Although the school year ends June 14, the hustle and bustle inside the Wilson halls doesn’t stop. As students leave to travel, work, and sleep, the building comes alive with its own summer plans. From cleaning, to sports camps, and even learning, Wilson has a busy itinerary this summer.

Traditional academics take on a new look with a five-week summer school program for students to earn back credits they may not have earned during the academic school year. If a student fails certain classes they are required to attend summer school for credit recovery. Additionally, “original credit courses and some electives, but not all ” are offered during the summer, according to Pathways Coordinator and Master Scheduler Angelo Hernandez. Creative writing is an example of an elective that is not offered during the summer, whereas it is mainly “the required electives [that are offered] like PE or a CTE course like financial planning”

Wilson’s campus is also home to various summer camps. One of these is Kids Elite Sports Summer Camp, run by Wilson physical education teacher Desmond Dunham for children ages four to 12. Campers participate in an array of athletic activities, using the gym, field, and aquatic center. With the turf field being renovated over the summer, however, field space will not be available until the project is done. Athletic Director Mitch Gore said that the field will be completed by late July.

Wilson is also home to a volleyball camp, run by volleyball coaches Dr. Perette Arrington and Patrice Arrington, for Wilson team prospects or anyone interested in improving their skills. Additionally, a basketball camp takes place at Wilson during the summer. In the past, a music program has utilized the building.

The summer off-season calls for summer cleaning. Tidying up for the upcoming school year takes many different forms. Hernandez explains how “deep cleaning gets done,” such as painting, repairing/refining, and getting the floors waxed. Wilson teachers also reorganize their classrooms, resupply, and decorate. Hernandez explained that, “they clean a lot of stuff during the summer that they can’t clean during the school year because it is frequently used.” This includes paying more attention to detail in cleaning the auditorium and the cafeteria.

The emptiness of the school during the summer creates a prime time for the preparation of the school year, both academically and athletically. For the most part, the front office staff is present to deal with enrollment, as well as potential staff interviews. Hernandez explained that during the summer, “there will be a counselor here to take questions, but they’re not making any [scheduling] changes at that time.”

The school is used for tryouts and preseason training for some fall sports, including football, boys and girls soccer, volleyball, cross country, and cheer. These preseason practices help teams gain a head start in the fall athletic season, so when the school year begins, teams can hit the ground (or the field) running.