By Sydney Johnson, EdSource, August 4, 2021
Bicycles typically aren’t allowed on the blacktop at Verde Elementary School in Richmond. But this year, scooters and bikes are a key feature of the school’s summer program aimed at getting students reacquainted with both in-person play and learning.
As schools pivoted to distance learning during the pandemic, school enrollment in California plunged. But even the students who had steady access to the internet and managed to keep up in an all-new online environment still lacked the same quality instruction and emotional supports they have in a typical year.
“I really think we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg of how far our kids have fallen behind. So, we want to attend to academics, certainly foundational literacy skills and grade-level math,” said Verde Elementary principal Eric Acosta-Verprauskus. “But first, we need to remember how to be with each other. You know, let’s feel safe and let’s make sure we feel inclusive.”
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