From: Superintendent Hamlet <superintendenthamlet@pghschools.org>
Date: Wed, Jul 10, 2019 at 9:38 AM
Subject: Summer Dreamers Academy Celebrates 10 Years
To: Superintendent Hamlet <superintendenthamlet@pghschools.org>
Dear Stakeholder,
As the days of summer stretch ahead of us, I'm pleased to report that the children of the Pittsburgh Public Schools continue to engage in active learning that has made this season so memorable — for children, faculty, and staff alike.
Tomorrow, July 11th — as part of Summer Learning Week — our District will commemorate 10 Years for the award-winning Summer Dreamers Academy with an event at the Energy Conservation Center from 5 – 7 PM. I hope that you will have the opportunity to visit our Summer Dreamers sites to see why this program has captured the hearts and imaginations of both participants and facilitators.
Summer Dreamers Academy combines elements of learning with exciting, hands-on experiences that truly give education a tangible purpose for students. For example, imagine how in a single summer, a child can grow from riding a bike for the very first time to learning how to maintain the bike and cycle on a 100-mile overnight trip, then pen an opinion piece about the value of bike trails based on what they learned first-hand. Imagine watching 185 adults attending the faculty and staff kickoff as though it were a long-awaited family reunion — adults who could be taking the summer off to decompress, but are so energized by the experience that they look forward to working with Summer Dreamers instead.
This year, approximately 1,675 children from pre-K through 8th grade are participating in this camp. And in 2019, for the first time, PPS is pilot-testing a model for a more inclusive camp for students with special needs, who previously participated in separate programming. From dance to flag football to Star Wars to designing websites, Summer Dreamers enjoy a variety of activities in a nurturing, productive environment from June through late July, exposing them to opportunities they might not otherwise experience. Each day, campers participate in a 90-minute literacy block and a 90-minute math block to support their academic growth and fight summer learning loss, so they arrive at school prepared to succeed.
Research by the RAND Corporation through the Wallace Foundation's National Summer Learning Project shows that regular attendance at high-quality summer programs leads to 20 to 25% typical annual learning gains in both math and language arts. And this year, we are pleased to report that Summer Dreamers was honored by HundrED, an internationally recognized nonprofit that seeks and shares K-12 innovations globally. This progress would not have been possible without the generous support we have received from The Grable Foundation, Heinz Endowments, and The Wallace Foundation.
I invite you to join us in celebrating this truly innovative approach that opens the door to a lifelong love of learning.
Yours in education,
Dr. Anthony D. Hamlet
Superintendent of Schools
Pittsburgh Public Schools
341 South Bellefield Avenue. Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-529-3600 (W) | 412-622-3604 (F) |superintendenthamlet@pghschools.org
Ta.
Mark Rauterkus Mark.Rauterkus@gmail.com
Swimming and Water Polo Coach, Schenley High School, Pittsburgh, PA
http://CLOH.wikia.com
412 298 3432 = cell
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