Summer break is still weeks away, but one suburban Detroit school district is betting kids will actually want to show up.
Madison District Public Schools, located just two to three miles north of Detroit in Madison Heights, is offering its Summer Discovery Program again this year - a free, full-day enrichment camp open to children across the tri-county area, regardless of whether they live in the district.
The program runs from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with early latchkey care available as early as 7:00 a.m. for working parents. Mornings are dedicated to math and literacy instruction led by certified teachers. Afternoons shift into something closer to a highlight reel: a different sport each week, plus a free weekly field trip. This summer’s itinerary includes a visit to the Detroit Zoo, a river cruise with Diamond Jack, and an afternoon of skating.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the day are all provided at no cost to families - a deliberate design choice, school leaders say.
Superintendent Patricia Perry said the rebranding from “summer school” to “camp” was intentional. “Summer school is kind of like a negative thing, like, ‘Oh, I gotta go to summer school.’ But camp, they’re like, ‘We’re ready for Summer Discovery.’ I’m going to camp!” Perry said.
The program is funded through a partnership with the Balmer Group, which allows the district to eliminate financial barriers entirely. Assistant Superintendent Pam Vermiglio said the goal was simple. “This takes away that socioeconomic where maybe my kid can’t do it because we don’t have the funds. You don’t need them,” she said.
Vermiglio said the academic component is structured to combat summer learning loss - often called “brain drain” - without feeling like school. “We blend the academic learning with engaging curriculum so that it’s not a worksheet or a lecture. It’s hands-on,” she said. “When they go back to school in the fall, they’re ahead of the game. They’re ahead of those other students.”
Perry said the district’s commitment runs deep, serving residents from age 4 to 26. “We offer great staff, great partnerships, and we’re very transparent,” she said. “Sometimes we may not know things as a district and we admit that, and we grow as a district and as a community.”
Families outside of Madison Heights are welcome to participate - the only requirement is getting kids to the building.
For more information, visit madisondistrict.org.