Still need a free summer activity for kids? This reimagined Columbus option can help
The Muscogee County School District’s reimagined summer school program is so popular, more than double the usual number of students are attending this free way for children to have supervised activities during vacation.
Some spaces still are open, but the late registration deadline is next week.
After the new program’s first week, 6,509 students were registered, MCSD chief academic officer Keith Seifert told the school board Monday. MCSD ended the 2020-21 school year with 31,356 students enrolled.
The deadline for the program’s late registration is at noon June 14. To register, contact the site for your child or call MCSD’s main telephone number at 706-748-2000 and ask to be connected.
As of Tuesday, in-person spots were open for students in grades K-8 at the following sites, according to the announcement posted on MCSD’s website:
Elementary schools
- Blanchard (also serving students from Britt David and Eagle Ridge): Spots open in grades K-2, 4 and 5.
- Dawson (also serving students from St. Marys): Spots open in K-5.
- Dorothy Height: Spots open in kindergarten and grades 2-4.
- Double Churches (also serving students from North Columbus): Spots open in grades K-5.
- Downtown (also serving students from Davis): Spots open in grades K-5.
- Fox: Spots open in grades K-5.
- Gentian (also serving students from Clubview): Spots open in grades K-5.
- Georgetown: Spots open in grades K-5.
- Lonnie Jackson (also serving students from Dimon): Spots open in grades K-5.
- Midland (also serving students from Mathews): Spots open in grades 2, 3 and 5.
- Martin Luther King Jr.: Spots open in grades K-2, 4 and 5.
- Reese Road (also serving students from Forrest Road and Waddell): Spots open in grades K-5.
- Rigdon Road (also serving students from Brewer): Spots open in grades K-5.
- River Road (also serving students from Allen): Spots open in grades K-2, 4 and 5.
- South Columbus (also serving students from Key): Spots open in grades K-5.
- Wesley Heights: Spots open in grades K-4.
- Wynnton (also serving students from Hannan and Johnson): Spots open in grades K-5.
Middle schools
- Arnold (also serving students from Richards): Spots open in grades 6 and 7.
- Baker: Spots open in grades 6-8.
- Double Churches (also serving students from Veterans): Spots open in grades 6-8.
- East Columbus: Spots open in grades 7 and 8.
- Eddy: Spots open in grades 6 and 7.
- Fort: Spots open in grades 6-8.
- Midland (also serving students from Aaron Cohn and Blackmon Road). Spots open in grades 6 and 8.
- Rainey-McCullers: Spots open in grade 7.
- Rothschild: Spots open in grades 6-8.
Program summary
The Ledger-Enquirer reported in April that MCSD is using $8 million in federal funding to boost its summer school program into what it calls a “Summer Learning Experience.”
The new program is designed to address the learning losses from the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of school operations. In addition to remediation for students who have fall behind, it offers enrichment for those who want to get ahead.
MCSD is collaborating with other community organizations to conduct activities to improve skills in literacy, math science, arts and sports.
In grades K-8, students spend approximately two hours per day on English language arts and reading and one hour per day on math. Social and emotional learning is embedded in the lesson plans. Approximately one hour per day is spent on enrichment activities based on results from the student survey.
A virtual option is offered for grades K-8, but those online-only spots are full.
The district provides free breakfast, lunch and bus rides for all students in the summer program. Requests for transportation can be made on MCSD’s website or call the department at 706-748-2876.
This story was originally published June 10, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
