This summer, Algoma District School Board will provide various programs to meet students differing needs.
Board communication director Fran Walsh says the various programs are being offered both online and in-person across the Algoma District.
Walsh says the various programs being offered include the Elementary Summer Learning Program, Indigenous Summer Transition Camp, working with robots, and general programming.
More details of the various programs were provided by Walsh.
Elementary Summer Learning Program
The focus of ADSB’s Elementary Summer Learning Program (SLP) is Primary Literacy, providing literacy intervention while minimizing summer learning loss. It supports students with literacy needs and will build off the Levelled Literacy Intervention program currently being facilitated in each of the elementary schools.
“We are offering our in-person summer learning program at Queen Elizabeth Public School. We are also offering virtual opportunities for district students who will link in through a virtual classroom” explains Walsh. “There will also be recreational activities and ADSB will reach out to community partners to assist in hosting events focused on everything from mental health to healthy eating, as well as movement and exercise.”
The Summer Learning Program will run July 4 to 22, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We have one hundred and one students participating in-person and thirteen students from the district joining virtually.
ADSB Indigenous Summer Transition Camp
Once again, Algoma District School Board, in partnership with Great Lakes Culture Camps, will be operating ADSB Indigenous Summer Transition Camps for Indigenous students who are moving from Grade 8 into Grade 9 in the fall. Called 2022 Niibing -Enakamigisyang (Things We Do In Summer), two camps will run this year, one in Serpent River First Nation, the other in Garden River First Nation, July 4 to the 22.
“This unique partnership will involve culturally and land-based learning. Together students will explore language, visit sacred and historical spaces, discover ancestral food systems, develop outdoor skills, engage in paddle sports and water safety training and take part in local environmental stewardship initiatives” says Walsh.
Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible for a high school credit and ORCKA (Ontario Recreational Canoeing & Kayaking Association) certification. In addition, the camp will integrate the development of skills that will assist in a successful transition to secondary school.
“ Local First Nation elders and community partners will also be invited to provide their expertise around well-being and mental health activities and supports” adds Walsh. “This year, we have teachers at both sites who speak Ojibwemowin to further promote language development at the camps.”
And there is a supplemental program, according to Walsh.
“New this year, we are working with the ADSB Pathways team to incorporate a Mind over Metal (Welding) option for students. If a student from either site is interested in being hands on in a trade’s environment, they will have the option to work for one week with qualified tech staff in a shop.”
Walsh adds they currently we have over 30 students signed up for the ADSB Indigenous Summer
Transition Camps.
Secondary Summer School Opportunities
ADSB will be offering in-person summer school to students at Superior Heights C&VS, July 4th through the 29th. A variety of courses are being offered for high school students including credit recovery, full credit courses, co-operative education, and e-learning courses for all students to access from across our district. Grade 8 Reach Ahead is also available for students entering Grade 9 in the fall.
A complete list of courses and the daily time commitment required to support student success in this condensed program can be found at www.adsb.on.ca. Students are encouraged to register early through their school’s Student Services Office.
For students currently in Grade 8, parents are asked to contact their child’s Principal for more
information. All courses listed are tentative and are subject to sufficient enrollment. Registration is required before June 24th, 2022.
“ Also new this year, the board is partnering with York University/Lassonde School of Engineering for their k2i Academy focused on Bringing STEM to Life, through a Work-Integrated Learning Program. Students will learn about traditional Indigenous knowledge and engineering, identify societal challenges, and use a variety of world views to design and test solutions to problems,” says Walsh.
She adds the board is fortunate to have educator Bryan Bellefeuille, a sought-after speaker, exploring topics such as bringing Traditional Indigenous Mathematics into the classroom and Land-Based
Learning, championing this program. This STEM program is being run for W.C. Eaket students from July 18 to August 12.
ADSB Robotics Camp Registration 2022
ADSB and White Pines Robotics are excited to announce the return of robotics camps this summer. These in-person camps provide a fun environment where students learn practical, hands-on engineering and computer science skills. Students will learn the basics of robotics while building and programming various components.
Walsh says they will make use of the VEX IQ robotics platform, the same used by local schools to compete in the VEX IQ Robotics Challenge. The week will end with students participating in a mini competition.
New this year, they will also be offering a separate one-week hands-on Coding Camp for students that have recently completed Grade 7 and 8. Students interested in programming will have the opportunity to learn coding fundamentals, as well as how to connect their code to various electronic devices and sensors. This camp will not be building robots.
The cost is $100 for each camp and they run from 8:30am to 4:30pm each day at Pinewood Public School. Registration is open to students enrolled with the Algoma District School Board. For non-ADSB students, registration opened on Monday, June 13.
- Robotics Camp Week 1: July 4 to 7 for students that completed Grades 2 to 4 in
June.
- Robotics Camp Week 2: July 11 to 15 for students that completed Grades 5 to
7 in June.
- Hands-On Coding Camp: August 22 to 25 for students that completed Grades 7
or 8 in June.
For further information on these programs and resources, students may contact their schools or
the Algoma District School Board Education Centre at 705-945-7111.