2026 Full Course Descriptions

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Step into a supportive, creative community and explore the world of acting. Students will develop strong characters, unlock their vocal and physical presence, and learn to analyze and perform short scenes. Through games, exercises, and scene work, students will gain a solid foundation in acting technique all while building confidence and engaging in serious tomfoolery! 

This course is open to all students, from first-time actors to returning theatre students looking to deepen their skills. The week will culminate in a short scene sharing for families and friends!

Instructor: Liz Woolford 

Grade Levels: Rising 12th graders

Course Description: Seniors will write a solid draft of their personal statement, the primary essay required for applications to most private and out-of-state public  universities. Students will also learn how to write essays for other prompts including supplemental essays and those required for the University of California application. As students complete their personal statements, they will begin writing drafts of other required application essays. The course begins with the assumption that students hold no prior knowledge or experience on the application process, and ends with each student learning the structure of the personal essay and what makes them effective, gaining a clearer grasp of the college application season, with an introduction to the best approach for writing supplemental essays. 

College Essay Writing is a half day course that meets 9 days during the first two weeks of summer session. Students seeking credit/credit repair in English must take one 2-week session of College Essay Writing and two other English classes.

Instructor: Shelley Willig

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Welcome your first official Mid-Pen writing workshop! Students will study the craft elements key to any piece of writing: plot, pacing, character, setting to set the foundation for their creative work. They will read each other’s work and engage in workshop discussion grounded in support for their fellow writers. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Gen Greer 

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: You have something important to say! Jump into the world of creative writing for performance, including scenes, monologues, spoken word, and poetry. Students will explore a variety of forms through fun exercises and collaborative experiments while learning about each style's history. Emphasis will be placed on writers exploring their own creative process, discovering the creative "food" in everyday life, and practicing supportive, generative feedback with peers. Each student will leave with a stronger understanding of their personal voice and creative strengths as a writer (with headway on a writing project or two to keep them occupied over the summer!).

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Liz Woolford

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: What is science fiction and what role does it play in our world? Why are so many people so drawn to it? In order to answer these questions, students will read widely within the science fiction genre, developing their critical thinking and writing skills. In addition to reading and discussing, students will write an original work of science fiction. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Gen Greer 

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Lean in, I have a ghost story to tell you. Actually quite a few ghost stories. Over the space of this week-long course students will be reading from all across the horror genre: ghouls, ghosts, and vampires here we come! Students will investigate the roots of horror stories, how they reflect societal concerns, and what role horror plays today as well as writing a horror story of their own. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Gen Greer 

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Each day students will read and examine a range of different fairy tales from Little Red Riding Hood to Cinderella to Rumpelstiltskin. Throughout the week students will study the roots of these stories, how they evolved through the years, and what role they play in our culture today. In addition to reading and discussing, students will write a fairy tale of their own. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Gen Greer

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Students will work on their reading comprehension, critical thinking skills, and literary analysis through a weeklong study of Indigenous short fiction. They will be reading from the collection Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology featuring twenty-six Native each bringing readers into questions of complex legacy, survival, community, curses, and imagination. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Gen Greer 

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Each day students will read part of a memoir from a range of different experiences from Michelle Zauner’s Crying in H Mart to Maya Angelou’s I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings. By reading a wide variety of stories they will gain a broader perspective on the tapestry of American life. In addition to reading and discussing, students will write a chapter of their own memoirs. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for English credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of English credit or credit repair need to take four total English classes; this English course can be taken along with other English offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Gen Greer 

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: In this class, students learn the fundamentals of a variety of sports activities, fitness, and recreation. Motor skills for each unit or sport are introduced and practiced until the class is ready to play the actual game associated with each sport. Games are often modified to best fit the class size and facility. Students learn game concepts and strategies, as well as the basic rules for each sport. Students also learn the concepts of sportsmanship, cooperation, and competition. 

9th through 12th graders can take this course for P.E. credit. Students seeking a semester of P.E. credit needs to take four total P.E. classes.

