As the clock stuck 11:30 a.m. Monday, Marblehead students were released from the constraints of their classrooms and out into the endless possibilities of summer break.
Many students will probably stay inside during the first days of summer break as a heat wave looms over the North Shore.
No matter what students decide to do during the break, parents are looking for what to do with their children.
There is plenty to do in Marblehead from beach days to summer camp to, much to the chagrin of children, summer tutoring.
And if none of those options are viable this summer, any quick scroll through Facebook will uncover a plethora of college students who are home for the summer and looking for full-time babysitting jobs.
The Tower School’s summer camp program is one of many summer programs offered in town and is open Monday through Friday for eight weeks of summer fun.
Each session is one week long between June 24 and August 16. The program features an 8-acre campus and a swimming pool equipped with a lifeguard and the ability to take swimming lessons.
The school offers a half-day program for children who are entering pre-kindergarten from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., a half-day program from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and two full-day programs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. — one for children entering kindergarten and first grade and another for children entering second through eighth grades.
If you are worried about your child falling behind this summer, private tutoring is also available.
Lauren Murphy is a certified Wilson Reading specialist tutor with more than 20 years of teaching experience.
She was previously a teacher in Marblehead and now teaches in Lynn. In both towns, she works as a special-education teacher.
The Wilson Reading program is a research-based, individualized, multi-sensory reading program designed to help children in elementary school who struggle with reading fluency, spelling, or comprehension, she said.
The district implements the teachings of the Wilson program in students’ learning. She said if your child is currently using Wilson and you would like additional instruction to accelerate progress or if your child is a struggling reader and you would like to boost his/her reading skills, before starting a new school year, this is a great opportunity.
She said she provides children with individualized and tailored teachings over the summer.
“I want to move them forward, so that when they come back to school in September, we didn’t just maintain skills, we made progress,” Murphy said.
“We really analyze all the errors that the kids are having, and then you really work through those before you move forward,” Murphy said. “It ensures that they’re mastering skills before moving on. That’s why it’s so great. It works on reading, comprehension, and fluency.”
She said she also offers special-education consulting and parent-support services in addition to individualized tutoring.
“It can be overwhelming for parents as they are required to navigate the special education process when their struggling child is tested and qualifies for an IEP (individualized education program),” Murphy said.
She said she is a valuable resource for parents navigating this process because of her experience as a special-education teacher and a parent of a child with an IEP.
To contact the Tower School summer camp, call 781-631-5800 x 393 or email summer@towerschool.org.
Murphy can be reached at 978-835-3568. She can also provide references.