MCPASD’s expanded Summer Session offerings in 2026 welcomed hundreds of students across grade levels as well as alumni who returned to the classroom to make an impact.
“Fostering connections with students made me even more excited to continue pursuing education as my career,” said Sam Curry, a Middleton High School Class of 2026 graduate who worked as a Summer Session paraeducator.
Curry’s path from student to educator began while he was a student in the Introduction to Education and Teaching strand of the Center for Advanced Professional Studies (CAPS) program at MHS. With the Summer Session’s expansion to serve more students requiring additional staff, Summer Session and Community Outreach Coordinator Amy Schernecker reached out to CAPS students who were graduating.
“She came in to talk about a volunteer opportunity during Summer Session and then mentioned the idea of being a paraeducator, since many of us were 18 and would be able to apply,” Curry said. “I was immediately interested in the proposal.”
Curry’s roles included supervising recess and pick-up time, escorting students to and from their classes, keeping students focused on their learning, and answering questions. He said that no two days were the same.
“There is a lot of flexibility that comes with working in a school setting,” Curry said. “It makes every day feel unique and special.”
Sasha Casper, principal for the elementary academy morning session, said it was especially valuable to have staff like Curry who already know the District and could make easier classroom connections with students.
“This helped in continuing already established relationships with students and families,” Casper said. “It really helped us better meet the needs of our students in an informed way instead of recreating the wheel.”
Engaging students and helping them evolve was a highlight of Summer Session 2026. In addition to academic growth, Curry and Casper said their favorite parts included supporting students in their social-emotional skills and building connections with one another.
“The amount of times I heard a student ask one another to be their friend really reminded me of how simple and easy it is for people to be kind to one another,” Curry said.
“I enjoyed helping students work through big emotions and hearing something they were so excited about,” Casper added. “It’s all the little moments…that have built a memorable first summer as principal.”
This fall, Curry will attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as an education major, with plans to become a high school English teacher. He said working in the Summer Session program gave him a deeper respect for the time, dedication, and kindness that educators put into every lesson.
“Teachers spend so much time building systems and trying to make a community that is safe for every child to express themselves,” Curry said. “That hard work starts before the children step foot in the school.”