Keep Kids Learning During the Summer

Superintendent News & Views

Keep Kids Learning During the Summer

By David Hill, Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

Summer is a great time to seek out opportunities to extend a child’s learning. There are many opportunities to learn during the summer – story hour at the public library, swimming lessons, vacation Bible school, scouting and 4-H activities, summer camp, volunteer activities, and summer sports are just a few examples.

Over the summer months, children can lose a shocking amount of what they’ve already learned unless there is an intentional effort to keep their brains engaged. That means the kids who put forth just a little bit of effort are going to be ahead come fall. Parents, you owe it to your kids—and to their futures—to incorporate learning activities into their summer.

Reading and learning activities can be an important part of your child’s summer experience while still allowing plenty of time for play and relaxation. Here are a few suggestions, courtesy of the National Association of Elementary Principals. 

FIND ACTIVITY BOOKS TO EXERCISE THEIR MINDS. There is a huge variety of activity books available, usually catered to specific age groups. Give your children their own activity book and let them work at their own pace to finish it. (Set a “due by” date to keep them on track.) Crossword puzzles, math activity books, and number puzzles all keep children’s brains in motion.

INCORPORATE “THINKING” INTO TRAVELING. If your family takes a vacation during the summer, include stops at a few places that will incorporate learning along with fun. Zoos, children’s museums, and historic sites are educational as well as entertaining.  For bonus learning, have your children help you plot out the trip using an atlas or online mapping software. Older children can tally up the miles, keep track of expenses, or figure out gas mileage.

SET A READING TIME EVERY DAY. Set aside a certain time every day where everyone puts away their smartphones and turns off the computer, TV, music, and video games.  Spends 15 minutes or more reading. Parents can set an example by participating in this reading time along with your child.

GET BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS FOR YOUR CHILD. Check out the American Library Association’s recommended Summer Reading lists for kids at https://tinyurl.com/summer-reading-list-18. Be sure to sign your kids up for summer reading programs at the local library, too!

BE “INTERNATIONAL.” Set aside one or two nights during the summer to have an international evening. Together, find recipes from a different nation and put together a special meal. Learn a few basic words in that country’s language and find a children’s book or online information on what life is like in that country. Get out a world map or a globe and show them where the country is and talk about what you’d want to visit if you could go there.

PARTICIPATE IN SPORTS AND EXERCISE. T-Ball, little league, dance, and other organized activities offered in the community are a great way to build foundational skills and squeeze in some physical activity. Even if your child can’t participate in a local sports league or community-based team, there are plenty of ways to get exercise—family trips to area swimming pools, jumping rope, taking family walks around your neighborhood, or visiting the playground equipment at an area park. 

While it does take some effort and planning to keep kids engaged in learning during the summer, the benefit to a child’s education is beyond measure.

I hope parents, grandparents, and others who have an influence on the lives of young people will find these suggestions to be helpful. Do you have another tip to share, or a comment about this article? You are welcome to visit my blog at https://rebelsupt.blogspot.com/ where you can read all of my columns from the Northern Sun Print and Reinbeck Courier and leave comments if you wish. I also occasionally post pictures and other content that is not submitted to the paper or additional information that expands upon what was submitted to the paper. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter, where my handle is @DavidRobertHill.  Have a great summer!  

REBEL ROUNDUP – An Update on Numerous Items from G-R Schools

Superintendent News & Views

REBEL ROUNDUP – An Update on Numerous Items from G-R Schools

By David Hill

Gladbrook-Reinbeck Superintendent

       Normally, my SUPERINTENDENT NEWS & VIEWS columns focus on a single topic. With so many things happening in the school district at this time of the year and the end of the school year quickly approaching, I’m going to break with this practice and briefly cover several different topics of interest in this week’s column…I’m calling it the “Rebel Roundup.” I hope you’ll find this information useful as a student, parent, or patron of the Gladbrook-Reinbeck Community School District.

NATIONAL TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK

       Next week is National Teacher Appreciation Week, and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our Gladbrook-Reinbeck teachers for their hard work and dedication.  G-R employs some of the very best teachers in the profession today. I am proud to play a role in supporting the work that these talented teachers do each day. Thank you, teachers, for making a difference in the lives of your students. You help our students achieve success in school, in their activities, and in their communities; and, the work you do will pay dividends for MANY YEARS TO COME!!! 

