Coed, ages 8-15
Directed by Jonas Honick
$195 per week (team discounts available)
9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Location: Branson Gym

Session I:   June 28 - July 1

Session II:   July 5 - 8 (Camp WILL be held on the 5th) 

Ages 9-14
Coach Ted Eckersdorff
July 19-22
$295.00
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Location: Branson Gym
(enrollment limit 14, registration deadline July 5th)

This camp will be an introduction to fencing for boys and girls ages  9-13 years old. All equipment is provided by the Branson School and the class will teach all the basics of fencing including footwork,  advancing, retreating, the lunge and fleche.  Fencers will learn all the rules of foil, epee and sabre, as well as fence with all three weapons. It will teach the proper en garde including all parries.  There will be fencing drills and strategy capped off by a fun  competition on the last day.

Ted Eckersdorff  has been the fencing instructor at the Branson School for the past 14 years. He was a member of the United States Modern Pentathon [riding, fencing, shooting, swimming, running] National team for 12 years, and he competed in the World Championships, the CISM World Championships  and numerous international competitions throughout the world. He was the epee team fencing National Champion, and enjoys introducing others to the great sport of fencing.

Coach Michelle Brazil
August 2-5
Grades 6-8     9:30 am - 12:30 pm
Grades 9-12   1:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Location: Branson Gym
$150.00

This camp will stress the fundamental volleyball skills, serving, passing, setting, and hitting. Each session will start with fundamental skill work and progress toward team-orientated drills. The last part of each day will always end with either 3 on 3 or full team games.

Coach's Bio: Head coach of  the 2009 California State DV Champions with an overall coaching record of 35-5.  She brings with her over eight years with Golden Bear Volleyball Club (Berkeley, CA).  She has five top four finishes in the NCVA region and every team Overall record of 35-5.  This past season she led the Branson girls Volleyball team to University Tournament Champion, Justin Siena Tournament Champion, NCS Div. 5 Champion 2009, and NorCal Div. 5 Champion 2009.

Coed, ages 8-15

Present Yourself Effectively in Public
Instructor: Maura Vaughn
July 5-8
9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
$300.00

The process of actually speaking in public is nerve-wracking (many people would rather die), and yet many students need work at this. The more they speak, the better they will get, and the less nervous they will become. In this class, students will learn that how they say something and how they physically present themselves are just as important as what they say. By understanding the dynamics involved in effective persuasive speaking, students will improve their overall confidence in communicating. The class will give each student time to work on prepared speeches, speaking extemporaneously and on presenting themselves with confidence in an interview situation. This course is for rising eighth graders and high school students only.

Meet Maura Vaughn, Branson Drama Teacher

**For rising 9th grade students**
Instructor: Malik Ali, English Instructor
Monday, July 12 - Thursday, July 22
M-Th 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
$500.00

In this class, students will refine their critical reading abilities and strengthen their writing. Regular class activities include learning new and sophisticated sentence styles, close examination and discussion of stories and essays, and regular writing practice. Students will compose essays on school computers and will work in peer editing groups overseen by the instructor. As this course draws on practices and exercises employed by Branson's 9th Grade English Team, students will enter high school with skills and strategies to succeed in their early high school career.  (Course open to Branson and Non-Branson students)

**For rising 7th and 8th grade students**
Instructor: Phil Gutierrez, Director of Admission/English Instructor
Monday, July 12 - Thursday, July 22
M-Th 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
$500.00

In this class, students will refine their critical reading abilities and strengthen their writing.  Regular class activities include learning new and sophisticated sentence styles, close examination and discussion of stories and essays, and writing.  Students will compose essays on school computers and will work in peer editing groups overseen by the instructor.  Students will have the knowledge and confidence they need as they start the next school year.  This class is for 7th and 8th graders.

Instructor: Steve Henrikson
History Department Chair
June 21-24
10 a.m. - 12 p.m.
$400.00

The Buddha taught more than 2400 years ago, but his teachings are as alive and relevant today as they ever were.  What are his teachings?  What is Buddhism about?  How is it different from Western religions?  In what ways might Buddha's teachings be meaningful in our hectic lives of today?  These are some of the questions we will explore in this four day seminar.  We will read and discuss ancient Buddhist writings as well as contempory works from today's Buddhist teachers.    Anyone is welcome to attend and there is no prior knowledge of Buddhism required, merely a desire to learn.

Instructor: Georgia Ortega
June 15 -18
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
$300.00

This dance workshop is for students entering 7th-9th grades. Students will learn the fundamentals of modern dance technique, and explore improvisation and composition. Members of the Branson Dance Performance Ensemble will assist in this fun and inspiring way to find your own creative voice through movement. The workshop will conclude with an in-studio presentation.

June 21-July 29
M-Th 9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
$1600

This course consists of a rigorous study of Euclidean Geometry.  It is appropriate for students who have a strong background in Algebra 1 and who are looking to accelerate a year in math by completing Geometry over the summer and going on to Algebra II for the next school year.  After learning the fundamental concepts of point, line and plane, students investigate properties of intersecting and parallel lines, congruent and similar triangles, quadrilaterals, other polygons and circles.  Area and volume of plane and space figures are covered in depth.  Formal proofs are stressed, while coordinate geometry is also used in proving theorems.  The course emphasizes the development of analytical skills.  Algebra is reviewed and reinforced throughout the course.

Instructor: Maura Vaughn
June 28-July 1
9:30-12:30pm
$300.00
(class is for students in grades 6th-8th)

This week-long Improvisation class will give each student a basic understanding of the fundamentals of acting through the framework of TheatreSports.  Students will learn how to make a simple offer, how to accept any and all offers given, how to have confidence on stage, and how to leave the inner critic at the door. The theatre students at The Branson School participate in a TheatreSports competition each year – because it's such a blast!

Meet Maura Vaughn, Branson Drama Teacher

$325

An intensive tutorial, individual conference w/instructor.  Faxed or emailed drafts followed with instructor phone/email conferences.  Students should expect to finish at least one college essay in the four-week session.

June 22-25
9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
$395 (includes all materials)
Instructors: Howard Rachelson and Linda Pniak

Get a jump start on your SSAT (Secondary School Admission Test) Prep!  This intensive four-day course will provide you with excellent training and practice in the verbal and math sections of the test:

•    Develop your vocabulary--learn prefixes and roots that will help you to distinguish word meanings
•    Learn techniques for figuring out analogies
•    Become more proficient at analyzing written passages efficiently and effectively
•    Gain knowledge of helpful skills for writing the short essay
•    Acquire a basic understanding of fundamental concepts to insure competence in the problem-solving aspects of the test

This class is a wonderful opportunity to evaluate your strengths and identify areas to work on in the fall.  The course includes a review session prior to fall testing.

June 15-18
9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
$325 (includes all materials)
Instructors: Howard Rachelson and Linda Pniak

Join us for four mornings and get a head start on your prep for success!  Learn strategies for approaching the different types of questions and good review of vocabulary and math concepts:

Critical Reading

•    Answering the Sentence Completion questions efficiently
•    Reading passages for speed and top comprehension

Writing

•    Reviewing of grammatical concepts found on the test
•    Learning strategies for answering the sections of the test efficiently: identifying sentence errors, improving sentences, improving paragraphs
•    Writing the short essay (on the SAT)

Mathematics

•    Reviewing topics from the most basic to the most advanced
•    Learning strategies and time-savers to elevate your test score

You will leave the workshop with a sense of your strengths and areas of needed improvement and a plan for further preparation that will take you right up to the test date!