The Knoxville School Board approved a summer at-risk program at their meeting last week.

The purpose of the program is to improve connectedness with school and community members through shared experiences and relationship-building activities, provide experiences that would not otherwise be available to these students, teach important life skills, including the importance of self-care and how that relates to physical and mental health, and provide opportunities for social interactions and coaching of positive social skills with peers and adults among other purposes. The criteria for the program is students 3rd-8th grade who have been determined at-risk. KCSD Superintendent Cassi Person says this will provide these students with great experiences.

“They will be doing some unique summer experiences. Each week there will be a different theme, and different experience for students who may have never gotten to go out of Knoxville or Marion County. Included in that will be some gardening, going out to the lake, doing some partner experiences with some businesses in the area, along with volunteering.”

This program will be held on Thursdays starting on June 6th.