Instructor: Raul Salazar

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: College Football is among America's oldest sports and traditions. Why does it matter? Why does it captivate alumni and fans alike? In this course, we will look at the economics, culture and politics of college football. We will see how college football is a microcosm of America, and what we can learn about our own world. 

10th through 12th graders can take this course for History credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of History credit or credit repair need to take four total History classes; this History course can be taken along with other History offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Alan Cameron

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Hawaii is one of the most interesting regions of the United States. Come learn about their culture and history, including the Kingdom of Hawaii, colonization and modern issues facing the island chain. We will learn about traditional Hawaiian religion, as well as how imperialism has impacted the islands. This class highlights an often forgotten region of history!

10th through 12th graders can take this course for History credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of History credit or credit repair need to take four total History classes; this History course can be taken along with other History offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Alan Cameron

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Korea is all over pop culture; from period pieces to K-Pop. But what was going on in Korea in the 18th and 19th centuries? How did it stand against China, Japan and Europeans? We will see the romantic Joseon Korea; complete with internal warfare, scandals, triumphs and heartbreaks. Come learn about why Korea is so beloved and what we can learn from the Joseon Dynasty!

10th through 12th graders can take this course for History credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of History credit or credit repair need to take four total History classes; this History course can be taken along with other History offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Alan Cameron

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Yay Area! Want to learn what makes the Bay the Bay? We will learn about Bay Area history and culture; starting with the Ohlone peoples, colonization, the gold rush, the barbary coast, counter culture, civil rights and the tech boom. We will highlight the entire Bay, with a focus on San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose. Interested in your local community? Come get hyphy in Alan's Class.

10th through 12th graders can take this course for History credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of History credit or credit repair need to take four total History classes; this History course can be taken along with other History offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Alan Cameron

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: So Alexander conquered, well, everything. Then he died. What next? What happened to his Empire? We will learn about the major forces of his Empire: Egypt, Persia, Greece and India and what happened after his death. Prepare for warfare, culture, art, and politics. It's like Game of Thrones but real and no dragons.

10th through 12th graders can take this course for History credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of History credit or credit repair need to take four total History classes; this History course can be taken along with other History offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Alan Cameron

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: Howdy partners! This here's the wildest class in summer school (ok, I'll stop now). Want to learn about cowboys from the United States, Mexico, Argentina and Australia? Want to see gunslingers, indigenous heroes and lawless banditry? Come check out this class. Let's peel back the myths and really learn about the Wild West!

10th through 12th graders can take this course for History credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of History credit or credit repair need to take four total History classes; this History course can be taken along with other History offerings. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Alan Cameron

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders

Course Description: Designed for incoming 9th graders, this course bridges the gap to Algebra 1 by reinforcing pre-algebra skills. Students will gain confidence and a mathematical foundation by reviewing various topics, including (but not limited to) operations with integers and fractions, and solving basic equations.   

Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Meenu Baloda

Grade Levels: Rising 9th graders through rising 12th graders

Course Description: This introductory Biology course will teach students about living organisms and biological processes. The course will allow students to understand the basic principles of living things, including, but not limited to, cell structure and function, evolution, and the various organ systems of the Human Body. This course is designed to cover a wide range of lab experiences to build strong inquiry skills and an understanding of real-world contexts. It will incorporate hands-on laboratory experiments as an essential part of the learning process.

10th through 12th graders can take this course for Biology credit and/or for credit repair. Students seeking a semester of Biology credit or credit repair must take four total Biology classes. Rising 9th graders can take this course for enrichment, but will not earn credit.

Instructor: Meenu Baloda

Grade Levels: 9th to 12th graders, students interested in grade repair must 

Course description: This introductory course dives into the key basics of the Spanish language. We will introduce topics such as the alphabet, greetings, questions, food and more!. Students will gain the confidence and Spanish foundation needed to enter into Spanish 1 and go into the world with basic conversational skills. 

Students looking to repair credit for a previous semester must attend three hours a day, for all four weeks. Any other student enrolling would be for enrichment only.

Instructor: Raul