In the Shamong Township school district in southern New Jersey, about 30 miles from Philadelphia, a select group of elementary school students will spend part of the summer honing their reading and social-emotional skills under a white, 10 x 20 outdoor tent, not far from their homes.
They’ll read books geared toward building resiliency, and each book will be paired with an activity, including yoga focusing on balance and self-care, nature exploration, and a field trip to a local farm.
The program, which will be paid for by a part of the district’s share of the $129 billion that K-12 schools are receiving from the American Rescue Plan to help their recovery from the pandemic, is an example of what can emerge when district and school-level administrators collaborate—which is not always the case with federal funds and policies even when it’s required by law.
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