Algoma District School Board unveils summer programs

The Algoma District School Board has released this summer's learning opportunities for students both in person and virtually.

These programs include literacy interventions for elementary school students, summer classes for secondary school students, and robotics camp.

ADSB Indigenous Summer Transition Camp for indigenous students moving from grade 8 to grade 9 in the fall, will be available in Serpent River First Nation, the other in Garden River First Nation, July 4 to 22.

The ADSB press release is included below, with links to a full list of programs and how to register.

This summer, Algoma District School Board (ADSB) will provide summer learning opportunities to further student growth and support student well-being. We are pleased that these opportunities are once again being offered in person, in addition to virtual options to ensure access for students from across the district.

Elementary Summer Learning Program

The focus of ADSB’s Elementary Summer Learning Program (SLP) is Primary Literacy, providing literacy intervention while minimizing summer learning loss. It supports students with literacy needs and will build off the Levelled Literacy Intervention program currently being facilitated in each of our elementary schools.

We are offering our in-person summer learning program at Queen Elizabeth Public School. We are also offering virtual opportunities for district students who will link in through a virtual classroom. There will also be recreational activities and ADSB will reach out to community partners to assist in hosting events focused on everything from mental health to healthy eating, as well as movement and exercise.

The Summer Learning Program will run July 4 to 22, 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. We have one hundred and one students participating in-person and thirteen students from the district joining virtually.

ADSB Indigenous Summer Transition Camp

Once again, Algoma District School Board, in partnership with Great Lakes Culture Camps, will be operating ADSB Indigenous Summer Transition Camps for Indigenous students who are moving from Grade 8 into Grade 9 in the fall. Called 2022 Niibing - Enakamigisyang (Things We Do In Summer), two camps will run this year, one in Serpent River First Nation, the other in Garden River First Nation, July 4 to the 22.

This unique partnership will involve culturally and land-based learning. Together students will explore language, visit sacred and historical spaces, discover ancestral food systems, develop outdoor skills, engage in paddle sports and water safety training and take part in local environmental stewardship initiatives. Upon completion of the program, students will be eligible for a high school credit and ORCKA (Ontario Recreational Canoeing & Kayaking Association) certification. In addition, the camp will integrate the development of skills that will assist in a successful transition to secondary school.

Local First Nation elders and community partners will be invited to provide their expertise around well-being and mental health activities and supports. This year, we have teachers at both sites who speak Ojibwemowin to further promote language development at the camps.

New this year, we are working with the ADSB Pathways team to incorporate a Mind over Metal (Welding) option for students. If a student from either site is interested in being hands on in a trades environment, they will have the option to work for one week with qualified tech staff in a shop.

Currently we have over thirty students signed up for the ADSB Indigenous Summer Transition Camps.

Secondary Summer School Opportunities

ADSB will be offering in-person summer school to students at Superior Heights C&VS, July 4 through the 29. A variety of courses are being offered for high school students including credit recovery, full credit courses, co-operative education, and e-learning courses for all students to access from across our district. Grade 8 Reach Ahead is also available for students entering Grade 9 in the fall.

A complete list of courses and the daily time commitment required to support student success in this condensed program can be found at www.adsb.on.ca. Students are encouraged to register early through their school's Student Services Office. For students currently in Grade 8, parents are asked to contact their child’s Principal for more information. All courses listed are tentative and are subject to sufficient enrolment. Registration is required before June 24, 2022.

Also new this year, Algoma District School Board is partnering with York University/Lassonde School of Engineering for their k2i Academy focused on Bringing STEM to Life, through a Work-Integrated Learning Program. Students will learn about traditional Indigenous knowledge and engineering, identify societal challenges, and use a variety of world views to design and test solutions to problems. ADSB is fortunate to have educator Bryan Bellefeuille, a sought-after speaker, exploring topics such as bringing Traditional Indigenous Mathematics into the classroom and Land-Based Learning, championing this program. This STEM program is being run for W.C. Eaket students from July 18 to August 12.

ADSB Robotics Camp Registration 2022

ADSB and White Pines Robotics are excited to announce the return of robotics camps this summer. These in-person camps provide a fun environment where students learn practical, hands-on engineering and computer science skills. Students will learn the basics of robotics while building and programming various components. They will make use of the VEX IQ robotics platform, the same used by local schools to compete in the VEX IQ Robotics Challenge. The week will end with students participating in a mini-competition.

New this year we will also be offering a separate one-week hands-on Coding Camp for students that have recently completed Grade 7 and 8. Students interested in programming will have the opportunity to learn coding fundamentals, as well as how to connect their code to various electronic devices and sensors. This camp will not be building robots.

The cost is $100 for each camp and they run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day at Pinewood Public School. Registration is open to students enrolled with the Algoma District School Board. For non-ADSB students, registration opened on Monday, June 13.

• Robotics Camp Week 1: July 4 to 7 for students that completed Grades 2 to 4 in June.
• Robotics Camp Week 2: July 11 to 15 for students that completed Grades 5 to 7 in June.
• Hands-On Coding Camp: August 22 to 25 for students that completed Grades 7 or 8 in June.

ADSB Summer Wellness Line

The ADSB Summer Wellness Line will be available again this summer, serving ADSB students from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and their parents/guardians. This resource provides ADSB families and students a means of connecting to members of ADSB's Mental Health, Counselling, & Attendance Services Team. More details will be made available about this resource in the coming weeks.

Additional Resources

Our Board is pleased to have hired twelve post-Secondary students as Tutors to support classroom learning. These students will support learning in elementary and secondary programs in July and some will continue on into the fall supporting school staff throughout the district.

For further information on these programs and resources, students may contact their schools or the Algoma District School Board Education Centre at 705-945-7111.