Academic Bridges
$400
8/7 - 8/11
9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

This course is open only to incoming Lakeside 9th graders.

Academic Bridges provides structured support for rising Lakeside 9th graders transitioning to high school. The one-week program is designed to help students prepare for coursework and student life at Lakeside Upper School. The activities, panels, and workshops scheduled during this week emphasize effective studying, organizational strategies, digital literacy, and self-advocacy skills. The program features morning workshops followed by several afternoon community-building activities.

Academic Bridges is geared toward students who would benefit from increased familiarity with the Lakeside campus and school culture leading into their 9th-grade year, as well as students who would like to improve their organizational and study skills. Prerequisites: none. This is a skill-building course that is ungraded and earns no credit. 

K110 Photography I
$2150
6/26 - 8/4
9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

This class is designed to expose students to the creative and technical aspects of photography while establishing a foundation in the visual arts. Students work with digital cameras and will gain a solid grounding in camera controls and image adjustment while learning to appreciate the role that composition, design, color, and light play in the visual arts. Students will have opportunities to exhibit and showcase their photographs and learn to use digital tools to share their artwork. Cameras are available for student use, though some students may prefer to use their own cameras. This is a graded course earning one year of credit. Prerequisites: None

K582 Computer Science II 
$1075
6/26 - 7/14
9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

This course is full.  Please register for the Computer Science II remote course or email summerschool@lakesideschool.org if you would like to be added to the CS II in-person course waitlist.  

This fast-paced course introduces students to computer programming through the Java language. The course begins by studying elementary algorithms, data types, flow of control, user input, file input/output, recursion and some graphical applications using procedural programming techniques. Problem analysis, planning, coding, and debugging will be emphasized for each project. This course will also teach principles and techniques of software engineering (software life cycle, programming practices, etc.). Students with a programming background in Java or another language can refine their skills by choosing to complete more complex projects. This course when combined with Computer Science III prepares students for success on the AP Computer Science Exam in May. This is a graded course earning one semester of credit. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Computer Science I or by department placement.

K583 Computer Science III 
$1075
7/17 - 8/4
9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

This course is a continuation of Computer Science II covering object-oriented programming and inheritance in Java, more advanced data structures (lists, stacks, queues, trees), and the efficiency and complexity algorithms (particularly searching, sorting). Problem analysis, planning, coding, and debugging will be emphasized for each project. This course prepares students for success on the AP Computer Science Exam in May. Students also design and complete an independent project, culminating in a presentation to the class at the end of the course. This is a graded course earning one semester of credit. Prerequisite: Successful completion of Computer Science II or by department placement.

9th/10th Grade Writing
$875
7/10 - 7/28
10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

This course will provide training in different modes of writing, particularly analytical writing, to help students at the 9th- and 10th-grade levels. Special attention will be paid to critical thinking, organization, clarity, proper use of grammar and punctuation, and citation protocol. Students will study various short works of literature (stories, poems, plays, and essays) to orient writing tasks and will engage in conferencing as well as peer-editing workshops to work through various drafts. No prerequisites. This is a skill-building course that is ungraded and earns no credit.

K410 Spanish Immersion through Ethnographic Research: GSL Costa Rica

This course is open only to Lakeside students.

$4,000
6/26 - 8/4
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. (during the weeks of 6/26 - 6/30 and 7/31 - 8/4)

This six -week course combines learning ethnographic research methodology with a fully immersive Spanish language experience in Costa Rica. Students will strengthen their Spanish proficiency by conducting ethnographic research, living in homestays, engaging in service learning projects, and making meaningful connections within a community. Ethnography is a research method that allows researchers to gain a deep understanding of a group’s shared culture, conventions, and social dynamics—often through cultural immersion. In this course, particular attention will be given to the ethical dilemmas inherent in ethnographic or anthropological fieldwork, and students will reflect on these dilemmas in written assignments both during and after the GSL component of the course.

Two weeks of this class (first and final weeks) will be spent at Lakeside learning ethnographic research methodology, researching the culture and history of Costa Rica, and–in the final week of the course–producing and presenting their final projects, a deliverable product to be shared with both the Lakeside and host communities. These final projects may take the form of film, music, dance, text, or website, as well as a written reflection on the research process itself. The other four weeks of the course–the GSL component–will be spent in a rural mountainous region of Costa Rica about 2.5 hours to the northeast of the capital, San Jose. Students will live with a homestay family, complete service learning projects, conduct ethnographic research related to their class, and actively engaging in the life of the community. This is a graded course earning one semester of credit. Prerequisite(s): B or better in Spanish III, or by department placement.

Registration instructions:

Students should sign up for this course as part of the regular course signups in January. (Note: signing up does not confirm your spot in the course since you must still complete a GSL application for the course.) Students who sign up will be sent a GSL application form on Feb.1, due February 6. Students will be contacted to confirm their spot in the course and FA award (if applicable) by February 13. Payment due via the link on our Summer School website March 1 to secure a spot in the course.

K510 Algebra II 
$2,150
6/26 – 8/4
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

This course is full. Please email summerschool@lakesideschool.org if you would like to be added to the waitlist.

