Submitted by District 65
In partnership with organizations across the Evanston/Skokie community, District 65 is excited to offer a wide range of summer programming options available at no cost to families.
Full-day and half-day options are available for students in preschool through 8th grade and focus on experiences, academics, social-emotional learning and fun!
The application window for Summer Learning programming has been extended through March 10. Through this date, application selection will prioritize students with:
- individualized education plans;
- multilingual learners;
- eligibility for McKinney-Vento services;
- early childhood enrollment;
- those not yet demonstrating grade level proficiency in reading or math; and/or
- eligibility for free and reduced-price meals.
Applications received after March 10 will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis for programs where seats are available.
In response to parent feedback requesting more full-day, full-week options, many of the half-day camps are co-located with a community partner organization that will offer care through the end of the workday.
“We are so grateful for the partnership with our local community organizations to offer some really cool programming and engaging learning experiences for our students this summer,” said Lee Hart, manager of Extended Learning. “It’s important to us that our families know there are high quality programming options available at no cost this summer. We know there is a need in our community and we are hopeful that we can fill all available seats!”
New and expanded programming options this year include:
- Maker and Computer Science Camp includes instructional technology skills, hands-on projects, and options to foster creativity.
- Haven Academy: intended for new and returning Haven students to get to know their school.
- Camp Kuumba, designed to give Black students of Evanston equitable opportunities to discover themselves and the world around them, expanded in size and is now open to all genders.
- Evanston Freedom School and Evanston Public Library STEM Camp are returning for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Community partnerships are integral to the Summer Learning program. The McGaw YMCA, Evanston Public Library, Redwood Literacy, Equity and Empowerment for Evanston Families, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and several other ETHS-based programs provide their expertise to make Summer Learning an engaging, enriching, fun experience for our students over the summer.
Summer Learning is an essential part of District 65’s MIRACLES continuous improvement framework, emphasizing research-based instructional programming, equity, and improved outcomes for all students.
Program details and application instructions are available at https://www.district65.net/summerlearning.