A new summer learning program at Rogers Elementary School appears to be making some big gains in student achievement, according to school officials.
Rogers University is a six week program at the school that resulted from a state grant. The program has small group reading and math instruction in the morning and life skills and fun activities in the afternoon.
It is funded by a $425,000 Iowa Department of Education grant for the next five years and is administered locally through Mid-Iowa Community Action.
Rogers was chosen due to the high incidence of poverty among families that send children to the school. Out of 1,800 school buildings in Iowa, Rogers has the 27th highest percentage of children receiving free and reduced lunches.
Both Rogers Principal Mick Jurgensen and Clarissa Thompson of MICA say the program has been well received by students. One might think school is the last place students want to be during the summer, but that doesn't appear to be the case at Rogers.
"They were excited to start and they still are excited," Thompson said.
Approximately 80 students are currently enrolled in the program, who are heading into first through fourth grades this fall. All students had an individualized math and reading plan before the program started in June. The small groups are designed for some intensive instruction.
"We have children that are performing above their May levels in reading and math and some at two to three times their May level," Jurgensen said.
The instruction is being conducted primarily by regular Rogers teachers with some teachers from other Marshalltown schools also taking part. The teachers are paid by MICA as part of the grant.
Jurgensen said that the program is changing the mindset of some of the children that succeeding in school is difficult.
"A lot of them are showing some pretty tremendous growth," he said.
The students are also going on field trips, taking drama classes through the Orpheum, taking part in physical fitness activities and doing projects in the community.
This summer's program ends on July 29. Funding for the program is designated just for Rogers, but the district is hopeful that what they learn this summer can help students in other schools in Marshalltown in the future.
"We are trying to find out the impact of supplemental education," Jurgensen said.
