The Marvelwood Summer Program

Academic Programs
Kent, Connecticut


		Program Description Program Overview Visit Web Site Get Free Info See Photos

For More Information, Contact
Caitlin Lynch
Director of Summer Admissions
The Marvelwood School
476 Skiff Mountain Road
P.O. Box 3001
Kent, Connecticut 06757
860-927-0047 Ext. 1011
Fax: 860-927-0021
http://www.marvelwood.org/about/welcome_summe
r.asp

Type of Program: Academic remediation, classes for credit or enrichment, and skill building
Participants: Coeducational, students entering grades 7–11
Enrollment: A maximum of 60
Program Dates: July 7 to August 4, 2007
Head of Program: Craig Ough, Director

Location

The Marvelwood School is located on an 83-acre campus in the town of Kent in northwest Connecticut. Its rural hilltop setting makes it ideal for hiking, biking, camping, skiing, and field studies. The campus sits above the Housatonic River in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, in proximity to the Appalachian Trail. The school is 55 miles west of Hartford and 80 miles north of New York City.

Background and Philosophy

Begun in 1964 by Marvelwood’s founder, Robert A. Bodkin, who adopted the successful methods of the Salisbury Summer School, the Marvelwood Summer Program provides a secure, supportive, and challenging environment in which a diverse group of young people can achieve academic and personal success. The staff members and teachers at Marvelwood recognize that each student walks a unique path toward success, one that is not always easily recognized in traditional learning environments. The curriculum is designed to accommodate all types of learning styles.
The unique program features course work supplemented by independent projects, a multi-tiered focus on study-skill development, afternoon seminars, and community service opportunities. The curriculum enables young people to manage their school work more effectively; apply their newly developed skills to reading, writing, and mathematics; and think of themselves as capable and successful learners.
Students thrive in small, structured classes that encourage interaction with other students. Marvelwood’s teachers emphasize project-based learning, understanding that a hands-on approach to education is the best style for diverse learners.

Program Offerings

The Marvelwood Summer Program offers small (student-faculty ratio of 4:1) structured classes and an interactive and creative curriculum.
Core Courses Each student enrolls in one core course, such as English, math, history, or English as a second language (ESL) for international students. Courses may be taken for enrichment or credit. The core course also incorporates the Personal Track program and Student Learning Partnership. Core courses involve a total of 30 hours of class time, plus 12 hours earned through the Personal Track Program.
The Personal Track Program The Personal Track Program helps students learn the importance of educational independence by applying what they are studying in the core course to an independent project that matches their personal interests. Project proposals are developed through discussion with the core course teacher. As part of each evening’s study hall, 30 minutes is dedicated to completing a Personal Track project.
Student Learning Partnerships Program A Student Learning Partnership (SLP), as part of Dr. Mel Levine’s School Attuned Program, is developed for each student, focusing specifically on the core course. Advisers assist students in identifying and understanding their strengths and weaknesses and developing strategies to guide them to greater academic achievement in all of their courses.
Strategies Course In the mandatory Strategies course, students work with their instructors to strengthen study skills, improve reading comprehension, develop effective time-management skills and test-preparation strategies, and organize notes and assignments. This class period may also be used for extra help from classroom teachers and work on the Student Learning Partnership.
Supplementary Courses and Electives The supplementary course is either a second core course or an elective class. Students may be given the opportunity to take a supplementary course for credit but must request this special arrangement well ahead of time.
Afternoon Seminars Students have their choice of two afternoon seminars. The Leadership Seminar uses nearby natural resources (the Appalachian Trail, the Housatonic River, natural cliff faces) to involve students in activities that help them build confidence, forge trusting relationships, discover leadership potential, and learn and master skills that will help them throughout their lives. This seminar employs team-building challenges, conflict resolution training, communication workshops, and community service activities.
The Theater Seminar covers all aspects of theater production, including scene study, playwriting, improvisation, stage movement, monologue preparation, and character development. Participants in the Theater Seminar work with accomplished director/playwright Jocelyn Beard, culminating in a public performance at the end of the session.
English as a Second Language Program ESL classes are offered at two levels. ESL 1 is an introductory course for the beginning English speaker; ESL 2 students should have had at least one year of experience speaking and writing in English. ESL students enroll in at least one ESL core course and the Strategies class and may choose either a second ESL course or an elective for their third class. They are typically paired with an American roommate.

