School’s ‘in’ for summer

MLC holds two summer school sessions focused on retaining, building math and reading skills

School has been “in” for participating Mountain Lake Christian (MLC) elementary-age students this summer during a pair of summer school sessions.

Summer School Session II will be wrapping up tomorrow (Friday, July 29) – with the start of the 2016-2017 school year looming less than a month away. The first day of school for students in grades K-12 will be Wednesday, August 24, with the “opener” for preschool and grades one and two set for Thursday, August 25.

“What we are doing,” shares MLC Lead Teacher Kim Friesen, “is working on retaining – and building – on skills. Our goal through these summer sessions is to combat summer learning loss and explore new ways of learning en route to helping students enter this school year a step ahead.”

During each week-long session of review and growth, there was an emphasis on math and reading skills, with students learning through drama, games and stories. The classes were conducted free of charge.

The afternoon classes of two-and-one-half hours kicked off each day with an hour of instruction, followed by a half-hour of physical activity and snack – and closed with another 60 minutes of instruction.

Another benefit of the sessions touted by Friesen were the reading and listening times between student and volunteer adult. “Those minutes each day gave each student the opportunity to an adult’s undivided attention, to read to them and then to discuss what they had read about and learned.”

The first summer session was held Monday, June 27 to Friday, July 1, with 28 students attending. This week’s second session for the 25 participating young scholars, began on Monday (July 25) and closes Friday.

MLC staff also volunteered their time and talents to each session. They included Friesen, Nordis Olson, Rachel Knutson, Brittany Siebert and Miriam Rojas during Session I, along with volunteer “listeners” Vickie Krueger, Diane Johnson, Rachel Yoder and Lila Neufeld. On hand for Session II were Friesen, Olson, Knutson and Rojas, as well as Brenda Adrian, Mandy Linscheid and Ellie Harder. Student assistants were Regan James and Jade Wright, with Annette Dick, JoAnn Friesen and Leah Bennett joining Krueger as listeners for student readers.

 

 

 

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TEACHER BRENDA ADRIAN, center, starts up a phonics game in the K-1 class. Participating students include, at left, Jessah Janzen, left and Lola Berg, right, and at right, Harlie Krueger.

 

 

 

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PLOTTING STRATEGY IS all part of the game Connect Four. Just completing a game, under the watchful eye of a second K-1 teacher, Mandy Linscheid, center, are Ben Moller, left and Caleb Klassen, right.

 

 

 

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STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-4, along with their teacher, Nordis Olson, spent time in the science lab studying water displacement using various items, charting their findings on a Displaced Items Recording Sheet. They began by measuring the original volume of the water, then the volume of the water and the object after it is added (in this case, a bolt) – and deducing from that – the volume of the object. Careful scientists are Daniel Smith, left and Zach Klassen, right.

 

 

 

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DISCUSSING AND RECORDING their results are Jacey Klassen, left and Cristy Renteria, right.

 

 

 

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IN GRADES 5-6, one of the projects worked on was the building of a “Challenger” – comprised of uncooked spaghetti pasta, marshmallows and blue tape. Abi Renteria’s “spaghetti-scraper” reached 22″ in height from table to tippy-top. Teacher for this group was Kim Friesen.

 

 

 

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TWO, TWO, TWO challenges in one with the game Multiplication Giant Jenga. First, roll the three dice, multiply the three numbers – and, if correct – carefully, slowly, skillfully and with steady hands, remove a Giant Jenga piece. Riley Schroeder removes this piece with total success.

 

 

 

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MIRIAM RETE, IN grades 5-6, has her fingers crossed as she removes a block high on the Jenga tower.

 

 

 

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5-6 STUDENTS rehearse a play they had written earlier in the week, and are set to perform tomorrow (Friday, July 29). The play’s title – “Camping with a Change.” Playing the roles of campers in the above photo are Riley Schroeder, left and Lydia Moller, right.

 

 

 

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VOLUNTEER “LISTENER” JOANN Friesen, left, tunes in as Luke Moller, right, reads from a favorite book. After listening to Luke read, the two then discuss what he learned from his reading.

 

 

 

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BREAK TIME INCLUDES a Wet Sponge Relay Race. Snacks followed the activity.

 

 

 

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JESSAH JANZEN SWIFTLY runs the relay race circuit – a wet sponge tucked safely under her chin.

 

 

 

 

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