after-school programs

Tony Watlington shared his priorities for this new school year including how to better train and recruit new teachers. He also hopes to rebuild trust with the school community through better customer service tools.

Mayor Cherelle Parker stressed the pilot won’t significantly change the academic calendar, won’t be mandatory, and won’t disrupt collective bargaining agreements.

The “Summer Achievers” program will start in June and offer a mix of academics and camp-like activities. It could set the table for new schedules at 20 schools in 2025-26.

Jesse Mell, the city school district’s drumline coordinator,  wants to grow the program until it’s in every school. This year, for the first time, the district will offer drumline as a summer program.

The district’s top safety official stressed that schools remain “the safest place” for students.

Brent Johnstone and Akeiff Staples started FathersRead365 from scratch five years ago and worked hard to expand its reach.