Enrollment

A maximum of 60 students from across the country and overseas, who have just completed the sixth through the tenth grades, are admitted to the program each summer. Typically, students are well-motivated boys and girls with deficits in the verbal area and in study discipline, who need an intensive, structured experience.

Daily Schedule

The daily schedule is followed Monday through Friday and on Saturday until noon. On Saturday afternoon and Sunday, there are supervised trips and a variety of activities throughout the day.

7:45–8:15
8:30–9:45
9:45–10
10–11:15
12:00
1:00
5:30
6:00–7:00
7:00
7:30
9:00–10:00
10:00

Breakfast
Core and Elective Classes
Break
Core and Elective Classes
Lunch
Afternoon Seminars convene
Dinner
Free Time
Independent Study for Personal Track projects
Study Hall
Quiet hour in the dorms
Lights out

Extra Opportunities and Activities

Marvelwood offers a broad range of fun and interesting activities each weekend, including white-water rafting, canoeing, and rock climbing; visits to local museums, restaurants, playhouses, and amusement parks; community service projects; and trips to New York City, Boston, and the Connecticut shoreline.
Students are invited to attend a two-week session at Ebner Camps (http://www.ebnercamps.com) in nearby Litchfield, Connecticut, before and/or after the Summer Program.
International students are also invited to participate in the Homestay Program on the Marvelwood campus after the completion of the Summer Program. Participants enjoy daily activities such as swimming, sports, canoeing, arts and crafts, cultural and sightseeing trips, and movies.

Facilities

The campus includes twenty buildings, eight tennis courts, four playing fields, two ponds, and large open spaces and woods. There are separate dormitories for boys and girls. The Robert A. Bodkin Library contains 10,000 volumes of print material, 300 nonprint media items, and ten computers for student use. A wireless network is monitored by the Information Technology Department.

Staff

Most faculty members in the Summer Program are members of the Marvelwood School faculty, including specialists in study skills, remedial reading, English composition, literature, and mathematics. In addition, each student is assigned an adviser who oversees the student’s progress in the program. Advisers are in daily contact with students and their teachers, and they meet once a week with the students to assess progress, discuss strategies, and set goals. Advisers call parents weekly to share progress reports.

Medical Care

A registered nurse holds infirmary hours each morning, and Sharon Hospital in Sharon, Connecticut, is 12 miles away. All students must submit a standard health form before matriculating. Enrollment in a student accident insurance policy is required.

Religious Life

There are weekly opportunities to attend Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish services in the area, but attendance is not required.

Costs

The boarding tuition for 2007 is $5150; tuition for day students is $3450. This charge is comprehensive and covers such costs as room and board, classes, books, and supplies. Students attending the Theater Seminar who do not participate in the rest of the program are charged $1200 for the session. There are additional fees for field trips and special activities as well as transportation. International students pay a $250 student fee. Spending money can be deposited at the Business Office; the recommended amount is $20 per week. Any unused portion is refunded at the end of the summer. A $1500 deposit is required upon acceptance. Tuition must be paid in full prior to the beginning of the program in June.

Transportation

Flights are met at Bradley International Airport (Hartford/Springfield) and JFK and La Guardia Airports in New York, trains and buses in Hartford, as well as the Metro North train in Wingdale, New York.

Application Timetable

Applications are accepted through the end of June, as long as space is available. Inquiries and campus visits are welcome at any time. In addition to the application, Marvelwood also requires a current school transcript, two teacher recommendations, and a nonrefundable application fee of $50. An interview and a campus tour are strongly encouraged but not mandatory. The Admissions Committee notifies applicants of their decision within two weeks of receiving all application materials.