Former Teacher-Turned-Tutor Helps Clearwater Students Prevent Learning Loss Over the Summer

This week’s A+ Teacher is Paul Kleeman, a former teacher-turned-tutor who helps students in the city of Clearwater’s Parks and Recreation programs.

This summer he’s focused combating summer learning loss, working with students who are attending the Parks and Rec summer program, which is a very different setting than where Kleeman spent a good part of his life.

“I was in the military, a war veteran,” he said. “I got out and realized I did not want to continue down that path, but I did want to help people.”

He said he used his GI Bill to get his teaching certification and after spending some time teaching in schools, he left the profession. He thought he’d move on, but in 2019 a volunteer tutoring opportunity presented itself.

“I came down here as a favor,” he said. “I thought it was going to be for a few days, and here I am six years later, and I’ve taken it more and more seriously, and we’ve tried to expand things.”

Since 2019, Kleeman has tutored nearly 400 Clearwater students in the Parks and Rec after-school and summer programs, making sure each student is reading at or above their grade level.

“When I walk in here, the kids jump all over me and want to come back here,” Kleeman said. “They actually want to come back here and learn. So that makes me think, ‘Wow, I really am making an impact that’s positive.'”

It’s seeing these students succeed that’s kept him coming back, and what turned a short-term volunteer position into a long-term passion project.

Kleeman was also recently recognized by the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County as a KidsFirst Award winner, which recognizes outstanding social service professionals who work to put children first.

View the segment and read the article as originally published at https://baynews9.com/fl/tampa/news/2025/06/19/former-teacher-turned-professional-tutor-helps-students-prevent-learning-loss-over-the-summer