The district will be providing students with an opportunity to participate in an optional, no cost, summer school academic support program.

The K-6 student program will focus on English language arts and math as well as social emotional support camp and “Camp Invention,” which focuses on STEAM enrichment activities. These programs will be full or half day, and families will have the option of attending for the full six weeks (July 12-August 20) or for two-week sessions throughout the summer. “Our elementary students will be able to take classes to strengthen their ELA and math skills, participate in social emotional learning classes that include individual and team activities and join Camp Invention STEM enrichment classes,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Yiendhy Farrelly.

The 7-12 program will focus on academic credit recovery as well as course-based academic support. Students who had a difficult school year due to COVID will have the opportunity for credit recovery as part of an academic-based, six-week class and for academic support for three-week sessions in a variety of classes. Both programs will fully support students with IEPs and English language learners in all grade levels.

Additionally, incoming kindergarten students will be offered “Welcome to West Babylon” classes. These two-hour daily classes will run eight days throughout the summer and will give the district’s newest members a chance to meet and play with new classmates as well as strengthen some important academic skills, such as letter and number recognition and following rules and instructions.

All students will have one-on-one Chromebooks and will have access to many online learning components in July and August. All programs will provide social emotional support components, and the district will have mental health experts available to all students throughout the summer.

West Babylon elementary and junior high school library students partnered with the West Babylon Public Library and explored the “Grab and Go” STEM kits throughout June. With a variety of activities from which to choose, junior high school students discovered what causes earthquakes, bones in the skeletal system, the gravitational pull of magnets, and keyboarding made easy. At the elementary level, students participated in library activities such as LEGO challenge, building a marble maze using paper straws and building a structure out of marshmallows and toothpicks.

John F. Kennedy Elementary School held a college and career day for the fifth grade classes on June 16. School guidance counselor Ms. Scheriff taught lessons to the fifth graders about college and career readiness. Students and staff wore college T-shirts and career attire to show support for the bright futures of John F. Kennedy’s fifth grade students.

The fifth graders at John F. Kennedy Elementary School recently participated in a STEM challenge. The students were tasked with making the longest paper chain with tape and only one piece of paper. They worked in pairs to plan and execute their vision. Students experienced some trial and error and shared what was successful and what was not. The longest paper chain was 6 yards long, with second place only 10 inches shorter.

To celebrate Flag Day on June 14, the fifth graders at John F. Kennedy Elementary School learned about the flag of the United States and then made their own flag based on their interests, favorite things and most importantly, themselves.