Introduction to Middle School Life

This week long program is designed to help students transition from fifth to sixth grade with as much comfort as possible. Areas of focus include logistical concerns such as building layout, how to navigate transitions between classes, and using lockers and textbooks, as well as important middle school skills in reading, note - taking, studying, and test-taking strategies. In addition, students will receive instruction in all facets of the writing process, including brainstorming, outlining, writing, and revising their composition. Completion of this program will allow students to enter middle school comfortable with their surroundings and expectations.

CRISS - Creating Independence through Student - Owned Strategies

This course will expose middle-school students to a variety of CRISS strategies designed to help students organize and learn material in ways that best fit their individual learning style. Individual skills and group strategies will be introduced and practiced. Students will master proven strategies they can incorporate into any or all of their academic classes. A student manual is provided.

The Writing Advantage

This week-long course will focus on polishing a student’s ability to write effectively. Students will respond to WrAP and SAT-type prompts, while improving their compositional skills and reinforcing fundamental writing mechanics. Each student will receive personalized feedback on his or her writing, and the class will emphasize the entirety of the writing process: brainstorming, planning, drafting, editing, and revising. An excellent course both for students who want to improve their skills and for those who want to stay sharp over the summer!

Keyboarding

This week-long mini-program is designed to provide introductory instruction in touch typing skills. Students will meet in the computer lab to participate in a software-based program for a half hour before the start of the normal morning session.