Summer Brain Drain

When the final school bell rings on that hot day in late June, students bolt out of their classrooms. After 10 months of formal instruction, they are ready for a break. But what happens when elementary and secondary level students burn their books for nine weeks?

There are varying opinions about modifying the academic calendar to include a shorter summer break, but what experts do agree on is the need for sustained learning between the months of June and September.

The “summer brain drain” refers to that gap in knowledge that occurs during the summer break. Kids fall behind and forget what they have learned, putting them at a disadvantage when they ring in the new school year. “There is literature out there that speaks to the ‘summer learning slide’”, says Drew McNaughton, principal of community and Read more