Calais Elementary Summer Program Demonstrates the Power of High-Quality Summer Learning
A Calais Elementary Summer Program student holds a lobster during an educational excursion to Eastport with the Eastport Windjammers.
This summer, Calais Elementary School demonstrated what is possible when evidence-based instruction, strong community partnerships, and engaging learning experiences come together to support student success.
Maine Department of Education (DOE) Associate Commissioner Fortin-Trimble recently visited the school’s academically rigorous Summer 2026 program, funded through the Maine DOE Title I Summer Grant, to see firsthand how students, educators, and families are working together to prevent summer learning loss and create engaging, high-quality learning experiences.
During the visit, Associate Commissioner Fortin-Trimble observed students participating in small-group phonics instruction, building foundational literacy skills by decoding consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) words, practicing blends and digraphs, and strengthening early reading fluency. Classrooms reflected purposeful, data-informed instruction where teachers knew each student’s strengths, goals, and next steps.
The Calais program reflects many of the characteristics identified by the Wallace Foundation as hallmarks of effective summer learning. Successful programs combine strong academic instruction with engaging enrichment opportunities, maintain high attendance, create welcoming learning environments, and build meaningful partnerships with families and community organizations. At Calais Elementary School, those research-based practices were evident throughout the five-week program.
Students attended Monday through Thursday for targeted reading and mathematics instruction designed to maintain and accelerate learning. Teachers administered reading and math assessments at the beginning and end of the program, using the results to establish individualized learning goals, create flexible instructional groups, and adjust instruction throughout the summer.
Every participating student (100 percent) maintained or improved both reading and mathematics performance over the course of the program. Beyond maintaining skills, 73 percent of students demonstrated measurable growth in mathematics, and 71 percent in reading. The program also exceeded its attendance goal, averaging 89 percent attendance across the five weeks.
Learning extended beyond the classroom through experiences that connected students with their community. Through a partnership with the local community pool, students participated in twice-weekly swimming lessons that developed water safety skills.
Students also traveled to Eastport for an educational excursion with Eastport Windjammers, where many students saw minke whales, porpoises, seals, bald eagles, and other marine wildlife for the first time. These experiences reinforced classroom learning while helping students develop a stronger connection to Maine’s coastal environment and Washington County.
The success of the Calais Elementary Summer Program reflects thoughtful planning, strategic use of Title I funds, and the dedication of students, families, educators, support staff, and community partners. By combining individualized instruction, ongoing assessment, nutritious meals, enriching experiences, and strong community partnerships, the program helped students return to school ready to continue learning and succeed in the year ahead.
This story was developed through a collaboration with Calais Elementary School. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
