How to ensure your child avoids the summer learning slump and has fun

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Regular school might not be in session during the summer, but there are still hundreds of free, fun learning opportunities for Dallas ISD students.

The district has teamed with the City of Dallas under the umbrella Dallas City of Learning to bring families summer activities for children of all ages. Whether a student is interested in robotics, dance, sports, literature — or something in between — there is a summer activity that is perfect for them. And the best part is, many of these opportunities are available right here in District 2.

Here are a few of the free opportunities for students in District 2:

Students age eight to incoming ninth-graders in the Woodrow Wilson, Hillcrest, and North Dallas high school feeder patterns can attend an All-Sports Camp at their feeder pattern high school. Students at the camps, which run June 12–15, will participate in several different sports each day.
The City of Dallas Park and Recreation Department offers a free seven-week summer camp at 17 outdoor park locations for any students ages 6-15.
Camp Invention will reinforce STEM concepts through inquiry-based learning and hands-on activities. Students from Lipscomb, Robert E. Lee, Lakewood and Stonewall Jackson elementary schools are invited to attend the camp June 5–9 at Mount Auburn Elementary School.

Meanwhile, all Dallas ISD students can participate in the Mayor’s Summer Reading Challenge. Students who read and track how much they read can win great prizes, while ensuring their brains stay sharp over the summer. Studies show that students can lose up to a full month of instructional growth by not actively reading over the summer.

You can learn more about these and other summer learning opportunities by flipping through the Discover Summer Learning Guide.

In other District 2 news:

Students from Hillcrest High School joined students from Conrad High School to help clean up the White Rock Creek area. The students helped fill up more than 120, 30-gallon trash bags with garbage and debris.

In other Hillcrest news, Mebruk Jemal has been named the first African-American salutatorian in the history of the high school. Jemal will attend the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.

Preston Hollow Elementary was named the top Gold-Ribbon Elementary School in North Texas by Children at Risk, a Texas-based nonprofit.

The William Lipscomb Elementary Parent Teacher Association hosted an outstanding carnival with fun games and a terrific turnout.

And, lastly, I want to say congratulations to the class of 2017 at North Dallas, Hillcrest and Woodrow Wilson high schools. It’s been a pleasure to meet some of these outstanding students and hear their stories, and I am excited to watch these students go out and excel in the world.