LOXLEY, Ala. — We are in the middle of the dog days of summer, and school is the furthest thing from most kids’ (and let’s face, it parents’) minds.

But for about 45 youngsters who will attend Loxley Elementary School, next month’s first day of school will be nothing special — they are attending classes now.

The program is called “Jump Start,” and count Loxley Elementary Principal De Ann Ramey as a fan.

Maybe she’s big on the program because this is not “summer school.”

“The emphasis is on fun,” said Ramey. “This is not typical school.”

This is not the first year for Jump Start.

“This is the first year we have opened it up to all grades, said Ramey, who added the school has run the program for new kindergartners before. Because it seemed to benefit them, the decision was made to open up the program to all grades served by the school.

“This year, we have rising kindergarten to rising sixth-grade students attending,” said Ramey.

The voluntary program, which was open to all students, gives youngsters about an hour and a half of reading and an hour and a half of math four days a week. There is time for a snack and a break on the playground.

Jump Start runs through the month of July. Parents are responsible for arranging for transportation, but bus transportation is available. The program ends about two weeks before school begins in August.

“The program reinforces skills the children in grades 1-6 have learned during the year,” said Vickie Bailey, a literacy coordinator for Voyager Expanded Learning. The former Baldwin County principal now works for the company that makes the materials students use in this summer program. Bailey was on hand to instruct the teachers teaching the summer classes in the use of the program.

“The children will be working on-line as well,” said Bailey.

The youngsters, depending on grade level, work on units that involve ancient Rome, Africa, animals, and people in their home town.

“The program is theme based, said teacher Kate Thomas, who is working with fifth and sixth-grade students.

“We are talking about neighborhoods, pets and people in our communities,” Kostelecky, teaches the first and second grade students, said.

“It’s really a reinforcement of skills,” said Bailey.

Attendance at the summer program is voluntary. Ramey says the program helps youngsters retain what they’ve learned the previous year, making them better able to go to new concepts when school starts.

“The parents volunteer the kids,” joked Ramey.

Jokes aside, the innovative program has begun to receive attention from other area schools.

“Several principals have called me about the program,” said Ramey.

The program is a hit with the teachers involved with the program. One of the things the teachers all like is the relatively small class size. The kindergarten class has about 14 students, and other grades are averaging eight to nine pupils.

“”The idea is to get the kids back into the routine of school,” said Sarah Bodle. “It seems to be working. The kids are having fun.”