A break in the academic calendar didn't stop thousands of Minneapolis public school students from filing into classrooms this week.
To avoid losing academic momentum over spring break, district staff have started offering lessons in core areas over the break which are designed to bolster students lagging academically. School officials call it "Spring Break Academy," and since the program's launch last year, the number of participating schools and enrollees has more than doubled.
This week, more than 4,000 students are enrolled in the program.
"It [helps] the kids who need that little extra push," Bancroft Elementary teacher Mary Sjoberg said. "Then, they come back in April, ready, and they haven't lost that week worth of teaching."
The new program is part of a strong push by Minneapolis school officials to raise test scores by offering additional instruction outside the normal school schedule. Compared to the state's percentage of students who tested at proficient levels, the city's students tested 17 percent lower in both math and reading last year.
Former Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson approved the plan for spring break classes in 2014, and despite her resignation in December, the district has continued her goal of boosting programming to supplement students' typical school day and provide extra coursework.
The spring break program offers struggling students extra one-on-one attention and test preparation the entire week. The smaller classes, individualized lesson plans and hands-on approach, program leaders say, is a specialized opportunity for students to stay tuned up academically.
The weeklong learning program filled a need for makeup days last year when a series of severe winter storms closed Minneapolis Public Schools for days. The district rolled out the program at 13 sites, and because of its success, expanded it to 25 this year.