During the summer ESY program, students worked on the skills they gained during the regular school year. The ESY Program supported each student’s IEP goals, with services like Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy offered in the program. This consistent support helps prevent summer learning loss and ensures our students maintain the amazing progress they’ve worked so hard to achieve.

BMX Thrills and Life Skills

One highlight of this year’s ESY? An action-packed assembly with the Freestyle Connection BMX Team! These professional riders performed epic, jaw-dropping tricks that had everyone cheering. A few brave staff members even joined in the fun, creating memorable moments that lasted the whole summer!

During the assembly, we talked about important life lessons like teamwork and chasing your dreams, even when things get tough. The message was clear: never give up! Our students connected with these themes in a powerful way, seeing firsthand how persistence and practice can lead to incredible achievements.

Splashing Into Summer Learning

We beat the heat with a Water Fun Day and Water Extravaganza Day that were as cool as they sound! Students enjoyed water slides and sprinklers during these days of splashy fun. These events weren’t just about staying cool; they provided opportunities for social skills practice, sensory exploration, and fun. There is nothing better than seeing students build friendships and memories together.

Learning Beyond Classroom Walls

Because learning doesn’t just happen in the classroom, we hit the road for some real-world experiences! Mr. Stratz’s students visited Stoneleigh Gardens, a historic estate, where they explored beautiful gardens and got hands-on experience with plant life. Students learned about different plant species and connected classroom concepts to the world around them.

Making a Difference Together

Upper School Teacher Mrs. Steinmetz led a group of students who gave back to the community by helping local veterans organize their homes. Our students tackled these projects with teamwork and positive attitudes. We’re proud of how hard they worked and the difference they made in our community! These service opportunities helped develop empathy, responsibility, and real-world skills that will serve them well at Pathway and beyond.

Thank you to everyone who made this amazing ESY program possible. From our dedicated teachers to our supportive staff and families, it truly takes a village to create such meaningful summer experiences. We’re already looking forward to kicking off the 2025-2026 school year soon with renewed energy and excitement for all the learning adventures ahead!

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FIRST – Determine if your student is eligible for an ESY program

Students with special education needs are entitled to Extended School Year programming if they are determined to be eligible. There are several factors that guide this eligibility, and more information can be found on the 

Additionally, the Pa. Training and Technical Assistance Network has a  which provides more detail, including an eligibility checklist and a Q&A section.

SECOND – Consider your options

So, once ESY eligibility has been determined, the next step is to consider the options that best provide the Free Appropriate Public Education to your child. This could be done within programs offered at the resident school or it could be those provided by another organization/agency – such as Approved Private Schools or Private Schools. As you consider options available to you, some of the below may be helpful to think about/gain additional information so you can select the option that will have the most impact on your student.

Your Questions – Answered for Pathway’s 2022 ESY Program

• How many weeks is programming offered?
  A program that is too short or too long, could interfere with a successful summer. 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ’s 6-week program has been successful in providing the time needed to keep academic, social/emotional, and behavioral skills fresh while still allowing some time off that kids want and deserve.
• What are the start and end dates, and how do they align with a desire to balance good programming with some much deserved/needed time off to be ready for the start of a new school year?
  Some ESY programs start almost immediately after the school year ends, which doesn’t allow kids time to decompress from the rigor they have been under for the last 10 months. 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ ESY program starts after the 4th of July holiday, giving a 2-week break at the end of the school year, and allows another several weeks before the new school year begins, so kids can enjoy some summer with their family!
• How many days a week is programming provided? If programming is not offered every day of the week, do you need to consider alternate options that align with potential parent work schedules?
  91̽»¨ÊÓƵ offers programming to students every weekday for the entire 6-week program.
• What are the hours of the program – is it a full day or half-day program. If half-days, do you need to consider alternate options that align with potential parent work schedules?
  Although part-time programs can allow students some additional summer fun time, in some cases, this is at the expense of some quality support in social/emotional and behavioral skill maintenance – which is also vital for students to be able to access their education. 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ offers a full-day (9:00 am – 3:00 pm) program to support students in multiple skill-building areas on a consistent basis.
• How will Extended School Year Goals be addressed and met?
  It is important that the IEP team determine which goals will continue to be addressed during ESY. Parents will want to provide input on what they would like to see occur and work collaboratively with the team to be sure a responsible, balanced decision is reached.
• Will the program provide academic as well as social/emotional and behavioral skill-building that is needed, or is it focused on academic skills?
  A program solely focused on reading and math could leave some holes in what is needed. 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ provides social/emotional instruction in both structured format and through in-the-moment learning to support acquisition of skills.
• How will the program provide the opportunity for your child to generalize the skills being taught?
  Structured lessons are invaluable to help teach a skill, but just as important is the opportunity to see how students apply this to their life. By allowing students opportunities to practice academic, social/emotional, and behavioral skills during high-interest activities, 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ team is able to see when skills are being applied and when further instruction may be necessary.
• What is the skill level of the professionals providing the services? Do they have special education training/background? Do they understand the diagnosis and have the skills to capitalize on the strengths and support the needs of your child?
  Many Extended School Year programs have professionals with a high skill set in these areas. If you are considering a summer camp option instead of an ESY program, I encourage you to find out more about the staff who will be directly supporting your child to be sure they understand the nuances of special education and will be able to provide the support and compassion your child needs. 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ’s ESY staff do have the requisite skills to support your child’s strengths and needs.
• How will fun be incorporated into the day? After all, it is summer and summer means fun!
  Fun is vital to help students recover from a rigor of a strenuous school year and be emotionally ready to walk into a new school year in the fall. 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ has found a way to balance the skill maintenance activities with engaging and exciting opportunities for kids to be involved in areas of interest including outdoor activities such as hiking, cooking, creative arts, including sewing and drama; these and many more opportunities add to the daily fun.
• What is the cost of the program?
  You want your child to have the best – of course, you do, but the reality is that financial responsibility does play a role in decision-making in most cases. For students who are eligible for Extended School Year, the school that is educationally responsible will pay costs for an approved Extended School Year programming.
• Is there transportation provided?
  The best program can only be available if you can get there – so distance and transportation information is also a factor to consider. Like cost, for students who are eligible for Extended School Year, the educationally responsible school is also responsible to provide transportation to and from the approved Extended School Year location.

