The Richmond County Schools are expanding the opportunities it offers students to stay involved in the learning process during the summer months.

In May, a letter will be sent home to parents outlining the opportunities available to students and enrollment in these courses will begin.

Last year, RCS’s 10-day summer reading program was for second through seventh graders and was called “Bump in the Night.” It was well-received, prompting administrators to extend the time period of the program and offer it for all grade levels, according to district spokeswoman Ashley Simmons.

“Everyone who we spoke with about the summer reading camp was really enthusiastic about it,” Simmons said Friday. “We’ve had parents calling all year to ask if we were going to do it again.”

This year, in addition to offering the summer reading program for all K-12 students from June 15 through August 18, the school system is also offering about a dozen enrichment opportunities, with some even being held at churches and other community sites rather than a school.

RCS Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction Dr. Michael Perry explained he and other RCS leaders see this program as a way to keep students involved during the summer.

“It’s not only that, though,” Perry said. “This is also a more effective way of delivering quality instruction, and that’s for a couple of reasons.”

The first reason Perry is the people developing these activities have a passion for the subjects they’re teaching, Perry said.

“And that really comes through in the quality of the activities we’re offering,” he said.

His second reason was the programs “operate during a time when it’s not a hardship on parents or their students.”

In the past, summer school was open to students who didn’t pass their grade. The concept of summer enrichment is designed to engage all students in alternative learning settings during the summer months.

At the high school level, students can recover classes they’ve failed throughout the year through virtual public high school, the Transitional School and Leak Street High School.

In the lower grades, remediation and retesting allow students a second shot at their end-of-grade tests.

“This way, kids don’t feel like they’re being punished,” Perry said. “They have a choice of what they can do and where they want to go. So there’s choice, and there’s quality - you can’t lose with that combination.”

Summer enrichment programs will deal with subjects ranging from “Bitten: Vampire Tales” at Washington Street School, to a NASCAR motorsports program at Richmond Senior High.

Programs will be offered at multiple locations for varying lengths of time.

Students will have the option of enrolling in one or more of the programs, and choosing what they’d like to study.

“Together, all of these offerings are under an umbrella of enrichment that forms a comprehensive program with its focus being literacy,” Perry said.

Still, he said summer enrichment at RCS hasn’t reached its full potential, and it hopes to add more offerings in future years.

“In the future, we’re looking to tap into the tremendous resources we have in Richmond County,” Perry said, explaining there are educational opportunities in area museums and historic and cultural sites in the county and region. “We also hope to capitalize on the excitement and enthusiasm of the professionals that we have as instructors in these programs.”

The calendar of summer enrichment opportunities will also be added to the RCS Web site for parents to consult once it is finalized.

Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.