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Registration open for Atlanta Public Schools’ 2013 summer programs
Atlanta Public Schools is now accepting applications to its two summer programs: Xanadu, for rising 1st to 5th graders; and the Xanadu Arts and Sciences Academy, for rising 6th through 12th graders.
These programs, which are operated by APS’ Office of Gifted and Talented Education, are open to all, not only to APS students; however, the fees are significantly higher for non-APS students. Scholarships may be available based on financial need.
To apply for either program, you first register online to select your classes. Then, you must present required documents, to show your child’s gifted status, and pay your fees. That must be done in person at the APS Office of Gifted and Talented. Check the FAQ for more information about the process.
Bear in mind that only when you have made your payment is your child’s spot in a class confirmed. In other words, registering online does not hold you a space in the classes you want. Only completing the payment process guarantees your spot.
Good luck!
Firefly Watch welcomes citizen scientists
It won’t be long until fireflies make their evening appearances, signaling one another in their age-old dance. They’re a sure sign summer’s coming, and they also provide an opportunity to become a citizen scientist, helping researchers learn more about changing firefly populations.
The Museum of Science Firefly Watch is easy to do with kids. Just spend 10 minutes per week counting lightning bugs in your yard, or a park, or whatever spot you choose. Record some simple data about weather conditions and the flash patterns you see. Then, report your observations online. For extra fun, you can see what data others have collected, all over the country.
My kids and I have done this, and it’s a great learning project. Sign up now so you’ll be ready when the lightning bugs show up where you are!
New private school to open in Midtown for gifted students
This fall, the doors will open at Midtown International School, a private school geared toward gifted, high-achieving, and twice-exceptional children.
The school’s curriculum will emphasize integrated learning, STEM and global perspective — including foreign language. Class sizes will be small, with only 12 students per grade level.
The school is now completing construction on its building on Amsterdam Avenue, in the Piedmont Park area of Midtown.
In 2013-14, the school will serve kindergarten through fifth grades, expanding later to include middle-school grades.
Separate from enrollment in the school, MIS will host four weeks of summer camps in July for rising 1st-5th graders, in topics from horticulture to art.
Lots to choose from this summer at Georgia Tech
Still looking for summer camps for 2013? Georgia Tech has a whole list of summer camps being held on its campus.
The selections include robotics, music production, drama, musical theater, mobile app development, game design, and aerospace engineering.
Camps range from age 8 all the way up to college freshmen. Cost per week is roughly $200-$300 for most options.
Juilliard summer camp for young jazz musicians
The Juilliard School, an icon of music education, will hold its annual Jazz Summer Camp June 17-21, 2013, at North Atlanta High School Center for the Arts. Workshop classes are taught by Juilliard faculty and students and include combo work, individual practice and jam sessions.
Applicants should be 12-18 years old and passionate about jazz. The camp is open to students who play trumpet, saxophone, trombone, guitar, piano, double bass, or drums.
The Atlanta brochure (PDF) has all the details. Application deadline is May 1.
Limited spaces available at campMODA LEGO camps
Kids ages 6-14 can learn to build and operate LEGO robotics at the 2013 campMODA, a program of the Museum of Design Atlanta.
Younger children (6-8) use LEGO WeDo kits to build models and control them via computer software. Older campers (9-14) use LEGO NXT to build models from scratch and write their own programs to control their models.
Some weeks of campMODA are already sold out, but as of this posting, five weeks in June and July still have spaces open.
The camps are held at Colony Square in Midtown.
Information for DeKalb’s 2013 Serendipity summer program
You can’t register yet, but here is the basic information about this summer’s session of Serendipity summer camp, a program of the DeKalb County School District.
Dates: June 10-13, 2013 (That’s not a typo. The camp is four days long.)
Location: Midvale Elementary School
Open to: Students currently in grades 1-5
Serendipity camp is open to children who participated in the gifted program at a DeKalb County public school during the 2012-13 school year. If you have a student in DeKalb’s gifted programs, you should receive a flyer from the school with more details. The county’s gifted coordinator, Donyell Atkinson, told me the full information should go home by the end of April. Registration will take place from the end of April until mid-May.
Rising juniors and seniors invited to UGA Pre-College summer program
If you have a high-school student itching to try out college life, the University of Georgia offers them that chance with the 2013 Pre-College Summer Program.
In this two-week program, students immerse themselves in the independence of college life, living on campus, eating in the campus dining halls, and taking advanced classes in three, liberal arts topics. One note on that: The web page for the program claims the courses are taught by “UGA faculty and staff,” but the course list shows the instructors are all Ph.D. students.
The application deadline is June 7. The application includes two essays, teacher recommendations, and a transcript, so allow yourself some time to pull things together.
Need-based financial aid is available.
UGA Summer Academy offers camps for kids 11 and up
The University of Georgia is now accepting applications for its 2013 Summer Academy, a collection of week-long camp experiences in a wide range of topics. This year’s camps include creative writing, 3D animation, fashion design, robotics, and the ever-popular mini medical school, as well as lots more.
Students can enroll in Summer Academy camps as day campers, if you live close enough to Athens to commute. Or if you prefer to have your child get a taste of campus life, most Summer Academy sessions are available as overnight camps.
Need-based scholarships may be available to cover up to half the cost of the camps.
Astronomy Day and Family Science Night this Saturday at Tellus
Special guests Geoff Notkin and Steve Arnold, stars of the Science Channel program “Meteorite Men,” will give a presentation at 1 p.m., and will host a screening of an episode of their show at 5 p.m.
During daylight hours, visitors can view the sun in the observatory. According to the museum, the sun has been active lately, so you can expect to see sun spots and “solar prominences.” (I’m not sure what those are, but if Tellus thought them worth mentioning, surely they must be cool.)
After sunset, the observatory will zoom in on the moon, Jupiter, the double star Algieba, or Saturn. Also, at 9 and 9:30 p.m., Tellus astronomer David Dundee will lead groups on star walks to observe the night sky.
Gifted Atlanta 