As the school year comes to an end, the struggle to maintain steady grades, earn a high GPA, and turn in all missing assignments will become a stressful task to complete. For the seniors, graduation is approaching and the time to complete all the required credits is running out. For underclassmen, summer school may be an option to boost GPAs or earn credit.

Summer school begins on June 3 and ends on July 3, making it last about five weeks. In these five weeks, students can get any help from their teachers while earning credit, which is why students who are feeling pressured by extra work should consider signing up for these classes to get necessary classes out of the way, while others are taking it to earn required credit to graduate.

“Most students sign up for summer school for one of three reasons,” said McCorkle. “Either they need credit so they can graduate on time; they want to take a course quickly over the summer so that they can take other electives during the school year, or they want to improve their skills in preparation for courses the next year.”

McCorkle hopes that students see summer school as a positive and fun place, rather than a waste of time.

“I hope students improve their skills and have fun while there. Summer school keeps students thinking and learning when most students are taking a break.  That’s a gift,” said McCorkle, who will be teaching College Communication Arts this summer.

Assistant principal Ben Flunker will be the administrator for summer school this year.

“Summer school is a great opportunity for students to access the curriculum again if they were not successful in a previous class,” Flunker said. ‘It’s also a great opportunity to take a class before the regular school year in order to take other courses towards graduation or college requirements.”

For junior Bethel Dawit, summer school has many benefits. “In summer school, there is a lot less stress. You can see your friends from the normal school year.  Also, the vending machines usually have better snacks,” said Dawit.

Considering summer school has fewer classes and fewer hours, it is a lot less demanding on students, allowing them to enjoy their summer as well. The normal summer school day begins at 7:30 a.m. and ends at 12:54 p.m. every weekday and feature two sessions.

“I like that there are less classes to focus on, and I generally do better because of that,” said Dawit.

Students who are interested in taking summer school classes can sign up in the guidance office or online.