SCHOOL BOARD RECOGNITION MONTH

       May is School Board Recognition Month in Iowa, honoring those who serve on the of Boards of Education in school districts across the state. These dedicated public servants are committed to improving public education and their communities. G-R’s current school board members are Lisa Swanson, Doug Rowe, Rod Brockett, Anne Boyer, Christine Farley, Matt Wyatt, and Susie Petersen. When you see your elected board members, please thank them for their dedication and their service to our school. They deserve recognition for a job well done!

END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR

       Like all Iowa school districts, winter weather sometimes gets in our way and prevents us from having school…it certainly did this year!  Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the last day of the school year for the 2017-2018 school year will be on Friday, June 1.  We will end the school year with a 2-hour early dismissal that day. 

2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR

       The 2018-2019 school year will begin on Thursday, August 23.  Would you like a “sneak-peak” at next year’s calendar so you can plan family trips, doctor appointments, etc.?  You can view the district’s 1-page planning calendar here:  tinyurl.com/GR1819Calendar

GLADBROOK COUNCIL HAS DECIDED

       In one of my most recent columns entitled, “The Future of the Gladbrook School Building,” I informed you that the district was waiting to receive an official word from the Gladbrook City Council on its wishes for the Gladbrook school building.  The council had been considering whether they would like to keep the pool and fitness center or whether they would prefer to have the district tear down the entire building. The district had offered to give the entire building, or even just these two portions of the building, to the city if they wished to become the owners and keep the pool and/or fitness center in operation.

       Mayor Sash has done a great job with keeping the citizens of Gladbrook informed about the council’s decision-making process.  He recently stated in one of his newspaper columns that due to new information they had received about projected long-range maintenance costs for the swimming pool, and due to the ending of the city’s long-standing arrangement with the city of Toledo for pool management and lifeguards, the Gladbrook City Council has decided that it is time to let the pool go.  In a recent 4-to-1 vote, the Gladbrook City Council decided to permanently discontinue the city’s operation of the pool and to discontinue operation of the fitness center at the current location – and to recommend to the school board that the building be demolished. 

       The mayor finished his comments by stating, “…this is not something we wanted to see happen but [we] felt in the long run this is what is best for Gladbrook.” 

       This has been a difficult decision for the Gladbrook council and mayor. I appreciate their openness, their transparency, and their leadership.  They understand the emotions and the controversy that will come with a decision like this, but they also have to consider the best interests of their community moving forward. 

       I agree with Mayor Sash that while this outcome is not something any of us wanted to see happen, in the long run, it will be best for the city of Gladbrook not to have a dilapidated school building in the middle of town.  For more information on my feelings on this, see my previous column here: tinyurl.com/March9Column

WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE GLADBROOK SCHOOL BUILDING?

       The school board will consider bids for a summer/fall asbestos removal project at the board’s May meeting.  The project will remove ALL asbestos from the building…this includes much of the flooring, textured ceilings, insulation around pipe fittings, and sink insulation.  The removal of asbestos is a necessary step before a demolition can take place. 

       We will begin working with an architect to develop plans and specifications for a total demolition of the building.  Simultaneously, we will look into options for financing the cost of a demolition.  It will not be an inexpensive project, but if the school is not going to be used, it is the right thing to do.  At some point in the future – once the plans are complete and we have the project financing figured out – I will likely be making a recommendation to the school board that the entire building be demolished. 

       I can’t predict a timeline for a demolition at this point due to many factors including financing.  While I think it is a “long-shot,” it is possible that someone may come forward with a proposal to purchase the building to be repurposed for another use.  The board will consider any such proposals; however, I will only advise the board to sell the building if they believe the proposal is a viable one that would be a positive thing for the city of Gladbrook. 

I hope you’ve found the information in this column to be useful. My SUPERINTENDENT NEWS & VIEWS columns, in addition to my blog and Twitter postings, are part of my plan for open communication with the community. As a part-time superintendent that also has duties in another school district, I believe that open and clear communication is critical. If you’ve missed any of my columns or would like to re-read or share them with your friends and family, you are welcome to visit my blog at http://rebelsupt.blogspot.com where they are all posted. You are also welcome to follow me on Twitter (@DavidRobertHill) where I will occasionally post updates or other information not found on the blog.