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Press of Atlantic City 'Summer school falls victim to budget cuts in many suburban towns, but federal funds keep Atlantic City schools open'
...“This absolutely is a problem,” said Lynne Strickland, director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools. “With the budget cuts, districts just don’t have much flexibility anymore in how they spend their money. Programs are being curtailed and it all happened very fast. We really need to be careful not to let these children fall through the cracks...”
There is no free summer school in Galloway Township this year. The funds usually allotted for it were cut from the budget.
In Egg Harbor Township, a small summer program will serve only about 200 disadvantaged students.
But in Atlantic City, on a hot July day, the schools are bustling, as more than 1,000 students take advantage of free summer programs that run four days a week. The day starts with a free hot breakfast. From there, students may work on improving their math and language arts skills, rehearse for a play or learn a musical instrument. A hearty lunch is served at noon.
It’s more low-key than during the school year, but each program has a goal.
“It’s a safe place for them to be,” Sovereign Avenue School Principal Medina Peyton said. “Even the upper grade students will come with their siblings. The parents really appreciate this.”
As the new school year officially starts July 1, free summer school has been the most immediate victim of the 2010-11 school budget cuts. But while suburban districts have eliminated programs, federal Title I and the stimulus funding have helped some districts keep their programs operating.
“I always try to put some of the Title I money aside for summer school,” said Joseph Beaman, Atlantic City coordinator of the federal Title I program that provides funding for disadvantaged children. “It helps the children, and the families.”
New Jersey will get $285.7 million in Title I funds to help disadvantaged students for the period from July 2009 to September 2010. Statewide distribution is based on the percentage of children in need. And while most districts get some funds, urban districts get the most.
Locally, Atlantic City gets about $2.4 million, Galloway Township gets $450,000, Hamilton Township gets $400,000 and Egg Harbor Township, $525,000.
The funding imbalance means that poor students in suburban districts have access to fewer services than their peers in low-income districts, even while state data shows almost half of all poor children live in more suburban areas.
“This absolutely is a problem,” said Lynne Strickland, director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools. “With the budget cuts, districts just don’t have much flexibility anymore in how they spend their money. Programs are being curtailed and it all happened very fast. We really need to be careful not to let these children fall through the cracks.”
‘Everything is less’
Egg Harbor Township’s Title I summer program will reach about 200 designated students from the C.J. Davenport and Joyanne Miller schools, the only two that qualify for Title I funding. The students will meet three days a week in July to work on math and language arts skills.
“What we had to cut was any supplemental programs we had added for at-risk students at the middle and high schools,” Superintendent Scott McCartney said. “Everything is less than what it was.”
Galloway Township Superintendent Annette Giaquinto said they used to use district funding for summer school, but will review the budget to see if they can allocate some Title I funds for a summer program for next year.
“There are rules for how you can spend the funds,” she said. “Our enrollment of students in the free and reduced lunch program has gone up, but really the middle class families are stuck. They’re not poor enough for the free programs, or wealthy enough to pay.”
Many of those families are showing up at the Community Food Bank, which is preparing for a special summer fund drive to meet increased demand. Program director Karen Meredith said participation rises in the summer when children are home and not getting the free meals they receive at school.
Even in Atlantic City, the programs are leaner, especially those funded by the district. Because of budget cuts, make-up summer school for students who failed a course is being offered this year to juniors and seniors only, Principal Oscar Torres said. About 135 students are participating.
Beyond classroom
The district is using about $500,000 in Title I and stimulus funds to offer elementary school programs to almost 1,000 students, an SAT Prep class for about 60 high school students, and an environmental science camp for 50 sixth- and seventh-graders at the Ocean Life Center.
A special program for 75 incoming high school freshmen and about 50 sophomores brings them to the school for half a day, then assigns them to work sites in the afternoons. The students are paid minimum wage and can earn as much as $1,000 over the summer.
“We want to help them get used to the high school, and also learn to develop discipline, a work ethic, and being reliable,” Assistant Superintendent Donna Haye said. “Many of them use that money to buy their uniforms and school supplies for the fall.”
The students were identified in eighth grade as having promise but needing support.
“These are the students who might otherwise fall through the cracks,” Principal Oscar Torres said.
Part of their program includes lessons in financial literacy and the opportunity to open an account at TD Bank. Teacher Jerome Taylor has lessons planned in managing their money, credit cards and saving for college.
Pam Lewis, who teaches radio broadcasting, and Donald Howard, who teaches television production, will work with the students to prepare broadcasts of their lessons. But the best teacher may be Tynetta McCray, a 17-year-old senior who will mentor the students in the radio program and has lots of advice on making it through high school.
That’s the kind of advice Paola Santiago, 14, and Najah McCoy, 14, want to receive.
“I don’t want to be lost here,” Santiago said. “People get scared because of the rumors.”
McCray reassures them that if they put in the effort, they’ll do just fine.
“Just don’t mess up,” she says. “Go to class, make sure you’re cool with everyone, the teachers, security, the lunch ladies, the secretaries. “
In the afternoon, Santiago will go to the Sovereign Avenue School, where she helps in the office.
Fun with a purpose
Almost 300 students in grades kindergarten through seven are registered for the summer program at Sovereign Avenue School. The school serves many immigrant families, and the staff uses the month-long summer program to reinforce English language skills and help students catch up on academics.
“I love coming here,” said Michelle Sosa, 10, a fifth grader. “It’s so much fun.”
At home, she explains, she would just be watching television. At school, she is participating in a play.
“We do a variety of games, but they all have a purpose,” said substance abuse coordinator Michele Ferrell, who will focus on teaching life skills like problem-solving and working with other students as a team.
Students are also working in the school garden, one of several in the district started in partnership with faculty and students at Richard Stockton College. Crops include corn, lima beans, lettuce, tomatoes and celery.
At noon, students pile into the cafeteria, where lunch that day is a choice of pizza, roast chicken with macaroni and cheese, or peanut butter and jelly sandwich, along with milk or juice and a fruit cup.
As Peyton monitors the cafeteria, a young girl stops to give her a hug. Recently arrived from Nepal, she speaks little English, and the summer staff will help her get accustomed to her new school and learn some English. She’s a bit shy, but what she lacks in language she makes up for in hugs, handshakes, and high fives.
When the program ends in July, each child will be sent off with a parting gift — a book.
“They love to get books,” Beaman said. “Most of them don’t have many books at home, so we’re trying to encourage them to start home libraries.”
Contact Diane D'Amico:
609-272-7241
