MADISON – Summer serves as an effective ‘breather’ for youngsters and teens to decompress after a demanding school year. However, students of all ages risk a loss of their edge in various subjects away from the classroom.

Summer learning loss is not a temporary phenomenon. Losses can accumulate over years, eventually resulting in performance below grade level for a student, according to Madison City Schools’ Instruction staff. (madisoncity.k12.al.us)

However, summer learning loss is much less evident, or doesn’t occur at all, when students’ families take advantage of learning opportunities during summer.

Students in grades K-5 can participate in “elementary asynchronous learning” from June 6 to July 15. Asynchronous learning describes forms of education, instruction and learning that do not occur in the same place or at the same time. (edglossary.org)

Most commonly, the term applies to various forms of digital and online learning, such as prerecorded video lessons or game-based tasks. Students complete the work on their own, and they do not deliver material in person or in real time.

For MCS’ summer provisions, two MCS teachers from each grade level will post three lessons for both reading and math each week. Students will work on related activities to review and practice critical skills for that grade level.

If the child needs a challenge during the summer, he or she can access the upcoming grade-level review lessons. The teachers also will post guides for parents to use to help their child and to check for accuracy.

Teachers will not grade student assignments but will be available to assist by email and possibly WebEx for detailed explanations. By June 6, MCS staff will share details about the Schoology’s asynchronous class for each grade level.

For kindergarten, teacher Melissa Miller will assist with math, and Jennifer Corley will coordinate ELA or English Language Acquisition. ELA is a comprehensive class for English and Language Arts that can include reading, writing, grammar and spelling.

Hannah Bledsoe will assist first-graders for ELA. Teacher Stacy Branson will oversee math studies.

For second grade, teacher Megan Gowan will handle the ELA assignments. For math exercises, Bethany Sellers is the assigned teacher.

Beth Mattingly will help third-graders with ELA study. Karen Jump is the third-grade teacher that will help with math.

For the fourth-grade students, Kawana Gardner will assist with ELA assignments. Sarah Stewart will be available for math questions.

Annie Glass will be available for fifth-graders with ELA. For math in fifth grade, William Smoak will be the assigned teacher.

For more information, visit MCS Superintendent Ed Nichol’s weekly update at madisoncity.k12.al.us/Page/6288. Refer to links for ‘summer slide’ details.