Santa Maria’s longest academic school year came to a close on June 24, giving students a reprieve of six weeks before they return to classes.
St. Mary of the Assumption School parents and teachers transformed the school’s multipurpose facility into Camp Lone Wolf for the day, and kids created skits and crafts, danced, ate, and sang.
“It’s really rewarding to see all of our students genuinely enjoy being together. The hall was full of laughter and everyone had lots of fun,” Principal Michelle Cox said in a press release.
Students were broken up into families: Heading up each family was a seventh-grader and the remainder was made up by at least one member from every grade from kindergarten through sixth grade. Each grade then led the school in a camp activity. Between activities, kindergarteners led the school in cheers.
According to the press release, St. Mary’s students attend 200 academic days and are in class for 25 percent longer than many of the other schools in the area. Cox said the extended school year makes a big difference in students’ learning.
“Teachers spend very little time reviewing material,” Cox said in the press release. “It’s obviously working. Over 90 percent of our graduating eighth graders were accepted into freshmen, sophomore, or junior level math at their high schools.”
This article appears in Jul 3-10, 2014.