Dist. 300's Arrow Academy summer school opens Monday

Du Quoin elementary school principal Diana Rea today opened the doors to four weeks of learning and fun through her Arrow Summer Academy program in Du Quoin schools. The program began as the 21st Century Program and is funded through a federal learning grant provided by the U.S. Department of Education through the Illinois State Board of Education.

There is a free "Core Kit" where reading and math courses are combined daily and offered all four weeks of the academy June 9 through July 3.

The toolkit reading program teaches the reader with active independent strategies to engage minds and build comprehension. Toolkit lessons and practices teach kids to use thinking strategies to "read to learn" as they encounter information and ideas in a wide variety of nonfiction texts.

There is math investigations which focuses on critical thinking and problem solving in engaging units of study including: Kindergarten: Bunk beds and apple boxes on early numbers, organizing ad collecting. First Grade: Double decker bus and beads and shoes on addition, subtraction and extending number systems. Second grade: Measuring for the art show and trades, jumps and stops, number lines and early algebra. Third and Fourth Grade: T-Shirt Factory and the Big Dinner which includes place value, multiplication, division and ratios. Fifth and Sixth Grade--Field trips, fundraisers and a California frog jumping contest, fractions and algebra. Seventh and Eighth Grade: Parks, playgrounds and the mystery of meter; decimals and calculating with fractions.

Then there is a free Craft Academy for Grades 1-8. Game-based learning enables students to explore, create and imagine in a completely different way than they could ever do in a traditional classroom. Session 1 is from June 9 to June 13 for Grades 3-4; Session 2 is June 16-June 20 for Grades 5-6; Session 3 is June 23-June 27 for Grades 708 and Session 4 is June 30-July 3 for Grades 1-2.

There are two sessions on rockets. Mr. Larry Alvarado will be the teacher and the cost is $8 for the week. Students will study the history ad forces of flight to construct a paper rocked to fly a minimum of 50 feet. Then you will assemble rocket kits to fly hundreds of feet. The first session is June 9-13 for Grades 6-8 and June 16-20 for Grades 4-5.

There is a session June 16-20 called CEO Shark Tank where students in Grades 7-8 can learn how to become entrepreneurs. Students will then be asked to make a "Shark Tank" presentation. The session is June 16-20 and the cost is $5.

There is something called "Camp Invention" June 23-July 3 taught by Lanae Leposky and Sarah Phipps for Grades 1-6. The cost is $50. It is a two-week program created by the National Investors Hall of Fame. Students will work together to seek innovative solutions to real world problems.

Cake Decorating 101 will be taught by Mrs. Laura Rea from June 30-July 3 for students kindergarten to adults. The cost is $5. These basic instructions will guide you to decorating cakes, cupcakes, cookies ad more like a pro. Instruction will include using the proper icing, decorating bags and decorating tips. You will enjoy a variety of edible treats as you learn to decorate. All students will receive your own decorating kits to continue crafting your skills.

You can also buy an Arrow Academy T-shirt for $10, which helps fund the work of the program.

For more information, contact Diana Rea at the Du Quoin Elementary School at 542-3856 Extension 1418.