THE EXTRAS

Enrichment Program

Offerings 2007-08 Academic Year

(Programs are listed in alphabetical, not chronological order.)

Registration and additional information on all programs will be sent to all parents at the appropriate times throughout the school year.

Chess Club : The club will meet after school on a day to be announced for approx. 45 minutes. We hope to offer it in both the fall and spring semesters and it will be limited to 20 students each semester with a separate enrollment each semester. If registration exceeds class size slots will be filled by lottery. It is open to grades 2 through 8. There is a $30 per semester fee.

Clay Café Studios: The "Fusing, Flinging and Funky Pottery Painting" course is conducted by Clay Café Studios over eight weeks, during which students are introduced to a variety of methods for decorating ceramics. Each project will allow the student to try a different style of painting. The course will offered to grades 1 through 8, and will cost $140 per student, which includes all instruction and associated materials for the class.

Girls on the Run: Girls on the Run is a program for girls from ages 8 to 12 that combines training for a 3.1 mile running event with self-esteem enhancing, uplifting discussions.  This 10 -12 week program uses physical activities and experiential learning to promote healthy living and healthy decision-making.

Global Arts Odyssey (Click Here for Details)

Greater Reston Arts Center ("GRACE") Art in the Schools ("AIS") :
The GRACE Art in Schools program is designed to supplement and support the existing art curriculum at St. Agnes by exposing students in grades 1-6 to art through monthly after-school sessions.  These one-hour sessions consist of a brief presentation and discussion about a well-known artist, followed by a related art project.  The AIS coordinators will solicit volunteer parent docents for each class.  The docents are the key ingredient in bringing this program to the students.  No art or art history background is necessary--volunteers need only be interested, enthusiastic, and willing to familiarize themselves with an individual artist and art activity each month. The Coordinators will work closely with the volunteer docents to develop the monthly AIS session schedule, distribute and collect the GRACE artist portfolios, and ensure the necessary art supplies are available for each session. 

Junior Great Books Program : In this popular enrichment program, students read and discuss short stories in a small group setting.  Junior Great Books develops the essential skills of reading carefully, thinking critically, listening intently, and speaking and writing precisely.  St. Agnes teaches this course from the Great Books Foundation curriculum.   (For more detailed information check out the website at www.greatbooks.org .)   It is open to students in grades 2 through 8 and meets after-school for one hour once a week.  The program usually starts in mid-January and runs for eight weeks.  There may be a nominal fee ($5) and parents share responsibility for providing a snack

Latin Instruction : Latin is back! Megan O'Boyle has again committed to running this program. She is currently looking for instructors. Ideally, we would like to offer two classes, one for returning Latin students, and one for newcomers. The classes will be open to grades 2 through 8 and will meet after-school once a week for approximately 12 weeks, during the spring semester.

Lunch time Literature Club: Classic Comics [Lunch time/Brown Bag] : New this year! During lunch time, participants will be reading some of the greatest stories ever told by the world's greatest authors, brought to us by Classics Illustrated.  The comics are from the mid 1940's, 1960's and 1970's, from a collection that is generously on loan for a year. Stories may include but, are not limited to: The Three Musketeers (Dumas), A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens), Don Quixote (Cervantes), Robinson Crusoe (Defoe), Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde (Stevenson), The Adventures of Marco Polo, Lorna Doone (Blackmore), The Prince and The Pauper (Clemens) and Jane Eyre (Bronte).  

Offered to grades 4 through 8

Mad Science : Due to its enormous popularity we are again offering this course in the fall semester. The program is open to 1st through 5th graders for six-week or eight week sessions and requires an additional fee. It offers an innovative approach to scientific concepts through hands-on learning in a fun, creative atmosphere. For more information visit their website at, www.madscience.org .

Math Club [Lunch time/Brown Bag] : This mathematics club meets during lunchtime for 20-25 minute sessions one day a week. The club aims to teach age appropriate math concepts in a fun, interactive, learning environment. The club will begin meeting in mid-fall.