Selecting a summer option for your child can be both exciting and exhausting. If you are not sure how to get started or would like more information about how Pathway can support your child, we would be excited to speak with you.

Contact one of our dedicated Admissions professionals at 610-277-0660 and select option 5 to reach the Admissions Department OR email us at enrollment@pathwayschool.org.

Visit our website for more information about ESY, our school year services, and much more:
/academics-services/extended-school-year/

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• Can I still enroll my child in the summer ESY program?
  We welcome the opportunity to have your child join us for our ESY program. Enrollment in our summer program will be based on space availability in our classrooms but we have a lot of flexibility in order to accommodate new enrollments.
• What is the process to enroll in virtual ESY?
  Enrolling in our virtual ESY program is the same process as enrolling in our school. Click here to see our enrollment process.
• How/when will on-campus tours be available?
  We are eager to welcome you and your child to Pathway’s campus during the summer to see what the school looks like and what education spaces your child will have. Although we will not have staff/students on campus, the admissions team will work with you to schedule a tour that will allow you to view our campus and buildings.
• Will my student keep their district-issued Chromebook? If not, how can I get one from Pathway?
  If your child is used to using the technology provided by the school and they are willing to let you continue the use of that device, we are happy to support this. For families who do not have the technology, the Pathway School will make arrangements to provide the tools needed to participate in online learning.  We also offer print materials to families who request this format due to difficulties with technology; however, we encourage all of our students to use technology to join the google and/or zoom classrooms in which the staff are leading instruction and activities.
• Why is Pathway going virtual?
  Like almost all other schools in Pennsylvania, safety for our students, their families, and our staff are of utmost importance to us.  With ever-changing information and safety steps that will need to be in place, 91̽»¨ÊÓƵ feels that continuing an online delivery model will allow all to be safe and provide us the time needed to plan for safety measures necessary to return to school in the fall.
• What is the difference between virtual and our regular summer program?
  The largest difference between a virtual and in-person summer program will be the club options available and the field trips/community integration (including job training) that is offered.  Our summer program will continue to allow students to select clubs they want to participate in, but due to materials needed and in-person supports, some clubs will not be able to be offered.  We have planned for some exciting club opportunities remotely and will also participate in virtual field trips that will take us to unique places we would not otherwise be able to explore. More information available below on these opportunities.
• What will the schedule look like?
  Students will have 40 minutes of each of the following: math, reading/English Language Arts, social skills, and 2 club options with short breaks between.  There will be time built into the day for lunch and recess/break period.  Related services will be delivered as appropriate per the IEP and support opportunities with our clinical/behavior team will also continue to be available.  Fridays are set aside for catch-up (if a student needed to miss instruction during the week) and/or to receive additional individual support.
• What types of clubs will virtual ESY have?
  Our virtual ESY program will have a Video & News Production Club, Fine Arts Club, Summer Cooking Club, Drama Club, and a Sports & Fitness Club.
• How will my child participate in virtual ESY?
  Your student’s teacher will provide information on their Google classrooms, Zoom, and additional materials for virtual ESY.
• Will there be integrated services available throughout virtual ESY?
  Clinical/behavioral services will continue to be available to students and their families as provided in our regular school year.  Related services will continue to be delivered by the appropriate professionals based on the student’s IEP.

Contact us today for more information on our virtual ESY program!  enrollment@pathwayschool.org  or 610-277-0660 ext. 289

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The health, safety, and welfare of our students, their families, and our staff must remain our first priority.  The complexities of re-opening our 12-acre campus are significant.  Pathway School leadership, working with our educational and clinical staff, will focus on creating a comprehensive re-opening plan for this coming September.

While not ideal, we believe we will have a meaningful and fun online ESY program for our students.  We will continue to support our students and their families via technology, telephone, and via the US Postal Service as appropriate.

We realize this decision will be a disappointment for some Pathway families, and a relief to others.  We remain committed to being of assistance to you during this national emergency.  Please feel free to reach out to us with questions or concerns.

David Schultheis
President & CEO

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At the end of the summer program, many of these clubs put on performances. The Drama club put on “Pathway Players present a Musical Revue” at Theatre Horizon which included songs from the Little Mermaid, Singing in the Rain, The Lion King and Hairspray. The wearable technology and Musicopia clubs put on performances in Pathway’s gym for the students and staff to see their new skills and talents! We cannot wait to see what’s to come for next year’s EYS program!

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