Â鶹´«Ã½’s afterschool programs serve as dedicated time where our Dragons can pursue their passions or explore something new, all the while connecting with their peers.
INspeyerED Afterschool classes include a wide variety of options and the program is structured on a trimester schedule. Courses are offered Monday through Friday, in two sessions, operating on a five-day weekly schedule (as opposed to the six-day cycle of Â鶹´«Ã½’s school day). The first session begins at 3:30 PM and ends at 4:30 PM. The second session begins at 4:45 PM and ends at 5:45 PM.
INspeyerED Afterschool is an additional cost to tuition; discounted pricing is available for families who receive tuition assistance. Just some examples of our robust INspeyerEd Afterschool program are Chess, Pottery, Sculpture, Painting, Book Club, Math Club, Guitar, Piano, Improv, Game Design, Circuitry and Engineering, Pickleball, Fencing, Basketball, Soccer, Modern Martial Arts, Magic, Speech and Debate, Probability Theory, Coding, Dungeons and Dragons, Elevated Cooking, Arts and Crafts, Crocheting, Singing, and Hip Hop (told you it covered a wide range of passions)!
We also offer what we call General Afterschool, which meets during both sessions and is a great option for students who want to get ahead on their work, read independently, or enjoy choice time. It is also a great option if parents are in need of child care as a student may be enrolled for a single day, on a drop-in basis, or on a recurring schedule.
Â鶹´«Ã½ offers four types of Afterschool programs in the Middle School throughout the school year: Academic Teams; Athletic Teams; Study Hall; and Open Enrollment INspeyerED Afterschool classes. The programming begins at 3:30 PM and ends at 4:45 PM. General Afterschool is also offered for Middle School students.
Â鶹´«Ã½ is proud to field highly competitive and nationally recognized teams in Debate, Math, Chess, and Odyssey of the Mind (an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving and theatrical performance opportunities for students). Participation in Academic Teams is a year-long commitment, and, in addition to the weekly team practices after school, students are expected to prepare independently and participate in weekend competitions and tournaments. Participation on these teams is offered free of charge.
Math Team
Members of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Math Team compete against students at other schools in several prominent contests, including MOEMS, MATHCOUNTS, AMC 8 and AMC 10, AIME, the New York Math League, and GAIM (Girls’ Adventures in Math). Â鶹´«Ã½ students have won high honors in these competitions.
But contest-training is not all that they do. They also use practice time to explore intriguing and challenging problems in depth, and to develop technical proficiency beyond what is required in the classroom. A team member’s participation in interscholastic competition is optional. Some interscholastic contests (MATHCOUNTS, GAIM, and AIME) are accessible only through qualifying exams, but team practices are open to all interested Â鶹´«Ã½ students.
Debate Team
Middle School Debate is quickly becoming one of the largest academic competitions in the country. Debate gives Â鶹´«Ã½ students the chance to meet and exchange ideas with their peers from schools all over the city and even from across the nation. Debate is an engaging way for students to learn about important societal issues and to advocate for their beliefs. Honing critical thinking skills, practicing in depth researching, and polishing their persuasive presentation skills are all an important part of debate.
Debate practice includes topic analysis and discussing everything from international relations to school policies. Team members also work on skill area drills and hold both formal and fun practice debates.
The MS Debate Team competes in parliamentary debate in both the Urban Debate League and New York Debate League, attending tournaments locally. Additionally, Â鶹´«Ã½ hosts scrimmages with nearby schools in a less formal setting. Preparation for tournaments requires substantial work outside of school and tournament participation requires occasional parent involvement as volunteer judges, for which training is provided. Â鶹´«Ã½ has a strong competitive record including multiple city and state championship titles. Students are not required to attend tournaments to be on the team, but they are expected to follow through on commitments if they decide to compete.
Advanced Chess
This Chess Team is best for students rated 1200 or above, but is suitable for any student who wants to play tournaments and is committed to improving. This course, featuring the instruction by our faculty Grandmaster will offer our top students the opportunity to work and train together, and to build relationships with their teammates.
Odyssey of the Mind
Odyssey of the Mind is an international educational program that provides creative problem-solving and theatrical performance opportunities for students. Team members apply their own solutions to problems that range from building mechanical devices to presenting their own interpretation of literary classics through art and performance. Odyssey of the Mind requires a high level of commitment and the ability to work independently. The start and end dates of Odyssey may not follow the same schedule as other clubs.
We also offer Debate, Math, and Chess Electives and Lunch Clubs during the school day for any student interested in pursuing these passions and honing their skills in tandem with our afterschool offerings. A Chess Mentoring program for Middle School students of a certain level to work with Lower School students in a mentoring and coaching capacity is also an option.
We are very proud of our Dragon Athletics program, which includes Junior Varsity and Varsity teams in Soccer, Volleyball, Cross Country, Basketball, and Track. Knowing that we have many scholar-athletes at Â鶹´«Ã½, we try to accommodate students who have a conflict with a Â鶹´«Ã½ Academic Team and work collaboratively to ensure our students are able to pursue all of their various passions. Participation on our Athletic teams is offered free of charge. You can read all about Dragon Athletics here!
Â鶹´«Ã½ Middle School offers students opportunities to follow and nurture their unique interests and try new activities. These offerings are open to all Middle School students and are signed up on a trimester basis for an additional fee; discounted pricing is available for families who receive tuition assistance. Past Middle School afterschool classes have included Chess, Dungeons and Dragons, Yoga, Fencing, Reading and Writing Great Literature, Theater, Improv, Computer Science, French, and Art.
As part of our approach to meet all students where they are, afterschool academic support is available for students who need additional instruction or who would benefit from a supportive academic setting to complete homework or get extra help for an additional fee. Students can sign up for a specific day or on a drop-in basis (for a daily fee).
Middle School students may also be registered for General Afterschool Monday through Friday until 5:45 PM (for a daily fee). General Afterschool can be signed up as a drop-in session or on a recurring schedule, making it a great “in a pinch” child care option.
