Success Stories

At the forefront of innovative leadership are schools and school districts that are implementing school-wide summer review programs.  These districts are ensuring that every student returns in the fall confident and prepared to learn.   And they are getting noticed – Star International Academy in Dearborn MI, a ThinkStretch Summer Learning Program school, earned the top spot in Michigan’s top-to-bottom ranking of  student achievement across comparable schools. The ranking highlighted Star Academy’s ability to add significant value beyond a students’ expected achievement based on their income level. In Michigan, schools are funded based on a per student grant monies.

Every school in Michigan competes to attract students – and every little bit counts when it comes to making sure a school stands out.  Star Academy stands out by offering a culture of year round learning with the Thinkstretch Summer Learning Program.

As Star Academy demonstrates, the impact of implementing a school-wide summer review program positively touches parents, students, teachers and administrators.  As a district builds a school year pattern that includes summer learning:

• Students return in the fall confident and prepared to learn
• Parents are continuously involved in student learning
• Teachers transition into school year routines with ease
• Teachers introduce new learning at a quicker rate
• Districts fulfill state requirements for parent engagement and extended learning opportunities
• Districts demonstrate leadership and innovation in achieving high levels of student achievement and proficiency

Quality instruction and leadership demands that districts stop leaving hard earned learning on the table.  Students simply cannot retain their school year skills over a summer break dictated by an agrarian calendar.  Summer skill review must become an accepted part of the school year calendar, led and supported by innovative districts, for our schools to move to the next level of academic achievement.

Using the ThinkStretch Summer Learning Program this summer as a part of their summer program Brain Boot Camp, Family Learning Institute (FLI) in Ann Arbor, MI maintained or improved every student’s academic skills!

Focusing on reading, writing and math, students spend 4 hours, once a week at FLI engaged in fun learning activities as well as academic activities to combat summer brain drain. ThinkStretch provided the backbone of the academic program with volunteer tutors directing hands on learning extensions.

At the start of the summer, FLI assesses each student’s academic placement. Working to each student’s level, FLI completes the ThinkStretch Summer Learning Program and assesses the students again at the conclusion of the six week program. For the fourth summer in a row, FLI demonstrated that each of the over 30 students in the program maintained or improved their academic outcomes.

Family Learning Institute works closely with the Ann Arbor Public Schools and focuses on the persistent disparity in test scores, grades, and graduation rates between economically disadvantaged and other students.

“We have used ThinkStretch for four years and are looking forward to using it again next summer,” praised Executive Director Amy Rolfes. Ms. Rolfes complimented ThinkStretch for its intriguing writing prompts, complete mathematic content and its colorful, quality achievement medals. “We have a gold medal celebration with the kids hooting and cheering for the students who have completed their work!”