DANVILLE, Va. – Students in Danville are excited to go to Saturday school. Crazy, right?
It’s part of Danville Public Schools’ initiative to make up for learning loss during the pandemic.
About 300 students in grades 3 through 8 are taking advantage of Saturday school, with 20 kids currently utilizing tutoring options.
In all, there are four programs, two of which started earlier this year. One offers students tutoring options before, during or after school. The second is Saturday school. The third program is expected to start this month and will prepare kids for SOL exams. And, the fourth and final program allows kids to make up any absences.
Division leaders said the programs are part of the All In program that’s happening across Virginia and have a focus on math and reading but can include science and history.
From Saturday school to staying after school during the week, Danville students are loving their new tutoring options.
“They’re thrilled to be there. They’re on time. We do feed them breakfast and lunch, and the kids are just really delightful on Saturday morning and seem to really be enjoying it,” said Olivia McCraw, director of assessment and state reporting for Danville Public Schools. “They like learning from new teachers. That’s some of their feedback, and they say so far, that it’s really helped them, [and] that they enjoy coming to learn.”
McCraw also noted how helpful the fourth program is for kids given that it gives them a chance to make up for school absences.
“Students get to make up missed school time, and so we’re providing that opportunity during those outside-of-school hours where students are learning, and we track that internally and update that the way the state tells us to do but it’s just giving students more time to learn.”
Typically, this program is for students who have missed ten or more days.
They can replace up to 15 if they participate in the before, during and after school tutoring or Saturday school.
Five locations offer Saturday school, including Park Avenue, Woodberry, Schoolfield, Westwood and Bonner. The school division is also continually accepting kids.