Summer Saints

For-Credit Courses

Enrollment in summer courses for credit will be handled as part of next year's course scheduling process. Students in grades 9-11 will be given the opportunity to request summer courses shortly after Spring Break. Students in 8th grade will have the same opportunity when their course scheduling takes place in early April.

Please contact Emmett Carlson (Upper School Math Teacher and Academic Dean/Scheduler) with questions. carlsone@stcva.org

St. Catherine's students interested in taking a for-credit summer course at St. Christopher's should email Emmett Carlson, (Upper School Math Teacher and Academic Dean/Scheduler). carlsone@stcva.org. Available spots will be offered to St. Catherine’s students on or around April 1.

Courses

List of 6 items.

BIBLICAL STUDIES

BIBLICAL STUDIES
Rising 10th - 12th Graders
June 8 - July 6 (Hybrid)
$850

Schedule:
June 8-12: On Campus (9 a.m. - Noon)
June 13-28: Online and Asynchronous
June 29 - July 2: On Campus (9 a.m. - Noon)
Digital final exam due on Monday, July 6

This course will focus on the backdrop provided by the Old Testament in Genesis and Exodus, as well as the fulfillment of God’s plan for mankind through Jesus Christ, as related in the New Testament Gospels. Biblical Studies is typically taken for a semester in the 10th grade and is required of ALL St. Christopher’s students.

To receive credit for the course, students must attend all on-campus classes (June 8-12, June 29 - July 2) and be prepared to participate fully in online assignments (June 13-28). The final exam will be due electronically on Monday, July 6. Students should plan to devote approximately one hour outside of class each day to successfully complete the requirements of the course. During the online portion, assignments will be given at the beginning of the week and will need to be submitted asynchronously by Friday afternoon.

Students will need access to the Bible (any format or version). Class size is limited.

Karen Wray, Upper School Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Upper School French Teacher, and Upper School Religion Teacher
DIGITAL ART FOUNDATIONS

DIGITAL ART FOUNDATIONS
Rising 10th - 12th graders
June 15 - July 10 (Hybrid)
$850

Schedule:
June 15-18: On Campus (9 a.m. - Noon)
June 18 - July 5: Online and Asynchronous
July 6-10: On Campus (9 a.m. - Noon)
Final project due electronically on Monday, July 13
This introductory course explores the fundamentals of photography, graphic design, and video production. Students will gain a foundational understanding of each discipline, preparing them for more advanced coursework in these areas. The course covers industry-standard software, including Photoshop, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and InDesign. By the end of the course, students will have a basic understanding of art and design principles, digital art software, and digital art equipment.

To receive credit for the course, students are expected to attend all classes on campus (June 15-18, July 6-10) and be prepared to participate fully in online assignments (June 18 - July 5). The final project will be due electronically on Monday, July 13. Students should plan to devote approximately one hour outside of class each day to successfully complete the requirements of the course.

Students will need a 16GB SD card. Class size is limited.

Amanda Livick, St. Christopher's Upper School Teacher of Multi-Media Arts
GEOMETRY

GEOMETRY
Rising 10th - 11th Graders
June 8 - July 2 (On Campus, final exam on Thursday, July 2)
9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
$1,250

This course meets the school's requirement and is intended for students pursuing an accelerated path in math. This fast-paced course covers the core topics of Euclidean geometry and is designed for strong, motivated students. Students must have taken Algebra I to enroll, and prior completion of Algebra II is strongly encouraged. St. Christopher’s students must get approval from the Upper School Math Department Head to take this course and must earn a minimum of a B in order to proceed to Honors Precalculus in the fall.

In-person attendance is expected on all class days. Class will not meet on Friday, June 19. The last regular class day will be Wednesday, July 1, and the final exam will be given on Thursday, July 2.

This course emphasizes in-class problem-solving to help students master the material. While no specific homework assignments are given, students are strongly encouraged to review and practice the material outside of class, as frequent assessments will require thorough preparation.

A copy of the required text (Geometry for Enjoyment and Challenge) will be lent to each student.

Alissa Yazinski, St. Christopher’s Upper School Mathematics Teacher
HEALTH 9

HEALTH 9
Rising 9th - 12th graders
July 6 - July 27 (On Campus, final exam on Monday, July 27)
9 a.m. - Noon
$650

This course is intended to fulfill the Health requirements for the 9th-grade year and covers all of the information contained in the regular school-year semester class. The course focuses on physical components of human health by studying human organ systems and behaviors that promote longer, happier lives. Students will be exposed to a variety of sources of information about human health and will be asked to think critically and show competency in identifying healthy behaviors in their own lives.

