CapFed Best News: Topeka schools offer virtual summer programs

Topeka Unified School District 501 has created a lineup of summer enrichment programs not only for their students and teachers, but for students outside the district as well.

There is no cost to enroll in classes, which include art and book clubs, introduction to world languages, coding, fitness, space exploration, music and theater.

“It’s an exciting summer program, and it if is virtual, it has to be plentiful to get people to want to do it,” said superintendent Tiffany Anderson. “The camps are also a way for teachers to learn to creatively engage students virtually in ways beyond what they’ve done so far since school buildings closed in March.”

“Previously, a summer camp would be all morning and you would be in one class,” said assistant superintendent Billie Zabokrtsky-Wallace. “This actually gives them the opportunity to experience multiple classes within a morning and afternoon during our summer vacation. It has really changed the way we look at summer programming as well. I see us in the future doing both models of summer programming, where there’s the hands-on experiences but there’s also the virtual opportunity for kids as well.”

District students were allowed to keep their tablets and laptops for the summer, as opposed to turning them in at the end of the school year. This gives them easier access to the virtual learning opportunities they may otherwise not have experienced. District teachers will also attend virtual professional development classes during the summer, focused on expanding their online instructional skills.

“Some of the things we’ve had to overcome was the internet access for kids and staff at home,” said Travis True, a technology specialist for the district. “We are still looking for solutions to get wider Wi-Fi to kids that need it.”

As was the case during the school year, students can go to various schools in the district to access Wi-Fi in the parking lot. This allows them to download any materials they need for the summer classes.

Along with the summer program, the district now includes enrollment in virtual classes for the upcoming school year. Students can sign up for all-day virtual classes, a mixture of virtual and in-class learning, or in-person learning only. USD 501 is the only Shawnee County district with a Kansas Department of Education-approved virtual school for grades six through 12. The virtual school was already in place before the pandemic, utilized primarily for students with jobs or who had other conflicts that made in-class learning difficult.

Anderson noted the district has experienced some students, particularly from fourth grade on up, excelling through virtual education at higher levels beyond what they were doing previously. This form of learning was especially beneficial for kids with mental and physical health issues, and English-language learners who are uncomfortable in a classroom setting.

“Most students really want to be in school with their classmates and do better in school using a combination of things in the classroom, but in this case, we are finding there are some students doing quite well in the virtual classroom,” Anderson said. “For the summer, the virtual program will allow us to not only engage our learners, but to allow students who have had extreme success in this platform already to continue that level of engagement if they choose to.”

Summer Enrichment Program registration is available on the district’s website, topekapublicschools.net. Classes are available from June 1 though July 10, and students can register any time before a class begins.

“We’re excited about not having a one-size-fits-all education opportunity,” Anderson said. “It’s all about perspective. One of the statements I say to people is when there’s challenge and adversity, it feels like it’s raining. When it rains — and in a pandemic of this nature it’s storming — you can either complain about the rain or dance in the puddles. I choose to dance in the puddles.

“We choose to embrace this and really begin to show what we can do during this time that is innovative, that stretches us to another level, and causes us to be creative in this wilderness space that we might not otherwise be. It’s really exciting and it will set the stage as well for what we might continue to do in August.”