This spotlight shows one school district’s actions in these areas, exploring first steps, successes, and challenges. We hope this example helps other districts and states develop their own vision for advancing climate change education and prepare their students for a more sustainable future.
Summer Learning Toolkit: PLANNING HIGH – QUALITY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The Wallace Foundation’s Summer Learning Toolkit includes the Planning High-Quality Professional Development tip sheet, which offers guidance on maximizing professional development time and resources.
Summer Program Planning Tools: Part 1–Getting to Work on Summer Learning & Summer Learning Toolkit
Start this presentation at approximately 14 minutes and follow along on slides 19-23 as RAND’s Jennifer McCombs describes barriers to teacher recruitment, mitigation strategies, and how to retain high-impact staff.
How to Take a “Both And” Approach to SEL and Academics This Summer
Check out this article from PanoramaEd.com about how to integrate SEL and academic content into summer learning programs. Suggestions include promoting student voice and choice – for instance, by seeking student input on learning goals or prioritizing project-based learning – as well as using trauma-informed instructional techniques and incorporating SEL objectives for class units.
Wallace: Summer Learning Toolkit, PROMOTING PARTICIPATION AND EXPERIENCE
Download the Wallace Foundation’s Promoting Participation and Experience tip sheet, which offers suggestions on page 5 for planning, staff training, and observation and feedback designed to create a positive site climate.
The 14 Dimensions of School Climate Measured by the CSCI
The National School Climate Center has a checklist of 14 indicators that they assess to determine how a school or district is promoting positive community interactions, respect for diversity, and student safety and physical and mental health. Compare summer learning plans against the checklist and identify opportunities to develop norms and practices for student and community wellbeing.
Summer Learning Recruitment Guide
Use the Summer Learning Recruitment Guide from the Wallace Foundation to learn from five school districts how to launch a summer learning recruitment effort, develop a recruitment planning timeline, and create your recruitment game plan.
NSLA: Summer Learning Week Outreach Toolkit
In 2020, the National Summer Learning Association (NLSA) developed a National Summer Learning Week Toolkit to increase participation in and support for summer learning programs. These include letters and social media campaigns. Review the toolkit for key messages, calls to action for community partners, stakeholders, and templates that you can use to tailor communications for your district.
NIET: Summer Learning Planning Guide
The National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) has a Summer Learning Planning Guide that helps educators prepare to work with students and families/caregivers. See page 9 for a breakdown of communications considerations by stakeholder groups (i.e., teachers, families, students).
TNTP: Planning for Summer School in 2021
Page 7 of this planning resource from TNTP is a list of questions to consider when determining which students to prioritize. You will also find a list of considerations when choosing a summer learning model, including: what students know and have yet to master, how teams will track progress, and instructional capacity needed.