In-person attendance is expected on all class days. To receive credit for the course, students may miss a maximum of one class day. Students should expect to spend approximately one hour outside of class each day completing required assignments.

There are no required texts for this course. Class size is limited.

Clarke Miller, St. Christopher's Upper School Health Teacher
HEALTH 10

HEALTH 10
Rising 10th - 12th graders
June 8 - July 23 (Hybrid - see description for details)
$650

This course is intended to fulfill the Health requirements for the 10th-grade year and covers all of the information contained in the regular school-year semester class. The course focuses on the behavioral components of health by studying decision-making, habit formation, and how this knowledge can be used to address common challenges faced by high schoolers. Students will learn from a variety of sources how to develop habits aimed at both living longer and being happier, and they will spend time during the course applying those practices in their everyday lives.

The course will begin with a mandatory on-campus meeting from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Monday, June 8. Each student will then be required to attend short weekly scheduled check-ins with his instructor, either in person or via Zoom. Otherwise, all coursework will be completed remotely and asynchronously, with weekly deadlines on Mondays. Students should expect to spend approximately one hour per day working on assigned readings, tasks, and reflections.

The final exam will be due on Thursday, July 23, with potential penalties for late submission. Any student who has not completed the course by Friday, August 1, will risk not receiving credit and may need to take Health 10 during the school year.

There are two required texts: The 6 Most Important Decisions You'll Ever Make by Sean Covey and A Better High by Matt Bellace. Class size is limited.

Clarke Miller, St. Christopher's Upper School Health Teacher
Ian Squires, St. Christopher’s Upper School Health Teacher
GOD’S CALL, OUR RESPONSE

GOD’S CALL, OUR RESPONSE
Rising 11th – 12th Graders
$850

Session I:
June 8 - July 5 (Hybrid)
June 8, 9, 10: On Campus (1:00 - 4:00 pm)
June 11 - July 5: Online and Asynchronous

Session II:
July 6 - August 2 (Hybrid)
July 6, 7, 8: On Campus (1:00 - 4:00 pm)
July 9 - August 2: Online and Asynchronous

The Christian writer Frederick Buechner famously said, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” In this course, we will look at a wide variety of people who found joy and purpose in serving God in the world in many ways. Students will explore practices aimed at helping them hear God’s call in their lives to find their own particular joys and purposes in the world. Much of the class will consist of weekly online conversations around these issues.

This course fulfills the St. Christopher’s upper school religion requirement and is designed for organized, self-motivated students. In order to receive credit, students must attend all three on-campus class days and complete all work assigned during the asynchronous portion in a timely manner. Any student who has not completed the course by the Sunday following the session’s last day (July 12 for Session I and August 9 for Session II) will risk not receiving credit and may need to take a religion course during the school year. Reading and writing assignments are expected to require approximately 60 minutes per day.

The required texts will be provided by the instructor. Class size is limited.

Wade Reck, St. Christopher’s Middle School Chaplain

Summer Saints

Summer Academics Guidelines for St. Christopher’s Students

St. Christopher’s offers summer Upper School classes to help students manage the scheduling of their academic course load. Priority will be given to St. Christopher’s students whose scheduling needs create conflicts for taking required courses during the regular school year; whose course load would otherwise leave them with no free periods during the regular school year; or who are attempting to advance a level in an academic discipline (where available and approved). Summer classes are neither required nor guaranteed.

Summer courses are conducted according to the same academic standards as regular school-year courses. Grades will appear on a student’s transcript.

Students enrolled in summer courses are subject to the Honor Code.

Enrollment in summer courses should take place as part of the course scheduling process for the following school year and should fit appropriately into a student’s overall academic plan.

A student may enroll in a maximum of two summer courses in a single summer. Students who request two courses will be asked to provide a brief explanation of why they are doing so in relation to their overall academic plan. This option should generally be reserved for students taking more than five full-year courses during the following school year.

Students may not take both health courses (Health-9 and Health-10) or both Religion courses (Biblical Studies and God’s Call and Our Response) within the same summer.

With the exception of Health-9, rising 9th graders are not eligible for summer courses.

Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one religion course during the regular school year while in upper school. While unique situations may arise, it is generally not recommended that students fulfill their graduation requirement in Religion by taking summer courses exclusively.
Students are strongly encouraged to take at least one health course during the regular school year while in upper school. Only students with a demonstrated scheduling need, typically a sixth full-year course, will be permitted to take both health courses during the summer.
Enrollment in Geometry requires the permission of the Upper School Math Department Chair. Students must earn a B or higher to proceed to Honors Precalculus in the fall.
Any student who has not completed the work for a summer course by the first day of the school year will not receive credit for the course. Please note that some courses have more stringent requirements when it comes to work that is submitted late.