Sign up for summer school

Elementary school summer learning 

The Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) offers free summer learning programs for students in kindergarten through fifth grade at 11 schools throughout the city. The schools that will host summer programs are listed on the district’s website. All of these summer learning sites still have spots open. Registration is open until these programs begin on June 10. 

Summer school days are broken up into morning and afternoon sessions. In the morning, students eat breakfast before taking math and reading lessons. They’re served lunch around noon, and then external organizations such as the Cleveland Playhouse and Afterschool All-Stars take over for afternoon sessions. 

CMSD has a free shuttle service for students who aren’t able to arrange their own transportation to summer learning sites. Shuttles will pick up and drop off students at more than 20 CMSD schools throughout the city. The district has pickup times and locations listed on its summer learning website. 

• Dates: June 10 – July 11 
• Times: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. | Monday through Friday

Click here to register

High school summer learning 

CMSD also offers free summer learning options for high school students, but it’s mostly focused on retaking courses that students missed or did not pass. These programs are at the Cleveland School of the Arts, Natividad Pagan International Newcomers Academy and John Marshall High School. The district can provide RTA passes for students who need transportation to those sites. Registration for high school summer learning is open until the program starts on June 24. 

• Dates: June 24 – July 18 
• Times: 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. | Monday through Friday

Click here to register

Band camp

In addition to summer learning programs, CMSD also offers band camps for students in elementary, middle and high school. This is the district’s only summer program open to students in sixth, seventh and eighth grades. Students don’t need any musical experience.  

Fourth- and fifth-grade students can try out different instruments in the elementary school band camp. Students in sixth grade through high school can join the marching band camp. Marching band students will prepare for a performance at the end of camp and then march in parades during the school year. 

Both elementary school band camp and marching band camp are held at the Rhodes High School campus. The district provides transportation to Rhodes from all the other summer learning sites. Students can take CMSD’s summer learning programs in the mornings, then join band camp in the afternoons. 

• Dates: June 10 – July 11 
• Times: Noon – 3:30 p.m. | Monday through Friday

Click here to register

Take career-readiness, art and other courses at a Cleveland rec center 

Rec centers throughout Cleveland offer dozens of free programs, courses and camps for all different ages. Some programs are similar to traditional summer camps while others focus on specialized subjects such as photography, robotics, design, career readiness, cultural exploration and much more.

The programs all have different start and end dates, and some meet more frequently than others. They are based in different rec centers throughout the city. 

The city has a guide to all of its summer activities and registration forms listed online. 

Click here to register

Cleveland’s Summer playground program

The city is placing staff at 26 playgrounds throughout the city to lead daily activities for children. They will host board games, sports, arts and crafts and take children on field trips. Children can drop in once in a while or participate every day. 
The Summer Playground program starts on June 9 and ends on Aug. 15. It runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There’s more information about this program in the city’s summer activities guide.

Summer camps for artists, techies and adventurers 

CMSD also posted a list of dozens of summer camps and programs coming to the Greater Cleveland area this summer. 

Click here to see the list of Greater Cleveland summer camps and activities

The activities range from academic and technology-focused courses to music and visual art programs to sleepaway and outdoor adventure camps. Many of Cleveland’s major cultural institutions — such as the Metroparks, Botanical Gardens and Museum of Natural History — host summer camps and activities.

Many of these camps cost money, but some offer scholarships and discounts. 

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