Vashon School District officials are right to try to figure out how to resurrect a summer school on the island.

Plenty of students on Vashon struggle academically. But many don’t get the support they need at the high school, known more for the way it preps students for college than for how it helps kids who are failing.

The effort to get some kind of summer program started was initiated by Hilary Emmer, a former teacher who cares deeply about students who don’t fit the mold on Vashon. Now, district officials have embraced the idea, and it seems like a modest summer school might be within reach.

School board members and Vashon High School officials are not yet in synch about key details for a summer school that would start this June. But the fact that they’re actively discussing the proposal is a good sign. We hope they continue to work hard and in good faith and that a program is ready to accept students within a few months.

Even a modest one would be an important step, an acknowledgment that the Vashon school system, known for its high-achieving students, is also home to young people who don’t succeed in academically. VHS, with a new one-day-a-week program for low-performing students, is attempting to reach those who are failing. A summer program would enhance these efforts.