2026 Middle School info, courses, registration

Middle School Summer Academy Course Guide 2026

Aug. 3-6 & Aug. 10-13

8 – 11 a.m.and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Courses may fill. Classes may be canceled if there is not adequate enrollment.

Classes are for enrichment and not for credit.

Engineering and Design with Mrs. Rock

Get ready for the ultimate summer build-off! This fast-paced course dives headfirst into the wild world of engineering, where student teams face a brand-new,  design challenge every single day. From sketching blueprint ideas to building epic prototypes, teams will race against the clock to master the engineering cycle. This is a 100% hands-on, supply-loaded creator zone focused on creative problem-solving, team collaboration, and daily design battles. Every afternoon ends with a high-energy team showcase to find out whose design reigns supreme! 

Ecosystem Explorers with Mr. Kanable

This course is focused on getting  students an outdoor,  hands-on laboratory experience in their local parks. Students will be conducting systematic plant and biodiversity surveys, students will gather data to evaluate  competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. Through their own observations of local flora and river ecosystems will allow them to construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems. As they hike and wade into the water, students will physically connect with the environment to apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment, transforming their local watershed from a recreational space into a vital classroom for ecological connection. Students will start each week indoors on Monday and then make short trips to local parks for the other three days each week.  .  

Build, Battle, Create with Ms. Scaife

This hands-on STEM elective allows students to explore science, technology, engineering, and math through the things they love.  Students will design, build, test, and create projects connected to exciting interests like Dungeons & Dragons, comic books, animation, LEGO design, gaming, cosplay, coding, model building, and fantasy worlds. The journey kicks off with epic, hands-on challenges, like engineering custom catapults to master force  and building LEGO towers strong enough to conquer a five-pound "Boss Battle" weight using geometry and load-bearing concepts. Students then dive into worldbuilding and game design, using D&D mechanics to explore probability, before shifting to animation and light waves to create their own moving zoetrope projects. The excitement builds in the second week during "The Final Quest," a massive project where students pitch their own unique ideas, fill out engineering spec sheets, and build working prototypes from recyclable materials. After touring each other's labs to trade feedback and troubleshoot bugs, these young creators spend their final days assembling and proudly presenting their finished creations to the entire camp.  

The Science of Motion with Mrs. Valitski

Ever wonder how pro athletes jump higher, run faster, or recover from major injuries? This course serves as the ultimate living laboratory, where students become sports scientists! In this action-packed STEM course, learning happens hands-on, test-driving human biology to see exactly how bones and muscles team up to crush athletic goals. The curriculum dives deep into the world of Kinesiology (the science of movement) to discover exactly how the human body maximizes sports performance and heals from injuries. Designed for those who love sports, fitness, or want a sneak peek into the high-performing world of Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy, this class transforms students into active experimenters unlocking human potential. 

Special Education Services (SLC) with Mrs. Gross

For students enrolled in our Structured Learning Center for Academics or Structured Learning Center for Behavior program. This course provides targeted, small-group interventions tailored to meet individual student needs in critical core areas. Students will participate in individual and small group academic based activities.