By Jessica Borders
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT —
The Reading Language Arts (RLA) Academy gives rising fifth-graders the chance to learn in a fun, summer setting.
For the second year, this summer enhancement program was held for Marion County students transitioning into the fifth grade, and educators have plans to continue the academy in 2011.
Sally Feltz, lead facilitator for the RLA Academy, said test scores indicate that children sometimes have difficulty moving from the fourth-grade classroom to the fifth-grade level. The academy helps make that transition a little easier for the kids.
Toward the end of June, teachers participating in the RLA Academy got a week’s worth of professional development training to prepare for the program. Then during the month of July, the students spent four days every week in the academy, which ended on Thursday, Feltz said.
“It really serves two purposes,” she said of the program. “The main purpose is to benefit the students, but we also find that it benefits our teachers.”
