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It is understandable that amid the excitement of the Model T Centennial week, the Third Grade Academy would be overshadowed. Fortunately, the youngsters enrolled in the Academy were able to enjoy their share of this fabulous event, and even more fortunately, they continued their remarkably high attendance in classes all week.
While memory is still fresh, I thought it might be helpful to offer a few quick impressions of this four-week summer program, while stressing that these comments are both personal and preliminary. Results of the pre and post testing will take time, but they will be made public when available, because we are committed to giving the total picture of how this experiment turned out. We hope that others will submit their reactions and opinions, especially the teachers, because Rick Ahaus and I both feel that we have received too much personal publicity, and truly, the teachers have been, by far, most important in this project and closest to the action.
Let’s Start With Two
In limiting the impressions to only two, they would have to start with the community response. Probably the most impressive single factor in this project has been the community attitude. Support has been widespread, spontaneous and generous. I think it’s fair to say that raising $150,000 in a short time period in Richmond, Indiana is not the easiest task, but both Rick and I know that these many people did not give their money to the two of us, as such, but to an idea, evidently an idea whose time had come.
Perhaps by luck, we seemed to have struck a chord in the minds of local civic-minded people that it was the time to try this sort of thing – and they were willing to donate their own money to see that it was done. I don’t know of a single donor who benefited personally by giving the money that made it happen. If you saw a copy of the “Celebration” program Friday, you may have noticed that more than 100 different persons made monetary donations. And the number of those listed for “Special Thanks” were just as important and added up to another 100-plus. (We did not list the dollar amounts of the donors, because we considered each one of equal importance – we hope the large donors don’t take offense.) But it’s almost mind-blowing: Imagine – a grand total of well over 200 local people who either gave money or actively participated in helping make this one project a success!
How To Explain: Students Liking Summer School?
The second immediate impression was perhaps the Biggest Surprise. Rick and I tried to visit every class at least once a week. When possible, our director, Dr. Bill Doering visited every class every day. When we entered a classroom, we were immediately struck with the same perception: Everybody seemed to be having a good time! Kids acted as if they were glad to be in school? In summer school? What’s going on here? (Student attendance was better the last week than the first.) Teacher attitudes reflected the same feeling. They all went above and beyond what was required. They even seemed to be enjoying this special teaching experience, and many of them said so. We were certainly lucky to have this mutual teacher-student relationship.
Beginning Monday, all teachers will conduct a full review of the pros and cons of the first-ever Third Grade Academy, with a view to making it even better if it is done again, and possibly sharing ideas learned this time that they can take back into their regular classrooms. I hope to be permitted to offer further comments on this experiment.
Probably most of all, we hope that others will speak up with ideas and opinions reflecting the excitement those of us who have been involved in this project have experienced. After all, we all own the school system, and we all have the same over-all objective: to make it better and eventually the best.

– Vic Jose

Vic Jose :: Jul.25.2008 :: Uncategorized ::

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