A drop-in program from Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools will allow youths to continue learning at this time of year at summer school.
Beginning Tuesday, July 8, the School District 68 Learning Alternatives summer program will operate at the Woodlands Secondary School site on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for public school students at the secondary level. Steve Holmberg, a teacher with the program, told the News Bulletin it is intended to offer students "a safe space to connect" with teachers.
"Generally, we have kids that want to be connected to peers in a safe space that works for them, so we provide everything from gym sports – basketball, volleyball – we'll do arts and crafts, some music, board games, stuff like that and of course, if they want to catch up on school work, we can support them with that as well," Holmberg said.
Food and various activities are provided, with every week looking different as teachers aim to keep students engaged.
"Traditionally, we would start off with a check-in, open gym for the kids,” Holmberg said. "We have a pool table, foosball table. We'll do group activities together, so whether that's discussions around certain topics, sometimes we'll show a topic-related video to get everyone engaged … we kind of plan the day based on the kids that are with us."
The school district also offers summer classes through its Island Connect Ed (distance learning) program and Holmberg says students can work on subjects as part of the summer program.
"Some of our students are also enrolled in Island Connect Ed," he said. "Because that is mostly an online school, if a kid wants to come in and work on courses, we can set them up with a laptop, sign them in and help them through that coursework."
In addition to providing summer-time activities, the program helps students with social development, according to the teacher.
"It helps them develop a myriad of skills, like interacting with peers and collaborating in group learning environments," he said. "Our program focuses on connecting to staff and other students in a safe and welcoming space. So they have that lens in the summer, they'll be better prepared to navigate life at high school and beyond."
The teacher said students who need it have access to agencies such as the Ministry of Children and Family Development. Additionally, district child and youth family support is available, he said.
Holmberg said peace of mind is important for students.
"If you look at the hierarchy of needs, kids need to feel safe and have a sense of belonging," he said. "We foster this everywhere in education, and this program just extends this mindset throughout the summer. We feel this program is important because it provides a safe space for students to continue learning and feel connected all year long."
On average, 10 to 25 students take part in the program daily and 80 to 100 students throughout the summer, Holmberg estimates.
The program is entering its fourth year. There is no fee and registration is not required.
The school district also offers a range of summer-time courses such as job training and sports camps that do come with registration costs; more information is available at www.sd68.bc.ca/community-schools-summer-programs-2025/.
