KESD AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM (KEAP)

In Fall 2025, we saw that 80% of students who attended Summer Camp maintained or gained in literacy skills from Spring 2025, as measured by iReady data. This year we are continuing to work with the Teaching & Learning team to increase literacy, math and STEAM instruction at camp. This means that students will return to school in the Fall better prepared to learn.

1. There is a large wiring, access control, and exterior door project at Lyndon Town School (LTS) this summer and it would not be safe to hold camp there this summer.

2. This is a typical issue for NEK school summer camps. For example, Troy’s Summer Camp (NCSU) will be held at five different sites this summer due to school construction projects.

3. We have rented Lyndon Institute (LI) in the past but the cost quoted to us was too high this summer, and would not have included gym space which is important to our sports programs. Also, LI was not the best space for elementary students in the past due to the size of furniture and the lack of a playground.

4. Holding Summer Camp at MRS saved KESD $60,000 in rental fees.

5. Miller’s Run and Concord School are the only other buildings large enough to consider holding camp. Miller’s Run has a more appropriate playground and outdoor space than Concord and is closer to many community resources such as Powers Park, Kingdom Trails, and the Cobleigh Library. We did not want to lose access to these community resources due to busing time.

1. Camp staff will leave their garbage outside their room each day, stack chairs, wipe down tables, etc.

2. MRS custodial staff will sweep/mop floors each day.

3. A district facilities staff member will be onsite or available during camp to support the MRS custodial staff.

4. A cleaning service or team of KESD staff will clean the building before and after camp.

5. Summer Camp will supply boxes for MRS to pack classroom items into if needed.

6. A storage shed will be available so teachers can store items as needed during camp.

7. Summer Camp brings in all their own supplies (MRS teachers can leave supplies in the classrooms and cover with paper and/or put into classroom storage so they will not be used.

Summer Camp has always included many off-campus activities and field trips, to get students out enjoying all our community has to offer. We will leverage this schedule to reduce the number of students on campus at MRS at any time. 

All students will still start and end the day at MRS but we will schedule field trips and utilize Burke Town School (BTS) and Sutton School as satellite sites.

Humanities Camp: One elementary grade level per day will go to BTS for Humanities Camp each day. They will check-in at MRS, have breakfast, and travel to BTS. They will bring a packed lunch/snack to eat there. Certified teachers will lead art, literacy, outdoor activities in BTS classrooms, playground and outdoor spaces. Students will return to MRS for outdoor recess and dismissal.

STEAM Camp: One elementary grade level per day will go to Sutton for STEAM Camp each day. They will check-in at MRS, have breakfast, and travel to Sutton. They will bring a packed lunch/snack to eat there. Certified teachers and Community Partners will lead STEAM (and music) activities in Sutton Classroom, playground and outdoor spaces. Students will return to MRS for outdoor recess and dismissal.

Students regular group leaders, assistants, support staff will travel with them to the satellite sites, along with a Student Support staff member.

On the days Elementary students are not at a satellite site (twice/week), they will be at MRS for academics with certified teachers and the Cobleigh Library bookmobile. In the afternoons they will travel to Powers Park for swim lessons.

On Fridays all elementary students will attend an off-campus field trip (Montshire, VINS, Fairbanks, or Cobleigh Library).

Middle School students will be at MRS for the morning, engaging in academic enrichments with certified teachers and the Cobleigh Library Bookmobile.

Middle School afternoon enrichments that will happen at MRS are: Art, Soccer, Rosie’s Girls, Field Hockey, Skateboarding, Flag Football, Lacrosse, Makerspace

Middle School afternoon enrichments that will happen off campus are: Fishing, Overnight Trips, Baseball/Softball, Bakerspace (SJA), Basketball (VSU), Cheerleading (VSU), Golf, Biking, Swimming (VSU)

NKHS will have two classrooms at MRS, students will join satellite sites, field trips as they have in the past.

Special Educators will be assigned by grade level. If their elementary grade is at a satellite site that morning, they will travel there to deliver ESY services.

We are working with Butlers on staggered bus pickup/drop off times. 

Parents interested in busing should complete the bus survey. 

Buses will run from hubs in each town as they have in the past - Butlers uses the bus survey to make sure there are hubs near all families who need busing. 

Bus schedules will come out later this Spring, once Butlers has been able to collect all the info from the survey.

Parents are welcome to pick up at BTS or Sutton if their students are at the satellite camp there for the day.

Butlers projects that the largest increase to bus time from past years could be 12 minutes at most.

There is just over $500,000 in the local budget for Summer Camp. This pays for staffing and the busing to/from camp only.

About $200,000 of the staffing cost of camp is for special educators and instructional assistants - these positions are required for Extended School Year (Special Education) services.

Almost every Summer Camp staff in Summer 2026 is a current KESD employee (or local high school student). Many KESD staff count on this summer pay and the opportunity for summer work helps us retain high quality staff.

We have received multiple grants from VT Afterschool that pay for all field trips, field trip busing, community partners, most supplies, snacks, etc. at no cost to the local budget.

Hiring community partners and running field trips allows us to serve up to 500 students with minimal staffing - since the community partners and field trips are grant funded this reduces the amount of local budget dollars needed for staffing.

We encourage parents to donate to Kingdom Kids in place of a program fee. This allows us to off-set local budget funds while still allowing students who can not pay to attend.

Holding Summer Camp at Miller’s Run School saved Kingdom East $60,000 - which was the fee charged by Lyndon Institute to hold camp.