HomeMy WebLinkAbout24.0 Memo 20-125 Summer School 2020 Programs Update
Memo No. 20-125, Summer School 2020 Program Update Page 1
MEMORANDUM
Memo No. 20-125
TO: Trustees
Student Trustees
FROM: Camille Williams-Taylor, Director of Education and Secretary of the Board
Shannon Smith, Superintendent of Instruction
DATE: 22 September 2020
RE: Summer School 2020 Programs Update
COVID-19 has impacted our lives in many ways. Planning for summer school during the
pandemic required a shift from “in person” learning to “remote” learning in all program areas. In
addition to the usual funding available through the Continuing Education and Other Programs
grant of the Grants for Student Needs (GSN), the Ministry of Education provided new funding for
additional special education supports and for programming for Indigenous students.
Elementary Summer School Program (02 July 2020 - 24 July 2020):
Literacy and Numeracy Program (Grades 6 - 8): Every summer the Ministry of Education
makes available funding to support programs to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of
students who have completed grades 6, 7 or 8 in the prior school year. During the summer 2020
session, students could enroll in either morning or afternoon classes in either Mathematics or
English, or a full day for those wanting to improve their skills in both literacy and numeracy.
There were also classes designed to meet the unique needs of students who are English
Language Learners (ELLs).
Students participated in daily Google Meet sessions and worked independently and in small
groups on activities posted to the Google Classroom. Class sizes averaged 15 students and
students were grouped by grade level and subject. This year, 1568 students participated in the
Elementary Summer School Program, increased from 647 in 2019. All students received a
report card at the end of the session, indicating areas of strength and next steps.
Upon completion of the program, a survey was sent to parents. Of the parents who responded
to the survey, 82% reported that the learning activities designed by teachers were “highly
effective” at engaging their children and 81% indicated that the experience was “very
successful” overall.
Memo No. 20-125, Summer School 2020 Program Update Page 2
In terms of staffing, three principals supported a staff complement of 110 teachers. Teachers
reported very high levels of satisfaction, with 100% of teachers indicating they would return to
teach summer school in either a virtual or in person program next year.
Elementary Summer School - Summary of Classes*
Year Grade 6 Grade 7
Classes
Grade 8
Classes
Full Day - Math and
English
2019 8 9 11
2020 20 15 4
½ Day Math 2019 N/A** N/A** 5
2020 15 12N/A** 4
½ Day English 2019 N/A** N/A** N/A**
2020 12 6 2
ELL Full Day 2019 6 multi age groupings
2020 6 multi age groupings
ELL ½ Day 2019 N/A**
2020 6 multi age groupings
*Note: Classes average 15 students each.
**Note: N/A means the courses did not run in this format this year.
Secondary Summer School Programs (Various Session Dates):
Secondary eLearning Summer School (30 June 2020 - 28 July 2020): Credit bearing
eLearning courses were made available to all secondary school students, including those
entering grade 9 in September 2020. Through partnership with the Ontario eLearning
Consortium (OeLC), students took courses taught entirely online by an OCDSB teacher or a
teacher from another OeLC partner District. Students participated in daily learning activities
provided via the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). This year, an expanded list of course
offerings supported the participation of 3989 students, with an overall success rate of 85%.
Credit Recovery (02 July 2020 - 24 July 2020): Credit Recovery opportunities allow students
who have unsuccessfully completed a course to provide further evidence of learning in order to
earn the credit. Credit Recovery staff liaised with community high school staff to determine
areas of focus for Credit Recovery programming. This year 217 students participated in remote
Memo No. 20-125, Summer School 2020 Program Update Page 3
Credit Recovery via Google Meets and asynchronous learning opportunities with an overall
success rate of 80%.
NEW: Course Upgrading (02 July 2020 - 24 July 2020): Ministry guidelines regarding the
introduction of course upgrading opportunities led to the development of 55-hour options for
students who successfully completed a course, but who wished to improve their overall grade.
Students participated in daily Google Meets as well as working independently and in small
groups on activities posted to the Google Classroom. This year 198 students participated in
course upgrading in the following areas: Math, English, ESL/ELD and Science.
NEW: Programming for English Language Learners: (Beginning 02 July, various lengths)
Students who are ELLs were able to participate in sheltered courses designed and delivered to
support language acquisition while earning a credit in the following areas: English as a Second
Language (ESL), Civics/Careers, Business Studies and English. Students participated in
Google Meets and Google Classroom either through a full-day model (3 1/2 weeks) or a half
day model (7 weeks) depending on the subject they were taking.
NEW: Programming for Indigenous Students (02 July 2020 - 14 August 2020): In
partnership with the First Nations, Métis and Inuit Education team, a 6 week learning opportunity
designed specifically for Indigenous students was offered for the first time in the summer 2020
session. Forty two students registered in the NAC20: Aboriginal Peoples in Canada course.
Students engaged in learning through Google Meets and Google Classroom activities, including
virtual visits with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and Elders. Students had the opportunity to
learn about Indigenous cultures, language and history, storytelling and Indigenous worldview.
This course supported Indigenous students making the transition from grade 8 to grade 9,
offering an opportunity to earn a credit before starting high school in the fall. It also supported
Indigenous students in grades 9-12 interested in taking a course over the summer. The course
was led by two teachers who worked closely with the Indigenous Student Support and Re-
Engagement Coordinators and the Graduation Coach for Indigenous Students.
