AGAWAM – Summer school Director Dominic Costanzi presented an update for this year’s program at the Agawam School Committee meeting on May 25.

Grade 7 through 12 will be running as usual at Agawam High School with 20 sessions, two running per day. It will be free of charge to all junior high school and Agawam high school students who need to take it to recover credit.

The program has been expanded due to the lifting of the 55-student requirement.

For grades K-6, the impact of remote and hybrid learning has not affected all students equally Costanzi stated.

“The program will serve to soften the summer slide experienced by students while building their academic confidence entering the new school year. With the anticipation of the return of interventions in the fall, it is our hope that this program will be a positive first step in identifying and engaging students most impacted by the past year and a half,” Costanzi said.

The program will be running from July 26 to Aug. 5 on a Monday to Thursday basis. There will be two sessions per day from 8:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Robinson Elementary School. The budget is $47,000 elementary and secondary education emergency relief funds.

Transportation will be provided by families.

There will be 10 students of each grade level from each elementary school and 40 students from 5th and 6th grade at Doering,  a total of 280 students for grades K-6 with two teachers at each grade level.

Superintendent Sheila Hoffman announced there is a new principal at the Clark School, Mitchell Taylor.

“Mr. Taylor brings years of educational experience to the position as well as familiarity with Clark school, having served as lead teacher for the last few years,” Hoffman said.

During the highlights on education portion of the meeting, Paul Sawyer, a fourth grade teacher at Phelps and Robinson Park Schools,  presented the board with his rhythmically moving class.

Sawyer stated he wanted to do something fun and different for all grade levels. He was inspired by an exercise called pound, which uses drumsticks.

“I asked the principal to buy 75 drumsticks,” Sawyer said.

Students have learned how to count and subdivide different rhythmic values, read and follow rhythmic symbols while drumming, follow basic musical forms such as the ABAB binary form and more.

There was no singing allowed indoors due to the pandemic. The committee praised Sawyer for finding a way to get the kids moving and using music in a different way.

“Good for you for making learning fun and finding a way to turn things around for the kids this year bringing some joy, exercise, and fresh air,” Wendy Rua said.

Sawyer began the year in a smaller space at Robinson Park School teaching all music classes virtually, there was no in person teaching.

“You are a very committed educator, and we are very lucky to have you,” Mayor William Sapelli said.

Sawyer would like to plan a performance for next year.