On behalf of the Santa Clara County Office of Education, I’d like to extend hearty congratulations to families celebrating grade promotions and graduations. Your students have given their best efforts to progress in their education, and their support systems played an important role in helping them reach their goals. 

As the school year winds down, I invite students to continue developing their reading, writing, and math skills in fun and creative ways. In education, we sometimes notice the ‘summer slide’ when students, after spending months away from the classroom, forget a portion of what they learned. Because of this potential regression, it is important that youth keep up their skills.  

Families can support students by encouraging reading, visits to museums, participation in community programs, and hands-on projects, all of which foster a love of learning beyond the classroom. To get started, consider some of the resources Santa Clara County has to support a child’s academic journey during the summer months:

  • Check with your school or district if summer learning programs are offered.
  • To explore new books, visit your local library to sign up for a library card and participate in summer reading programs. Libraries are a great source of children’s activities such as storytelling, crafts, book clubs, and more. The Santa Clara County Library District can help your children take their learning outside with free passes to local county parks and state parks.
  • The YMCA of Silicon Valley is offering free memberships to teens entering high school in fall 2024 and recent high school graduates from June 1 through July 31 at nine locations. This initiative helps teens stay healthy, practice leadership skills through volunteer projects, and connect with their peers.
  • Turn everyday at-home activities into learning opportunities. For example, the kitchen offers opportunities to build skills in math (measuring and fractions), science (chemical reactions), and vocabulary (reading and following recipes). Families with a preference to learn at home can also access PBS Learning Media for Summer Learning, which includes videos for middle and high school students.

With proactive measures, the summer months can be a time of learning enrichment and growth and help youth avoid the ‘summer slide.’