Spring break may be an opportunity for educators and students to get away, recharge and prepare for a final push toward the end of the academic year, but that’s not the case for those participating in Anderson Community Schools’ Advancement Academy.
“It runs differently than the school day runs, obviously, but they still ride a bus, they still come to the building, they still ride the bus home,” said Kelsey Alfrey, assistant principal at Anderson Elementary School. “It gives them that stability that a lot of kids need in general.”
The students, in grades kindergarten through eight, rotate through a full day of classes, with some extra, more recreational activities sprinkled in throughout the day. Their academic situations vary, from those who have fallen behind in some classes to those who are caught up and seeking to get a jump on course work over the school year’s final two months.
“I do have some students working on first grade things right now, which is wonderful,” said Destinie Gibson, a kindergarten teacher at Anderson Elementary School. “Then I also have some kindergartners that are kind of on the lower end, but we’re getting them up there to where they need to be, so it’s a nice review for them.”
The Advancement Academy program began in 2021, when the Minority Health Coalition of Madison County was given a $4.2 million grant from the Indiana Department of Education to fund accelerated learning plans and foster relationships between schools and community organizations.
The program — optional and free to all K-8 students — has been held over spring, summer and fall breaks each year since. Officials are optimistic that lawmakers will approve additional rounds of grant money for funding before the end of the current General Assembly session.
In addition to providing needed academic support, officials said the academy also serves as an outlet for those students who may not have vacations or other activities planned over their spring break.
“Instead of just being home and maybe not having anything to do, it keeps them motivated over the break and eases up some of that down time,” said Veda Morris-May, executive director of the Minority Health Coalition.
Activities outside the buildings — including field trips, time at the playground and other extracurricular activities — are also built into the schedule to add variety and an extra element of fun.
“We’ve taken these kids to the Fort Wayne (Children’s) Zoo,” said Maureen Duncan, who has directed the program locally since its inception. “We’ve taken them to different trampoline parks. We’ve taken them to the Children’s Museum, things of that nature. It really allows them to see there’s more than Anderson.”
A significant benefit of the program, according to administrators and teachers, is the reduced class sizes which allow teachers and paraeducators more one-on-one interaction with students.
“We’re able to split the kids up into groups of three and four and really work one-on-one and in small groups with them,” Gibson said, “which is amazing just because normally there’s a class of 25 students.
“It’s really nice just to have a small class and be able to really see where they’re at from the beginning of the camp to the end of the camp and see how you have made an impact.”
This article appeared in The Herald Bulletin.