Anne Arundel County Public Schools offering free summer virtual learning

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Anne Arundel County Public Schools is offering free summer virtual learning for all students despite in-person summer schools and camps having to be canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Students who failed courses will now have an opportunity to recover those credits, while middle and high school students who received “no grade” designations in the fourth marking period can improve their grades to a satisfactory level.

Below is a list of what will be offered online at each grade level this summer:

Elementary School

• Virtual Learning Buffet – Eight-week distance learning options for all students in kindergarten through fifth grade that will include weekly activities, challenges, and experiences in core and encore subjects based on essential elements of the third and fourth marking periods. Participation in the Learning Buffet is voluntary and self-directed.
• Summer Title I Academies – Four-week programs for approximately 1,000 identified kindergarten through fifth-grade students in Title I schools who are struggling in math or language arts; live, synchronous learning for 30 minutes Monday through Thursday in both subjects based on essential elements of the third and fourth marking periods. Additional camp-like offerings will also include social/emotional activities and engagement in social studies, science, art, and physical education.
• Summer General Academies – Four-week programs for approximately 600 identified kindergarten through second-grade students who are struggling in math or language arts; live, synchronous learning for 30 minutes Monday through Thursday in both subjects based on essential elements of the third and fourth marking periods. Additional camp-like offerings will also include social/emotional activities and engagement in social studies, science, art, and physical education.
• Inspire Academy – Two-week program for approximately 75 targeted second-graders who have been recently recognized through gifted and talented identification; live, synchronous advanced learning in literacy and math as well as project-based co-curricular programming Monday through Thursday.

Middle School

• Virtual Learning Buffet – Eight-week distance learning options for all students in sixth through eighth grades that will include weekly activities and challenges in core and encore subjects based on essential elements of the third and fourth marking periods. Participation in the Learning Buffet is voluntary and self-directed.
• Summer Middle School – Four-week program for approximately 300 sixth- through eighth-grade students who have failed one or two core middle school courses; live synchronous 30-minute instruction in math, English, science, social studies, or world language Monday through Thursday; additional learning support and tutoring is also a mandatory part of the Summer Middle School experience Monday through Thursday.
• Rising Ninth Grade Intensive Program – Four-week program for approximately 25 eighth-graders who have failed three or more core middle school courses; primary focus on essential elements from third and fourth marking period with intention of preparing students for high school; live synchronous 30-minute instruction in math and English Monday through Thursday along with use of online gaming to incorporate use of strategy and increase motivation; additional time management, study skills, learning support, and tutoring are also integrated components of the program.
• Middle School Summer NG Assignment Recovery Program – Four-week program for students in sixth through eighth grades who received a “no grade” status for the fourth marking period but did not fail the third marking period and want an opportunity to improve their second semester final grade. Teachers will be assigned to groups of 15 to 30 students to offer student-specific small group learning support in virtual drop-in format, four hours per week Monday through Thursday.

High School

• Summer High School – Four-week program for approximately 900 high school students who need credit recovery or remediation in as many as three courses; live synchronous 30-minute instruction in each course daily Monday through Thursday; additional learning support and tutoring time are also integral components of the Summer High School experience.
• High School Summer NG Assignment Recovery Program – Four-week program for students in ninth through 11^th grades who received a “no grade” status for the fourth marking period but did not fail the third marking period and want an opportunity to improve their second semester final grade. Teachers will be assigned to groups of 15 to 30 students to offer student-specific small group learning support in virtual drop-in format, four hours per week Monday through Thursday.

Summer Extended School Year (ESY) Program

• Four-week program for students who have extended school year programming as part of their Individualized Education Plan. Special educators will be offering the ESY lessons, activities, and services to the best of their ability using the Google G-Suite for education tools. Occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech language pathology services will also be offered virtually based on IEP goals.

Summer Bridge Programs

• Four-week Math Transition Program for approximately 200 sixth- and seventh-grade targeted students who are operating at the transition levels between Math 7 and Math 7/8 or Math 8 and Algebra I.
• Four-week English Language Learner Program for approximately 50 newcomers in fifth through seventh grades; live synchronous language and literacy instruction Monday through Thursday; additional social emotional support and transition assistance to on-grade level academic work is included.
• One- to two-week magnet programs for IB, PVA and STEM middle and high school students in sixth through 11^th grades seeking learning enhancement and community building.

Summer Camps

• Although all in-person camps (including environmental, arts-themed, music, and world language camps) are canceled for this summer, several of the camp activities able to be offered in the virtual world will be available through weekly Virtual Learning Buffets.

Registration and Application

• School counselors and teachers will be speaking with students and families about AACPS summer offerings during the month of June. More information can also be found at aacps.org/summer. Summer registration processes are available on this website, which also includes directions on how to seek camp refunds for those who have already applied and paid for summer camps.