At Scholars Education Centre, learning isn’t one-size-fits-all. For the past two years, the centre has provided tailored academic support to more than 250 students in the community, offering help that ranges from early literacy to high school sciences and math.
"We offer academic support in a couple of different streams," says Sajda Siemens, who runs Scholars of Steinbach. "We work with elementary and middle-years students who might be struggling with reading, writing, math and French. We assess them to see what they know and what they need to learn, and then we build personalized programs around that."
High school students also find crucial support at Scholars, particularly in challenging subjects like pre-calculus, chemistry, and physics. Scholars’ programs help these students strengthen their study skills, improve note-taking, and prepare for tests and exams. Increasingly, adult learners are joining as well, seeking help with courses or GED preparation.
Preventing the summer slide
As summer approaches, Siemens highlights a common challenge: the "summer slide."
"Students can lose up to two to three months of learning over the summer, especially in elementary grades," she says. "For kids who are already struggling, that gap can grow even larger, making returning to school in September more challenging"
To counteract this, Scholars offers light-touch summer programming. "It's not full-time school. Students come for two hours a week," Siemens explains. "We start with an assessment to identify any gaps, then focus summer learning on those areas."
Beyond the classroom
While structured support is important, Siemens also encourages parents to keep kids engaged informally throughout the summer.
"Get outside with your kids, explore nature, activate their creativity," she says. "Even simple activities like reading for 20 minutes a day or doing multiplication tables in the car can help keep their brains stimulated."
Building confidence through connection
For many families, the most transformative part of working with Scholars isn’t just better grades – it's the boost in confidence.
"We've had parents in tears, telling us they've never seen their child so confident," Siemens says. "Kids walk into Scholars and realize they’re not alone. Maybe they felt like they were the only one struggling in school, but here they see others just like them. That normalizes the experience and really helps them open up to learning."
The Scholars team is located on the north edge of town near Flippers Gymnastics, making it an accessible resource for families across the area. Whether it’s to prevent summer learning loss or provide long-term academic support, Scholars of Steinbach continues to be a trusted place for students to grow.
"When kids think they can, they can," Siemens says. "That belief makes all the difference."
For more information about Scholars of Steinbach, call (204) 320-2608, or email steinbach@scholarsed.com. You can also learn more about Scholars by visiting their website.