School district hopes to address learning loss

LEACHVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) - Schools across the country have been dealing with learning loss mainly due to COVID-19 for the past three years.

However, at Buffalo Island Central Elementary, principal Kima Stewart said last December’s storms and multiple winter storms have made the year more difficult for learning.

“We anticipated some loss of learning from last year, but this year we have had some really significant challenges for our students,” Dr. Stewart said.

Some teachers, like third-grade math teacher Scott Petznick, have had to reteach previous curricula to some students who were struggling.

“Story problems, things like that, kids have not been able to read the number of words they usually read,” Petznick said.

To combat the loss, Buffalo Island Central School District will hold summer programs specifically catered to children’s needs or interests in math and reading.

Dr. Stewart mentioned there will be a special field trip for students to the Jonesboro Police Department to “where they set up a crime scene” and students use reading and math skills to solve a crime.

However, some students may not be able to attend the programs, so the principal suggests parents help keep their skills up to par.

Dr. Stewart said things like measuring out ingredients in the kitchen, counting change in the grocery store, and reading a restaurant menu could help students keep valuable skills during the summer.

Petznick also added there are multiple programs like Khan Academy or XtraMath that parents can use for free for kids to practice their math skills.