NORMAL -- Madison Sparrow is friendly, kind and pleasant and likes to pick on her teacher.

It said so on a paper on her back last week.

One of the socialization games at Unit 5's Autism Camp called for students to write nice things about each other on a paper on their backs.

Sparrow, 21, a special education student at Normal Community West High School during the school year, is one of 85 students in a six-week autism camp under way now at Parkside Junior High School.

Between bouts of joking with her teacher, Laura Dickenson, she made tacos with classmates on Wednesday.

"I like the field trips," she said.

Those include bowling and visiting the planetarium, the fire department and a cheese factory.

The Autism Camp and the four-week Extended School Year program are two summer school programs under way now at the junior high for special-needs students. Julia Schoonover, a school administration manager for the Normal-based district, coordinates the 66 staff members helping 192 students in the two programs.

While the Autism Camp concentrates on socialization, the Extended School Year program, in which 107 students participate, has more of an academic thrust. Students work with teachers individually and in small groups to improve reading and math skills for the coming year.

Extended School Year students have emotional or learning delays. Some have cognitive impairments, some are nonverbal, some have physical impairments and others are English Language Learners, Schoonover said.

The autism camp, which focuses on providing students a chance to socialize and improve life skills, wraps up Aug. 6 with a barbecue for parents and students.

Yet to come is a fun day at Grady's Family Fun Park in Bloomington. That's what Jeffrey Sapp-Paris, 16, a Normal West student, said he can hardly wait for - especially the bumper cars.

At such outings, students learn to manage their money and keep an account of what they have to spend. They begin with a certain amount of money at the beginning of the year, provided by parents when possible, and learn to account for what they spend on field trips, Schoonover said.

During less structured times, students in autism camp play cards, do puzzles and interact with each other and the teachers.

Sometimes they have a good laugh in the cooking class. Wednesday was such a time when everyone smelled something burning; a teacher left taco shells in the oven too long.

Students are bused to the autism camp and summer school. A recent situation where one student was initially taken home to the wrong house is being investigated by Unit 5 to ensure that transportation is safe for participants, said Joe Adelman, director of operations for the district.

Occupational and physical therapists, nurses and a speech and language specialist are on staff along with teachers and assistants at the school.

Summer school

Twin City schools offer a variety of summer school programs for students who need help catching up, want to get ahead or have to work on basic skills. Following are the programs offered this summer.

Bloomington District 87

• About 280 students got back to the basis in summer school at Bloomington Junior High School. It ended July 16.
• The district's Early Start program at Sheridan Elementary School will kick off Tuesday, giving designated students three weeks of morning classes to prepare their for the school year, which starts Aug. 20.

Central Catholic High School

• CCHS will offer math camps Aug. 3 to 8 and had other specialized camps earlier this summer.
• Normal-based Unit 5
• Autism Camp, a six-week program ending Aug. 6, offers socialization skills for 85 students. It has nine teachers, 18 teaching assistants and a lifeguard.
• Extended School Year is a four-week program ending Thursday for students with learning disabilities and/or physical impairments or in the English Language Learners program. It has 107 students and 28 staff members, including 13 teachers and 15 teaching assistants.

University High School

• Summer's classes ended on July 17 for 165 students in 11 courses from 10 schools. Most were U High students, but others came from Central Catholic, Lexington, Olympia, Prairie Central, Ridgeview, Tri-Valley, Normal Community and Normal Community West high schools and Calvary Baptist Academy. Courses included writing, math, English, geometry algebra and physical education.

SOURCES: School districts