Preventing Summer Slide: How School Leaders Can Engage Families
Maintaining strong connections with parents is essential to combat summer slide and summer learning loss. Research suggests achievement gaps widen over summer break when students are not receiving instruction at school.
Key Statistics
According to the Northwest Evaluation Association and the National Summer Learning Association:
- Students typically lose 20-30% of their school-year gains in reading during summer
- Students typically lose 50-70% of their gains in math
- Summer learning loss can account for up to two thirds of the reading achievement gap between lower-income and middle-income students by 9th grade
Maintain Momentum with a Summer Communications Campaign
Stay connected by sending at least one summer newsletter packed with resources. Inspire parents to maximize summer learning and maintain connections with the school community. Include tips, activities, and important dates to keep everyone engaged and informed.
Spotlight Your Summer Enrichment Programs
Summer school gets a bad rap! Highlight your school's summer learning programs to prevent summer slide. Share stories and images showcasing the fun and learning happening in these programs. This not only boosts enrollment but also changes perceptions about summer school, emphasizing the fun kids have while learning!
Encourage In-person Learning Experiences
Promote local programs and opportunities for real-world learning and fun to combat summer learning loss:
Local Libraries: Libraries encourage literacy and offer a variety of skills-building activities in a safe environment. Participating in library programs can improve reading comprehension, expand vocabulary, and cultivate a love of reading.
Free and Discounted Passes: Curate and share information about free or discounted passes to museums and other local institutions. These outings provide valuable learning experiences without costing a fortune. Visiting museums can enhance students' understanding of history, science, and the arts, building vocabulary and general knowledge that will support learning during the school year.
Suggest Educational Apps for Downtime
Summer break often includes inevitable screen time, especially on the hottest days. Provide parents with recommendations for educational apps that can help build children's skills and prevent summer learning loss.
Vroom: For parents of little kids, the Vroom app encourages brain-building interactions between caregivers and young children. Suggested activities enhance cognitive skills and promote language development, laying a strong foundation for future academic success.
Caribu: Suitable for ages 0-12, this app offers games, books, and social activities over video chat, helping younger students stay connected with friends. Engaging in shared reading and interactive play fosters social skills, improves literacy, and enhances critical thinking.
Code.org: Summer is an excellent time to learn coding. This resource is available for children from age 5 to high school. Learning to code not only enhances problem-solving and logical thinking but also prepares students for future academic and career opportunities in the tech field.
Promote Wellness
Encourage families to stay active and maintain healthy habits over the summer, which also have academic benefits:
Fitness: Start a family fitness challenge with weekly goals and activities that promote physical health. Physical activity improves concentration, memory, and classroom behavior.
Nutrition: Share healthy recipes and nutrition tips. Parents who involve children in meal planning and preparation tend to practice math skills like measuring ingredients, understanding proportions, and following sequences.
Sleep: There is compelling scientific evidence that sleep quality is critical to the mental health of adolescents. Limited sleep has been shown to correlate with a risk of self-harm and substance use in teens. Remind parents that although students don't have to wake up early for school, good sleep habits in the summer months will make them happier and healthier.
Journaling: Introduce journaling as a way for kids of all ages to express thoughts, boost creativity, and reflect on experiences. For younger children, suggest drawing or keeping a picture journal.
Mindfulness Activities: Recommend age-appropriate mindfulness practices, such as simple breathing exercises, to reduce stress and improve focus.
Family Check-ins: Suggest regular family meetings or one-on-one time to discuss feelings and experiences throughout the summer.
Family Schedules: Encourage creating a flexible routine that balances structure with free time, providing a sense of security and allowing for summer fun. Share the benefits of boredom with families. Unstructured time can encourage kids to engage in their own planning, which could transfer to academic functioning.
Recognize and Celebrate Achievements
Celebrate and acknowledge students' accomplishments and milestones throughout the summer:
Summer Achievements: Highlight students' achievements in your newsletter or on social media. This could include completing reading challenges, participating in enrichment programs, or engaging in community service. Recognizing achievements boosts student self-esteem and motivates families to combat the summer slide.
Photo Contests: Encourage families to submit photos of their summer learning experiences. Create a gallery to showcase these moments, celebrating creativity and engagement. Sharing achievements publicly can inspire other students and families to pursue similar activities.
Cultivate Relationships with Parent Leaders
Use the summer to foster parent leadership and community involvement:
Volunteer Opportunities
Invite parents to volunteer on campus. Activities like tending the school garden, touching up a mural, or organizing new books in the library can build a sense of pride and belonging. Parental involvement is linked to higher student achievement and better school performance.
Summer PTA Meetings
Offer your campus as a venue for summer PTA or PTO meetings to engage parents in school activities and decision-making. Active parent groups can advocate for resources and programs that benefit the entire school community.
Beyond the Newsletter: Leveraging Technology
Enhance your engagement efforts and prevent the summer slide using tools like Actionaly's Family Relationship Management platform. Send beautiful, informative newsletters and more!
Tips for an Engaging Newsletter
- Use a simple, easy-to-read layout
- Maintain a consistent schedule
- Use engaging subject lines
- Incorporate visuals to enhance appeal
- Make it mobile-friendly
Leveraging Technology
Consider using a family communication platform to:
- Design your newsletter
- Track newsletter engagement
- Tailor content and send to different grade levels
- Manage event RSVPs
- Coordinate volunteer sign-ups
Prevent the Summer Slide by Engaging Families All Summer Long!
By creating a comprehensive summer communications campaign, school leaders can keep parents informed and engaged, providing them with resources to support their children's education throughout the summer.
You can support all students, strengthen family engagement, and prevent learning gaps, even during the summer months.
