Summer School

Unlock the door to imagination and unleash the power of words in Middle School Creative Writing. Whether you enjoy creative expression or are looking to stretch and re energize your use of language, this course is designed to help you develop your sense of style and voice. By examining the use of syntax and diction in your own writing as well as in sample texts, you'll finish the week with a strong portfolio of poetry, character outlines, suspenseful stories, and even short memoir. This class will also focus on the elements of storytelling, character development, and descriptive language, as well as the techniques authors use to bring a story to life. Through engaging in-class writing exercises, peer review, and individual writing assignments, you will develop your writing skills and gain confidence in your unique abilities. Get ready to expand your mind!

Enrollment is limited to 15 students entering grades 7 and 8.

• Dates: June 17-21
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
• Fee: $400
• Materials: Notebook, pen, pencil, highlighter, laptop, charger, and an independent reading book.
• Textbook: Rip the Page! by Karen Benke (provided to use in class)

Well-developed skills are paramount to success in Middle School. Chief among those are the abilities to read with understanding and write with clarity and creativity. This course is intended to help students improve their reading comprehension and writing skills. The students will work on these skills through the use of a summer reading book. Text annotations, analyzing literature, and expression of thought will be emphasized.

Enrollment is limited to 18 students entering grade 6.

• Dates: June 17–21
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
• Fee: $400

Writing comes more easily if you have something to say. - Asch

Students learn classic Euclidean geometry and some non-Euclidean topics, including coordinate geometry. Students employ inductive and deductive reasoning, discuss formal proofs, and study problems of measurement of two- and three-dimensional figures. The rich semantics and structure of geometry are absorbed into the student’s vocabulary.

Math department chair approval is required. Please register through the Upper School page.

This course satisfies The Buckley School's geometry requirement.

• Dates: June 17 through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• Open to grades: Entering 8, 9, & 10

Okay, so the brain is actually an organ and not a muscle, but reading and writing are still the most powerful exercises for the brain! This class is all about building and reinforcing strong comprehension skills, with a focus on helping you improve your reading strategies and develop your ability to write organized academic papers. The class will cover a variety of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, and informational pieces, and will teach strategies for understanding and analyzing these texts. Additionally, this class will cover rhetorical devices, how to annotate effectively, how to make an outline, and how to speed read. Through class discussions, group work, and individual writing assignments, you will develop the skills necessary to succeed in Middle School and beyond.

Enrollment is limited to 15 students entering grades 7 and 8.

• Dates: June 24-28
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
• Fee: $400
• Open to grades: Entering 6, 7, and 8
• Materials: Notebook, pen, pencil, highlighter, laptop, charger, and an independent reading book.
• Textbook: A packet for the week will be provided.

“The more you practice and study, the better you are... so I still practice and study all the time.” – Cyndi Lauper

Executive functions such as organization, time management, and listening are key components to scholastic success in Middle School and beyond. During this one-week course, students will learn and practice skills that include locker and study space organization, distraction and procrastination avoidance, listening and remembering, note-taking, research and close reading, graphic organization, plus prioritizing and developing plans of action.

Enrollment limited to 18 students entering grade 6.

• Dates: June 24-28
• Hours: 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
• Fee: $400

Muddy your hands with an art form that is more than 25,000 years old. This beginner's course offers a structured and immersive introduction to clay. you will create useful and sculptural works. You will engage in discussions about art with your peers, and challenge yourself to become a creative problem-solver, a vital step towards becoming a successful artist.

• Grades: 9-12
• Dates:
  • Session I: June 17 through July 3
  • Session II: July 8 through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Fee: $1,200

Students learn classic Euclidean geometry and some non-Euclidean topics, including coordinate geometry. Students employ inductive and deductive reasoning, discuss formal proofs, and study problems of measurement of two- and three-dimensional figures. The rich semantics and structure of geometry are absorbed into the student’s vocabulary.

Math department chair approval is required.

This course satisfies The Buckley School’s geometry requirement.

• Dates: June 17 through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• Fee: $2,400

This course concentrates on those topics of algebra and trigonometry that must be internalized to succeed at the advanced level of mathematics required in the study of calculus and other college courses. In the spring, honors students will prepare for the SAT Subject Test: Math Level 2. Topics covered will include functions (polynomial, trigonometric, and polar), complex numbers, systems of equations (linear & quadratic), vectors, and conic sections. In addition, the honors course will cover limits as an introduction to the AP Calculus AB course.

Math department chair approval is required.

This course satisfies The Buckley School’s Pre-Calculus requirement.

• Dates: June 17 through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• Fee: $2,400

This course investigates the general nature of matter and the changes that matter undergoes. A strong emphasis on Stoichiometry and quantitative skills (algebra-based) are included in this course. Topics include, but are not limited to matter and energy, electronic structure, nomenclature, chemical composition and quantities, gases, liquids and solids, solution stoichiometry, and equilibrium. The laboratory component of this course emphasizes techniques foundational to chemistry with a heavy focus on qualitative and quantitative data collection, calculations, and critical thinking application. This course can serve as a preparatory course for AP Chemistry.

This course satisfies The Buckley School's Chemistry requirement.

• Dates: June 17 through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• Fee: $2,300

This course focuses on identity and points of connection within groups. The start of high school is a key time to examine identity and how it reflects personal values as well as the values within a community. Students develop leadership skills to effectively engage in discourse with the community surrounding topics of diversity, identity, and equity. Cultural competency development is essential for equipping today’s students with the knowledge and skills necessary to address the increasingly complex challenges of our global society successfully and compassionately. This is a mandatory ninth-grade course.

• Dates: Intersections of identity is running two sessions:
  • Session 1: June 17 through July 3
  • Session 2: July 8  through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 
• Fee: $1,200

Students are presented with information on the study and metacognitive skills, learning styles, stress, nutrition, and fitness-related topics, and personal and community health topics. This knowledge is used to facilitate classroom discussions during which students are challenged to analyze this information and explore their values and beliefs. This course will help students clarify their personal opinions, be better prepared to articulate their opinions to others and provide them with the necessary information to make educated choices on topics relevant to today’s adolescents.  This course is also part of a year-long transition process to help students acclimate to the Upper School. This is a mandatory ninth-grade course.

• Dates: Human Development is running two sessions: 
  • Session 1: June 17 through July 3
  • Session 2: July 8 through July 26
• Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
• Fee: $1,200