Don’t call it summer school: Battling the COVID slide in math, science, reading with summer programs Updated Mar 10, 2021; Posted Mar 10, 2021 A student works on an electric keyboard during a summer learning program at Tuscaloosa City Schools in 2019. Programs went virtual in 2020, but hope to resume in-person enrichment and academic options this year. Courtesy of Tuscaloosa City Schools. Facebook Share , Ed Chat. Lots of experts say summer learning — mixing academics with fun activities — is a great way to keep kids on track after a difficult year and help others catch up. Just don’t call it summer school. “The acid test of a good summer learning program is if the kids think they’re at camp, but the teachers know they’re at school,” said Jim Wooten, who leads the Alabama-based group called Summer Adventures in Learning, or SAIL, which provides funding for summer learning programs.