Summer schools aimed at improving reading

Some Collier County pupils will be attending classes this summer in the 2006 Collier County Summer Reading and Acceleration Program held June 19 through July 19.

Second-graders, exceptional students and English speakers of other languages who failed to meet grade-level expectations are eligible for the program. Third-graders who scored at a Level 1 on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test, or FCAT, in reading and third-graders who are non-English speaking and do not have an FCAT score also are eligible.

The summer program focuses on second-and third-grade reading levels and has been in this format for the last five years, said Jack Staples, assistant principal for alternative education and summer school. Based on the number who attended last year, the county is expecting about 935 pupils. Classes will have a 15-to-1 pupil-to-teacher ratio.

"Each year we become more focused on reading, it's the key for students to become successful in all areas," Staples said.

The budget for the summer is $1,229,000, which the state funds in part with Collier County School District picking up the rest, Staples said. The program will provide intensive remediation through the direct instruction of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.

At the end of the program pupils can take the Stanford Achievement Test, tenth edition, or SAT-10 test. Based on their scores on this alternative to the FCAT reading test, pupils can be promoted.

Classes will be held from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Pelican Marsh Elementary, Avalon Elementary, Village Oaks Elementary and Everglades Elementary. Extended school-year classes, for those needing more time in the school year, will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at Poinciana Elementary, Village Oaks and Barron Collier High School.

Transportation will be provided for the summer program.

Preregister at the school site Thursday, June 15, to attend class the first day. For more information, call the summer school office at 377-1060.