More than 160 students, from third grade to high school, spent April break week in the classroom learning math, science, language, and art with Holyoke Public Schools staff. Across grade levels, math was the special focus of this year’s April academy programs, with lessons from all subjects connecting back to hands-on, real-world applications for math. The lessons were engaging and effective—with some surprises.
At Kelly School, for example, pizza became a teaching tool for students to learn about fractions through slices of pie, toppings, and portions. This was paired with the math needed to develop sample menus and pricing for make-believe food trucks developed in the imaginations of participating students. Participants at Morgan School learned math through play, using games to sharpen their communication skills in the process.
April Vacation Academy is an annual opportunity for students to focus on foundational skills such as fractions, decimals, ratios, or geometry that they may need to spend more time with to master. For other children and their families, it’s a program that keeps students engaged in learning even during vacation breaks. Elementary school students from across the district attended programs at Kelly, McMahon, and Morgan schools, while middle school students met at Sullivan. The HHS North and Dean campuses each had special academy programs for high school students.
While all trades that HHS Dean students study require an understanding of complex math, for this year’s vacation academy, students from every career program spent the week thinking the way cosmetologists do, crunching the numbers to determine the correct ratios for mixing dye formulas, using geometry to show the angles to cut, and quadrants to determine symmetry. Students then combined their calculations with artistry, designing their mannequin head with the haircuts and dye colors and cuts they formulated.
The academies went beyond math, with lessons that also encouraged learning in science, language, and art. At Sullivan, middle school students became pharmaceutical “employees” during their science course with teacher Rebecca Chaveri, performing experiments to see what combination of ingredients would produce the least amount of waste for their “employer.” The immersive theme of the lesson made it especially engaging to students, who donned name tags and lab coats for their “job.”
Middle school participants at Sullivan used Cricut machines to design custom T-shirts with vinyl and a heat press, and Morgan students got to try their hand at cooking. At McMahon, paraprofessional Scott Garcia ran a Pokemon club that students could opt into, sparking some competitive rounds of the trading card game.
At the end of the week, families were invited to attend their childrens’ showcases, celebrating the hard work and creativity of the students. Art projects were displayed, certificates were awarded—and, at Kelly School, the pizza themed lessons came to a close with a shared meal of pizzas hand-made by students.