The Red Hook Summer Academy provides local students — incoming 9th-12th graders, plus those who just graduated — with learning opportunities that would otherwise not be available to them during the typical school year. Best of all, these courses are offered at no cost to the students, thanks to sponsorships from local organizations, including the Red Hook Education Foundation.
The program was conceived and implemented by the Office of Curriculum and Instruction, launched in the summer of 2018, and draws on the many skills and expertise of the school district and our community.
See below for this year’s offerings, as well as previous summer curricula. To register, visit Family ID (an online tool the Red Hook School District uses for various school programs) and search ‘Red Hook Summer Academy Program’. Complete course schedules, including dates and times, are viewable there.
2019 Red Hook Summer Academy Course Offerings
SAT English: Learn to navigate the SAT reading, vocabulary and writing skills. Students will learn strategies for all question types (sentence completion, vocabulary, critical reading, and writing).
SAT Math: Students will review the style and content of the SAT Math exam. Learn helpful strategies and techniques. An SAT book will be provided. Students must have a graphing calculator and have completed Algebra I and Geometry as prerequisites. Two sections of this course will be offered.
Video Production: Learn how to storyboard a short film from start to finish in all roles of production. After compiling a sufficient amount of footage, students will learn to edit and create a finished product.
iSquad: Training for students interested in being part of the first-ever RHHS Student Tech Support Team. Work with members of the district’s technology department to build this pilot program while getting on the job experience as tech support during the school year.
Construction Systems: Students will learn basic construction techniques, such as: framing, roofing, and installing drywall. Along with practical knowledge, tips and tricks, students will be immersed in a plethora of equipment that are used by professionals in the field.
Sustainability for a Brighter Tomorrow: This class will give you the opportunity to learn about sustainability and the many ways we can use our understanding of what goes into producing and discarding goods to become conscientious consumers. We will develop strategies that we can use to diminish our impact on the environment and create materials that we can use to advocate for a more sustainable lifestyle.
Farm to Table Cooking and Baking: This class will showcase the abundance of wonderful agricultural resources in the Hudson Valley, utilizing fresh, seasonal ingredients from local sources.
Talking About Money: High school students are at most a few years away from some very adult decisions. Participants in this class will have conversations about money and finances as we address issues that may arise in the first few years of adulthood. Topics include budgets, savings, debt, credit, investing, transportation, housing, and taxes.
Automotive Technology: Learn basic car maintenance from how to fix a flat tire to changing your oil, basic car care and how major systems of a car work.
Hamlet in a Hurry: This course is designed for high school students who want to “Speak the speech, trippingly on the tongue.” For one week we will explore an abbreviated version of Shakespeare’s HAMLET and rehearse it as quickly as was done in 1599. The last hour of the class we will present it to anyone willing to attend!
Topics in Food Studies: A wide range of current topics in food from post workout eating to event planning, catering, and more. The culminating project will have students creating a food truck experience.
Computer Aided Design (CAD): Students will begin to dig into the engineering design process, applying STEM standards to hands-on projects of innovation and design improvement. Designs will be brought to life using Autodesk Inventor. Basic and advanced concepts will be covered.
Coding with SCRATCH: Learn coding skills by creating games using the program language SCRATCH. Learn about coding concepts such as sequencing, loops, events, conditionals and operators while creating different games. Share your games online where you can challenge your friends to beat each other’s scores.
Peer Tutoring Training: The Peer Tutoring class is designed to train students how to be motivational and effective peer tutors. We will learn strategies and design implementation plans to assist Red Hook High School students who struggle with academics. Students who complete the training and commit to tutoring hours during the school year will receive Community Service Credit.
The College Essay: Do you want to get a jump on the college essay process or even complete your essay before the school year starts? Polish and organize your writing in this helpful workshop.
Improv and Storytelling: This program will focus on cultivating group mind, creating characters, and exercising the most integral part of improv “Yes And!” Participants will learn to take risks, explore authentic forms of self-expression, and operate as a collaborative group.
Computer Science: Learn how to write code in the popular programming language Python. Use computer science concepts such as variables, loops and functions while creating projects. Learn how to build graphics using Python’s Turtle.
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