Public Speaking Workshop : St. Agnes parent, Karen Czarnecki, a regular panelist on To the Contrary, a weekly national public affairs program on PBS, will again offer a 6-week course on speech and public speaking skills. Open to student in grades 4 through 8, the course and meets once a week. The workshop aims to teach valuable speaking techniques such as improving eye contact, skill, pace, and most of all, comfort level with speaking in public. Guest lecturers add to the fun! There is no fee for the workshop, but parents are responsible for providing a snack.

So This Is Opera Artist in Residence Program : Ms. Lewis is back! Lyric soprano and music educator, Yvette Lewis, who visited St. Agnes last March, will spend another week at our school working with all grade levels in another opera immersion program. Ms Lewis will also handle the school-wide Spring Program, tentatively scheduled for Grades PreK-3 on March 28 th and Grades 4-8 on March 29th.

School Musical Theater : For the past two years, The Educational Theater of Arlington (ETC) has offered drama classes at St. Agnes. This year we intend to hire ETC or a comparable company to direct and produce a school musical. We are currently in the process of choosing the right organization for this effort. We need a parent volunteer to help coordinate this effort.

Spanish Language Instruction : It is our intention again to offer after-school Spanish classes. The advanced course will likely be a continuation for students who took last year's class. This advanced course would be open to students in grades 2 and above who have had three or more years of Spanish instruction. It would meet twice a week from mid-October to mid-April (approx. 40 classes) for 50 minutes and would require an additional fee. We also are planning to offer beginning after-school Spanish courses. We envision one beginner's course (open to students in grades 2 and above who have had 0 to 2 years of Spanish instruction) that would start in the fall and meet once a week (possibly twice),

and will require an additional fee. The other beginners course envisioned would be for students in grades K and 1 st that would meet once a week starting in the spring, and require an additional fee. More details will be announced at the beginning of the school year.

Other One-Time After-School Events:

Modern and Contemporary Art from the Collection: Join us for an after-school field trip to the Corcoran Art Gallery and see the largest exhibition of modern and contemporary art from the Corcoran's permanent collection since the founding of the museum. On a private, guided tour, you will learn about the visual and thematic connections and distinctions between modern and contemporary art, and how they may be redefined in the future. (Looking to add a hands-on element, such as painting) More information on this after-school field trip will be sent during the school year.

Newseum - the world's first interactive museum of news : Join us for an after-school field trip to the new Newseum on Pennsylvania Avenue (opening in 2007). Two separate private tours for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8 will be organized (dates TBD). Learn about various forms of communications, grounded in our 1 st Amendment rights; visit the Interactive News Room filled with challenging and fun hands-on experiences. (Possibility to produce a multi-media presentation) More information on this after-school field trip will be sent during the school year

Christmas Card Workshop - The "Little Notations" company presents at one day workshop, in which children have access to a host of materials in order to make a lot of handmade cards for their families. They work with stamping, foam, felt, markers, paints, rub offs, duo papers, mulberry papers, hand folding techniques, hand sewing techniques, just to name a few. The cost is $25.00 per child, including all supplies and instruction. There will be two separate sessions: K-2nd , and 3rd - 5th , with a limit of 20 children per session. Coordinator needed .

Monthly Enrichment Assemblies

Personal Safety (and Internet Safety) for Grades 5 through 8 by Detective Linda Wuchovich

The Living Mark Twain (or Thomas Edison ) from Mobile Ed Productions

Opera Kids Residency Program Pre-K through 8

"Bill's Buddies" from the Folger Theatre

Personal Finance with Crown Ministries

Book lecture (by the author) re: the history of the Pope's Swiss Guards

The Virginia Historical Society presents Jamestown

National Science Foundation Astronomy Presentation

"Lights, Camera, Action!"

The Rolling Rain Forest

For volunteer opportunities please see the Volunteer Sign-up Form in this mailing.

Scholarships for all Enrichment programs are available. If you are interested, please contact Mrs. Carr directly, 703-527-5423, ext 102.

Other Activities

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      Peer Mediation
      CYO sports
      Yearbook
      Band