LYNN — Entering its third week, the summer programs in the district’s schools have returned to normal after more than a year of remote and hybrid learning, as well as constant mask wearing.
Students in the elementary school summer programs are no longer required to wear masks or practice social distancing, and are now allowed to share materials and work closely in groups and classroom activities.
At Connery Elementary School, the Summer Learning Coordinator Elizabeth Ruiz said it’s great to have all of the students back in-person again.
The summer program runs for four weeks, from 8 to 11 a.m. and offers students a variety of activities, including science experiments, art projects, cooperative learning, English language arts, math and outdoor activities.
With a maximum of 15 students per class, the teachers working with the students are introducing them to assignments and subjects they will be learning in the coming school year, and reviewing and preparing for the new grades students will enter in the fall.
The great thing about the summer program, Ruiz said, is that it reminds the students of what school was like before the pandemic and allows them to return to collaborating with other students.
“The kids can work in groups again and can go back to doing things like building blocks, using playdough, painting and hands-on things with their classmates,” Ruiz said. “It’s also nice to have the little things back, like using pencils instead of having to write on a whiteboard over a Zoom call.”
Ruiz said the district was “excellent” in preparing for the summer program, providing the teachers with packets, Powerpoints and printouts of the curriculum and activities so the teachers had multiple learning options to implement.
“The teachers were excellent during the pandemic, trying to keep things as normal as they could for the students,” Ruiz said. “Now, they can engage again in person with the students and help the kids get back into the swing of things.”
During the pandemic, Ruiz said it was difficult to teach and hear students in the back of classrooms because of the masks. When she would try to sound out a word or hear a question from a student in the back, she said they would have to speak much louder than usual because the masks muffled their voices and they were further away than usual due to social distancing.
Although some students in the summer program still choose to wear a mask, Ruiz said it is nice to be able to get closer to them and work with them one-on-one again.
“The kids are so happy to be back.”
It’s nice to see the students working together in group activities, Ruiz said, but it’s still weird to see things like this after so long with the COVID-19 protocols.
“The students can get those face-to-face interactions again, which is much needed,” she said.
Superintendent of schools Dr. Patrick Tutwiler said students will also not be required to wear masks or social distance in the fall.
Elementary school students will start the new school year in person on Sept. 7.
