Summer program will give Macon students more reading help while out of school. Here’s how

The Bibb County School District has developed a 15-day summer reading program for students who need more reading help, Superintendent Dan Sims said Wednesday morning on a Facebook livestream.

Roughly 2,000 Bibb County students who need additional support in the areas of literacy will receive an exclusive invitation in the mail to participate in the summer camp, Sims said.

“We’ve realized some students need more support and intervention, so we’ve put 15 days in the summertime to keep them busy doing something meaningful that’s going to add value to their lives when they come back to next school year,” he said.

Parents can contact schools to verify if their children are on the list and enroll them in the program, or they can wait for the invitation letters in the mail, Sims explained.

The program, which Sims said stemmed from data the district received regarding areas of literacy, will run from June 3 to June 27, with Juneteenth being a holiday.

Only 40% of fourth graders in the Bibb County School District read at or above their grade level, compared to a state average of 57% during the 2022-2023 school year, according to the Georgia Department of Education’s Reading Readiness Dashboard.

The department’s Georgia Milestones Assessment System also showed that 60% of Bibb County sixth graders performed below grade level in reading skills during the winter of 2022 and spring of 2023.

The elementary school summer program will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and the middle school summer program from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sims said there is no time set for the high schools yet, but it will be announced soon.

The summer camps will be held at four schools: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School, Southfield Elementary School, Appling Middle School and Weaver Middle School.

Sims said the program will also bring students together to focus on other areas, such as music, dance, physical education and Spanish.

Bus transportation will be provided for children, as well as breakfast and lunch, Sims added.

Without wanting to leave out the remaining district’s students, Sims encouraged all parents and guardians to enroll their children in meaningful summer activities that will keep them engaged and mentally active.

“I don’t want to see another kid lost to the streets,” he said. “I don’t want to see another kid lost in terms of their learning, and this is our time to make sure every single one of them has exactly what they need.”

Nearly 100 viewers joined the livestream, in which community members, school officials and local programs mentioned what students can take benefit from during the summer.

“If students stay involved and engaged during the summertime, it’s going to make our jobs easier during the fall and all of that time that follows,” Sims said before closing.