NCSD Summer Programs

All summer long, students in the North Clackamas School District have participated in summer enrichment programs throughout the district. Unlike 'traditional' credit recovery or support options, these programs and camps were explicitly created to help keep students engaged and enriched in a safe and fun environment, while also helping to stave off the summer slide that often occurs while students are over summer break. 

These enrichment programs were funded by multiple sources, including Summer Learning Grants, the 21st Century Learning Grant, Title 1 Summer programs, and COVID Relief and Recovery funds. These funds allowed students to be in a supportive, structured learning environment and to access opportunities that might be financially out of reach for some families. Programs were offered at Rowe Middle School for students in grades 6-9, while Sunnyside and Oak Grove elementary schools hosted students in grade 1-5. No matter where they attended, students were able to choose from multiple camps and topics each week to explore passions and experience a variety of activities throughout the summer. Some of the camp offerings included rock band camp, baking, drama, sports, and much more. 

"This was a great opportunity for kids to do something they usually might not have had the opportunity to have done, while staying engaged and meeting new kids over the summer break," said Amber Barnes, 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Manager. "Many of these programs are normally fee-based, so it was a great opportunity for a lot of kids in our district."

 

Some of the classes and camps offered to middle school and grade schoolers were provided by outside organizations specializing in youth classes and activities. NCSD provided the kids and the facilities, and the organizations provided their professional expertise, which made for a great combination! 

"It was great to have all these options for the kids to be able to try different things and experience all kinds of activities," said Katie Cunningham, administrator for Community Connections, and Enrollment Options, who worked with the program site facilitators. "It was amazing having many of the camps run by experts in their fields, providing students with professional instruction, in a supportive, social and structured environment."

Meanwhile, high school students from across the district were offered a fantastic opportunity at the Sabin-Schellenberg Professional Skills Center with introductory classes like Apparel Design, Culinary Arts, Digital, Animation and Illustration, Sports Broadcasting, and more! This allowed students to explore possible career paths that they might not have considered previously. It was an amazing opportunity to give kids a taste of what these programs are like. 

 

Sabin-Schellenberg offers professional skills to students from all NCSD high schools. They offer a wide variety of classes and programs during the school year. 

"Additionally, we offered a student worker program for students in our Child Development classes at Sabin," Barnes explained, "which allowed them to work inside of our programs and actually get paid to help provide summer activity services, all while receiving on the job training and being mentored by experienced NCSD staff. Some of these students will continue to be employees of the district during the school year and will gain strong skills as they pursue careers in education and childcare services."

All of these programs were offered in addition to traditional summer opportunities for students needing academic support and credit recovery help.

The fun didn’t end with Summer Break, though. The Boys and Girls Club offers FREE after-school programs at Rowe Middle School, Alder Creek Middle School, Lot Whitcomb Elementary, and Oak Grove Elementary throughout the school year. The program offers a wide selection of activities for students and sometimes includes outings and field trip options too! More information is available on the NCSD website HERE.