By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

PELHAM—The Pelham Board of Education approved a partnership with school solutions group Appleton Learning during a June 16 meeting. Appleton Learning will provide afterschool and summer programs, as well as help with substitute teacher staffing for the Pelham City School System.

Appleton Learning offers “hands on” and “project-based” afterschool and summer labs for children from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade, Appleton President and CEO Glenn Clayton explained.

“It’s very hands on, very fun, but still aligns with what’s going on in the classroom,” Clayton said, adding the programs will be provided at “no extra cost to families, no more than it is now.”

“We really think this will be a great program,” Pelham City School Superintendent Dr. Scott Coefield said.

In addition to educational afterschool and summer programs, Appleton Learning will supply Pelham City Schools with substitute teachers.

“Managing substitutes has become a big problem for all school districts,” Coefield said.

Appleton performs background checks and trains each of their substitute teachers in “best practices” for teaching students of different grade levels and abilities. Clayton noted that many substitutes would be students working toward an education degree and Pelham City Schools teachers would have the ability to request a specific substitute to cover their class.

“(Each substitute) is prepared to give a lesson so you don’t lose any of that learning time,” Clayton said.