer school is less than educational. Critics say the summer school offerings amount to nothing more than glorified daycare for the benefit of working parents - at taxpayers' expense.
The criticism is unwarranted. Summer school keeps children engaged in the learning process throughout the summer while giving them the opportunity to explore new subject areas or learn new skills in a safe, constructive atmosphere.
And who said learning can't be fun? Even "fun" classes reinforce important academic and life skills, from art classes based on fairy tales, to a cooking class that focuses on creative and nutritious snacks, to swimming lessons at both the Green County YMCA and Monroe municipal pool.
Contrary to what critics contend, summer school actually benefits the district financially. The program will bring in about $850,000 in additional state aid for the district. It costs about $300,000 to pay for staff and busing for summer school, resulting in an anticipated net of $500,000 for the district, according to Business Manager Ron Olson.
It's not free - parents pay a nominal, reasonable charge to send their children. Many classes are $2; classes that require materials or supplies are slightly more. Charging for the classes provides a sense of ownership in the classes, which helps with attendance, Olson said.
Summer school is clearly a win-win-win situation for residents of the Monroe school district: The district comes out ahead financially; parents of school-age children have a constructive, educational and very affordable option for their children during summer vacation; and children benefit by staying engaged in the learning process in a more casual atmosphere.
We applaud the district's commitment to offering summer school for our young people, and the care it takes in administering the program. There's clearly a great deal of thought given to making sure it's an enjoyable, beneficial experience for students - right down to the self-adhesive stickers with names and class schedules mailed to homes of younger students.
Summer school helps promote a culture of life-long learning for our children and does so in a fiscally-responsible manner - and that's a winning proposition.
The Monroe school district's summer school program is just such an example.
The district hosts two three-week sessions each summer, running from June through July. The current session will end July 23. It's a popular program: More than 1,200 students take part in summer classes - which translates to about half the district's attendance of 2,500 students for the regular school year.
Many of the offerings differ from what people may think of as traditional summer school fare. Yes, there's courses for students who need to make up credits from the regular school year. About 40 percent of classes offered are related to core subjects, including some credit-recovery courses.
But that's just a small part of it: There are courses offered in a wide range of subject matters to appeal to young people, including visual and performing arts, crafts, sports and recreation.
This wide range of subject matter seems to draw a few rumblings each year that summer school is less than educational. Critics say the summer school offerings amount to nothing more than glorified daycare for the benefit of working parents - at taxpayers' expense.
The criticism is unwarranted. Summer school keeps children engaged in the learning process throughout the summer while giving them the opportunity to explore new subject areas or learn new skills in a safe, constructive atmosphere.
And who said learning can't be fun? Even "fun" classes reinforce important academic and life skills, from art classes based on fairy tales, to a cooking class that focuses on creative and nutritious snacks, to swimming lessons at both the Green County YMCA and Monroe municipal pool.
Contrary to what critics contend, summer school actually benefits the district financially. The program will bring in about $850,000 in additional state aid for the district. It costs about $300,000 to pay for staff and busing for summer school, resulting in an anticipated net of $500,000 for the district, according to Business Manager Ron Olson.
It's not free - parents pay a nominal, reasonable charge to send their children. Many classes are $2; classes that require materials or supplies are slightly more. Charging for the classes provides a sense of ownership in the classes, which helps with attendance, Olson said.
Summer school is clearly a win-win-win situation for residents of the Monroe school district: The district comes out ahead financially; parents of school-age children have a constructive, educational and very affordable option for their children during summer vacation; and children benefit by staying engaged in the learning process in a more casual atmosphere.
We applaud the district's commitment to offering summer school for our young people, and the care it takes in administering the program. There's clearly a great deal of thought given to making sure it's an enjoyable, beneficial experience for students - right down to the self-adhesive stickers with names and class schedules mailed to homes of younger students.
Summer school helps promote a culture of life-long learning for our children and does so in a fiscally-responsible manner - and that's a winning proposition.
