Are some students in the Sodus Central School District going to be forced to attend summer school?
Some parents voiced concerns after it was reported that all students in grades 6, 7, and 8 would need to attend summer school. While district officials have said that’s not exactly what was in play- communication has been muddied- as parents and guardians are left with mixed messages.
Officials say that summer school will only be necessary for students failing two or more classes. The district said the summer school would be ‘mandatory’ for those classes in official communications- but then noted there would be alternatives.
“In Sodus, we want our students to be ready and prepared to the next grade level. Any grades 6-8 students failing 2 or more classes at the end of the school year should attend this summer school,” Superintendent Nelson Kise told the Times. “If a student is unable to attend, the student will be required to attend an after-school program at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year to ensure that the student is able to close any learning gaps due to failure during the 2020-21 school year.”
The letter went out to 42 students in the three grades. Schools have been battling this issue throughout the pandemic- as questions loom about what to do if students fall behind, or worse yet- aren’t ready to move to the next grade level.
“We must do everything possible to prepare the children of Sodus for life after graduation and believe it is our responsibility to hold our students to high academic standards. However, in doing so, we will also support them endlessly. This year, for example, we held Saturday and Sunday weekend academies and will be holding ‘catch up’ sessions during the typical Regents testing week (these are designed to help students pass their classes),” Kise added. “We are happy to meet with any parent who has questions or concerns and work with them to ensure their child’s success.”
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected]