LYNNFIELD — When it comes to keeping kids busy in the summer, the Lynnfield Recreation Department and Lynnfield Community Schools have hit the jackpot.
Combined, the two groups are entertaining more than 1,100 kids from age 4 up to the eighth grade per week in 2022 with the Recreation Department accounting for about 750 kids per week and the Community Schools’ Summer of Fun Activities (SOFA) accounting for about 350 kids per week.
“We had an increase of 100 kids alone in our Big Rec program and have never handled so many kids. It’s especially incredible when you think that we only have 2,200 students total in the district and half of them are participating in summer programs. That is mind-boggling,” said Rec Chair Rich Sjoberg. “The level of excitement is amazing and we are doing all we can and are happy to meet the demand.”
“It’s been great and we’ve been able to get the kids inside and outside with some activities that are just a lot of fun,” said Lynnfield Community Schools Director Sarah Perkins.
Perkins also said that SOFA’s full-day program is the most popular. SOFA is geared toward children from age 3 to fourth grade and has also added additional programming for older kids, including a Python coding program that started this week that was sold out.
“Our full-day program helps parents fill their daycare needs and we are also trying to reach more middle schoolers,” Perkins said. “Something like Python is great because it feeds into classes like AP computer at the high school.”
On Friday, kids — and a couple of counselors — were cooling off in pools filled to the brim adjacent to the concession stand next to Pioneer Stadium.
SOFA Counselor Morgan Festa, a 2011 Lynnfield High graduate and second grade teacher at the Fox Hill School in Burlington, is in her 11th year as the cheer camp coach.
“It’s so much fun out here with kids learning how to cheer and being able to stay cool in the pools. The kids are great, they get to have some fun and I just love being here,” she said.
Rec Director Julie Mallett said the most popular program is the Recreation Station program at the middle school, which has approximately 450 kids in grades 1-8. Another 50 attend the Rec Jr. program (for incoming kindergartners) at the Summer Street School. The department offers three field trips every week with an average of 150 kids in attendance each week. There are approximately 40 kids combined in the lacrosse and field hockey camps and another 60-plus in the nighttime basketball league.
The spike in summer programming comes on the heels of an explosion in the number of families with young children coming to Lynnfield in recent years. The impact on the elementary schools has been well documented, so much so that the town is spending $17 million to add 10 new classrooms combined at the Huckleberry Hill and Summer Street schools. The project, on target to be completed before school resumes this fall, is expected to be between $800,000 and $1 million under budget, according to DPW Director John Scenna.
Sjoberg said the uptick in the town’s summer programs is not a surprise.
“It’s a town-wide phenomenon and is a testament to the quality of programs, staff and counselors who work hard every day for these kids,” he said.
Sjoberg said the increase in participation is also impacting the town’s organized youth sports programs. He said he spoke with Fields Director Joe Maney Friday morning to review field permits for the fall season.
“We are adding teams like we’ve never done before,” Sjoberg said. “Soccer is up and we added one team each in football and lacrosse and I know the cheer program numbers are also up. Rec will also be conducting programs at the new Huckleberry School gym once it opens in the fall. Overall, it’s just incredible so we are always looking at ways to improve and expand our programs, especially with record numbers of kids who are interested in participating.”
Anne Marie Tobin can be reached at [email protected].