NEW: Virtual Cooperative Education: (29 June 2020 - 24 July 2020 or 29 July 2020 -
14 August 2020) In partnership with the Innovation and Adolescent Learning (IAL) department,
a new Cooperative Education course was offered to support students unable to work in a face to
face environment. The DCO3O Creating Opportunities Through Co Op course consists of a
learning experience connected to a community and a curriculum focused on developing skills,
knowledge, and habits of mind that will support students in their learning, including their
education and career/life planning, at school and beyond, today and in the future. Where face to
face placements were possible, students participated in those as well. Overall, 222 students
participated in Cooperative Education, in either 1- or 2-credit course options, and a total of 250
credits were earned.
Secondary Summer School Enrollment and Success Rates Comparison (2019 - 2020)
Program Enrollment
2019
Credits Earned
2019
Enrollment
2020
Credits Earned
2020
Memo No. 20-125, Summer School 2020 Program Update Page 4
eLearning Credit
Courses
1251 1009.5
(81%)
3989 3392
(85%)
“In Person” Credit
Courses
3162 2664.5
(84%)
N/A* N/A*
Credit Recovery 159 172.5** 217 173**
Course Upgrading N/A* N/A* 198 139
(70%)
Sheltered / ESL Credit
Courses
N/A* N/A* 298 255
(86%)
Indigenous N/A* N/A* 42 29
(69%)
Cooperative Education 544 809** 340 444**
*Note: N/A means the courses did not run in this format this year.
**Note: In both Credit Recovery and Cooperative Education, students may have earned more
than 1 credit, so a success rate is not included.
Staffing for secondary summer school offerings is summarized in the chart below. Given the
shift to entirely virtual courses, the position of “site principal” became “program principal”. The
staffing outlined below represents staffing that was funded through the usual summer school
program funding available from the Ministry of Education.
Secondary Summer School Staffing Summary
Program Enrollment Principal(s) Teachers
eLearning Credit Courses 3989 2 + 1VP 120
Credit Recovery 217
1
16
Course Upgrading 198
Sheltered ESL Credit Courses 298
1
16
Indigenous Education Program 42 2
Co Operative Education 340 1 9
Programming for International Students: International students who are part of the Ottawa
Carleton Education Network (OCENET) and who remained in Ottawa for the summer
participated in summer school credit programs A total of 67 international students participated in
secondary credit programs in eLearing, Cooperative Education, Academic Upgrading or Credit
Recovery.
Memo No. 20-125, Summer School 2020 Program Update Page 5
Additional Special Education Staffing Supports (Elementary and Secondary): In order to
mitigate the impacts of the school closure period and learning loss that typically occurs during
the summer, the Ministry of Education committed funds to support students with special
education needs participating in summer program offerings. Specifically, on 19 June 2020, the
Ministry of Education provided funding details indicating that these funds would be allocated to
additional staffing resources, such as learning support teachers (LSTs) or Educational
Assistants (EAs) to support students enrolled in both credit and non credit courses.
Special Education Staffing Support Summary
Number of Students
Served
Special Education Staffing
Supports Employed
Elementary Summer School
(non credit)
490 7 Learning Support Teachers
Secondary Summer School
(credit granting)
500 8 Teachers (Learning
Support/Student Success)
International & Indigenous Languages Summer Program (02 July - 24 July 2020):
As in previous years, the Ministry of Education offered funding for language classes for
elementary students through the International & Indigenous Languages Program. Language
classes were offered in the morning and in the afternoon every day and students were eligible to
attend 2 different languages during the day.
The language classes were offered remotely through a variety of digital tools. The format of
instruction included synchronous learning for 2.5 hours daily using Google Meets, interactive
group activities through Google Whiteboard and Google Docs, virtual intercultural experiences,
as well as daily physical activity and snack breaks. Instructors provided students with the
opportunity to speak, listen, write and read in a range of international languages, while
developing an appreciation for diversity and intercultural understanding. Over 1500 students
participated in the ILLP programming in 15 languages.
Summer 2020 Elementary International Languages Program Enrollment, by Language
Language # of Students # of Classes
Arabic 566 38
Spanish 408 30
Mandarin 115 8
Japanese 73 5
Cantonese 55 4
Persian 49 3
Hindi 45 2
Tamil 45 3
Turkish 36 2
Bengali 35 2
Memo No. 20-125, Summer School 2020 Program Update Page 6
Greek 29 2
Somali 25 2
Dari 21 1
Vietnamese 14 1
Serbian 12 1
Parents completed feedback surveys and overall, high levels of satisfaction were reported
related to the mode of instruction, the learning materials used, engagement and overall
experience. Notably, nearly 50 % of parents indicated that summer 2020 was the first time their
child participated in the IILP.
Considerations for Future Planning:
There was much to learn through the shift from in person to remote learning for Summer School
2020. Elementary and Secondary eLearning Summer School enrollment tripled from 2019 -
2020. At the secondary level, the increase does not fully account for the loss of in person
learning opportunities.
New programs introduced during the summer 2020 session were well received and suggest that
there are opportunities to grow offerings such as the sheltered ESL classes and programming
for Indigenous students. The new special education supports were well utilized and ensured that
students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) received programming aligned with goals and
strategies outlined in their IEPs, with accommodations and access to additional resources, as
appropriate.
Parent satisfaction, as reported through exit surveys for all programs, indicated that the remote
summer school offerings were appreciated, particularly in a summer that saw the cancellation of
many other types of summer programming across the province, such as summer camps and
travel opportunities. Of note, nearly 70 % of parents from the IILP reported a preference for
remote learning in the future. Parents reported that the defined daily schedule of both
synchronous and asynchronous learning activities and dynamic instructors were strengths of the
programs.
Evidence suggests that there is value in offering a blend of in person and remote opportunities
in the future, wherever possible, at both the elementary and secondary levels, as well as for the
International and Indigenous Language Program.
For further information or questions, please contact Shannon Smith at
shannon.smith@ocdsb.ca
cc Senior Staff
Manager of Board Services
Corporate Records