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Summer School in Full Swing for Fort Zumwalt Students

Fort Zumwalt's Jackie Floyd and Mike Neill talk motivating students to learn in June.

At 7 a.m. in a classroom at Fort Zumwalt West, summer school is about to start, and district math coordinator and summertime Algebra 2 instructor Mike Neill is energized.

“For me, it’s exciting. I’m in office most of the year. Some of the kids say, ‘It’s seven o’ clock in the morning, man. Why are you so happy?’”

Last Monday about 450 students began summer credit recovery courses at Fort Zumwalt West High School. Pencils, books, teacher’s dirty looks, all while summer is in full bloom outside? What for most attendees is a nightmare scenario instead thrills Neill. It gets him back in the classroom.

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Specifically, the same classroom where he taught for eight years before assuming his current full-time administrative role. As mathematics coordinator, Neill is an instructional leader for the district, which means his educational philosophies help shape district policy. And lessons he takes away from summer school matter.

 “I’ve never taught a class that I didn’t learn something from the experience of being with the kids," he said. "I really feel I don’t want to lose that experience of being in the classroom. Don’t want to get too detached.”

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And how does one motivate the same group of 14 to 27 students to learn Algebra for five hours on Monday through Thursday? Forget they’re students who faced academic challenges in the past, Neill said. Most have fessed up to their mistakes. Now it’s about enthusiasm.

 “Usually, if you’re really, really up beat and willing to work with them, you can get a lot out of them,” he said. “The biggest challenge is the first few days. You really have to make it interesting, but if you do that, they’ll work really hard.”

Jackie Floyd is administrator-in-chief for the Fort Zumwalt summer school program. She hired the 37 instructors, including two special education teachers, working this year. She echoes Neill.

“Most students are frustrated with themselves. They made a mistake, they failed a course, but let’s address it with dignity and get on with their academic career.”

Floyd and Neill both pointed out a central challenge to what they do: condensing four months of material into two half-credit, 20-day semesters. Floyd said this was especially true with a weather-shortened summer and renovations ongoing at three Fort Zumwalt high schools.

“It’s a fast pace, a very short window,” she said. Like any good administrator, she's big on attendance.

So Neill said he and his fellow instructors have to rely on something called “formative assessment” to be effective – basically, figuring out what concepts students are already comfortable with and focusing on the grey areas.

“It’s tough to condense, but the same time, a lot of these kids picked up a lot in their classes. With many topics, they’re fairly proficient," he said.

, the Fort Zumwalt Board of Education voted to move all high school level credit recovery courses  to the West High campus for the first time this year. Physical education courses were axed, too.

Floyd said the moves made sense for the district. Summer P.E. credits were originally implemented as a way for students to obtain credit on six-period day. Now, on the seven-hour schedule, it’s cheaper not to offer them.

“Logistically, it’s better for us to house it all at one school, to concentrate teaching staff,” she said.

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