Mon County Schools’ July Summer Snowflakes program is a Summer Avalanche this year—and your kids can still get in on it.
Most years, the Summer Snowflakes summer sessions at Monongalia County’s public schools fill up almost before registration opens.
This year, the doors are wide open.
“‘Summer Avalanche’ is a play on words, because our program is so much bigger this year,” says Monongalia County Schools Superintendent Eddie Campbell.
Mon County Schools is saying the program is triple its usual size, but it’s actually grown even more than that:
- Summer Snowflakes typically offers about 100 sessions at the county’s 19 public PreK–12 schools—Summer Avalanche is offering almost 350 sessions;
- The program will run the four full weeks of July, up from its usual two to three weeks;
- It runs four days a week, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., an increase from the usual mornings-only schedule;
- Grab-n-go breakfasts will be provided as usual but also, this year, hot lunches; and
- Bus transportation is provided for the first time.
Each school offers some sessions related to core skills like reading and math, and others that are more exploratory.
“We have Literacy Leaders and Sum It Up, based on weekly themes—‘Amazing animals,’ ‘Outer space,’ ‘Invention convention,’ and ‘Let’s play ball,’” says Ridgedale Elementary School Principal Sheri Petitte. “All the math and reading activities will be based on the week’s theme. Then we have other programs that are more fun.” That includes Reading & Rhythms, a literacy-based music program, plus Fit Kids for social, emotional, and physical fitness with a nutrition component and STEM Chargers and Summer Science Lab, science explorations for younger and older elementary students.
“We have a lot of teachers involved this year—probably 25,” Petitte says. “I thought we might have a hard time putting it together, but the teachers are really excited.”
Gretchen Gibson, a popular honors math and AP calculus teacher at Morgantown High School, is involved in Summer Avalanche for the first time. She is working with Claire Southerly from Suncrest Middle School to offer a Bridge to Math 1 & Beyond course for students going into math 1, 2, or 3 or calculus. The two teachers recorded themselves reviewing concepts each week that students will need to be clear on going into the fall semester, with practice problems and answers—but not the steps. At the end of each week, they’ll hold live virtual help sessions for anyone who needs help.
“We chose to do the sessions virtually, but not because of COVID,” Gibson says. “It’s because middle and high school kids work jobs and play sports, so for us to say ‘You have to be here from 9 to noon,’ they can’t do it.”
The sessions are open to anyone who would like a refresher, Gibson says. “We have multiple kids enrolled in Summer Avalanche who are not taking honors math, and we’re thrilled to have them.”
Registration usually opens and closes in April, but not this year.
“We’re not turning anybody away,” Campbell says, expressing pride in the enthusiasm teachers and staff have shown for making this year’s program big enough to take everyone. “Contact your school directly, and our principals will work with you.”
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