The course focuses on the analysis of functions and their applications while introducing students to a variety of topics in discrete mathematics. After exploring the algebraic, graphical, and numerical properties of general functions, specific types of functions will be examined from these perspectives. The course will examine each of the following families of functions: linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, rational and trigonometric. Additional topics in discrete mathematics such as statistics, matrices, combinatorics, and probability will give students the tools to analyze interesting, highly relevant problems. Both computers and graphing calculators will be used throughout the course. Students will also learn dynamic spreadsheets to further their understanding of the mathematical concepts. Prerequisite: Algebra I (M110/K500). This is a graded course earning one year of credit.

K530 Precalculus 
$2,150
6/26 - 8/4
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

The focus of Precalculus is on the concept of function and the use of functions as mathematical models. Topics necessary for success in either a calculus or a statistics course (including conic sections, regression techniques, trigonometry and limits) will be studied. Students should anticipate some review of material from previous courses as a bridge toward more advanced understanding. Topics in computer programming including variables, expressions, scripts, and conditional loops and functions will be reviewed and used regularly to explore mathematical content. Prerequisite: Algebra II (M210/K510) and Geometry (M300). This is a graded course earning one year of credit.

Personal Finance
7/10 - 7/14
$400
9 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

In this one-week course, students will learn the basics of money management, budgeting, borrowing, credit, taxes, and investment fundamentals. Students will engage in activities that develop healthy money management skills and learn from guest speakers who are experts in the field of finance and investing. This is an ungraded course earning no credit.

K610 Biology
$3600
6/26 – 8/4
Island Wood Trip: 7/16 - 7/20
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

As Lakeside’s introductory science course, Biology provides students an initial opportunity to become familiar with science as a way of thinking. Students will learn to collect, analyze, and interpret information, as well as how to effectively communicate scientific concepts. Student-focused discussions, exploratory activities, and laboratory exercises are designed to enhance scientific literacy. The class will introduce students to a broad range of biological concepts, including ecology, gene expression and cell structure/function, with a particular emphasis on the core concepts of evolution and genetics. If it is safe to do so (depending on the COVID-19 situation this spring), students will spend one week at Island Wood Environmental Learning Center on Bainbridge Island immersed in their studies and doing field research. This is a graded course earning one year of credit. Prerequisites: None

K620 Physics 
$2,150
6/26 – 8/4
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

This lab course is an introduction to the physical world through hands-on and theoretical investigations. Students will be challenged to derive physical meaning from patterns in the data they collect and analyze. Students will investigate ideas surrounding motion, force, momentum, energy, circuits, magnetism, and various topics in modern physics. Students will also learn authentic professional skills such as technical communication (reading, writing, speaking, listening), proportional reasoning, computational thinking, time management, and how to collaborate successfully in a group. This is a graded course earning one year of credit. Prerequisites: Biology (S100 / K610) and Algebra II (M210 / K510) or Honors Geometry (M320)

K650 Lakeside Summer Research Institute
$1800
7/10 - 8/4
9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Up to fourteen students will be accepted for summer 2023.

The Lakeside Summer Research Institute is a four-week summer research experience in which students engage in mentored research projects with tangible, externally-visible outcomes (e.g., educational blog posts, presentations at regional and national conferences, peer-reviewed publications) on Lakeside campus. This year, the LSRI will be focused on three topics: 1) The Antarctic Cryosphere and Climate, 2) the Weather and Climate of Mount Baker, and 3) Paleoclimate Studies in Greenland. Students will be mentored by scientists from Earth and Space Research (www.esr.org), a Seattle-based non-profit research institute. Students will be exposed to a mixture of state-of-the-art data analysis techniques, satellite data (e.g. ICESat-2, AMSR2), and other weather and climate data products (e.g. ERA5, WOA). They will interact with other professional scientists at Earth and Space Research and the University of Washington. Interested students can earn at least 12 hours of (off-campus) service-learning credit by participating in a day of field work in the Mt. Baker National Recreation Area.

Successful applicants are responsible, motivated students in good academic standing at their current institution. They will have demonstrated facility with data analysis (e.g., managing, plotting, and summarizing data) in Excel or Python. Prerequisites: One year of high-school science.

How to apply: Lakeside students should indicate interest on the Lakeside course sign-up form by registering for LSRI. All students (whether they attend Lakeside or another school) should register on our website by February 17, 2023. Applications will be emailed to registered students by Feb. 24. Applications are due March 3, 2023. Acceptance letters will be sent by March 10. Payment for the course will be required for enrollment upon acceptance, and financial aid is available to those who qualify under the Lakeside Summer School guidelines.

This course will be offered in-person for Summer 2023. The course will move online in the case of COVID-related shutdowns. There will be one in-person event at the University of Washington, and one day-long field trip to the Mt. Baker National Recreation Area. This is a skill-building, internship-style course that earns no credit, but 12 service hours may be applied to graduation requirements (check with your school).

Service Learning Experience: Poverty in Seattle
$400
7/10 - 7/14
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This week-long course exposes students to the general issues that relate to poverty, as well as the specific needs of people who experience poverty in the Seattle metropolitan area. Using the city as a classroom, students will work alongside local non-profit agencies to make a measurable impact on our community. We will start our week investigating hunger, minimum wage, living wage, poverty, Fair Housing Act, and more so that students have the foundation to communicate what they will be experiencing and doing. Our service work will expand students’ understanding of issues related to poverty and expose them to people and organizations doing important work in the community. Potential service-learning projects may include: preparing meals, preparing a shelter for its nightly clients, sorting and packing rescued food at a food bank, and refurbishing appliances and building materials for subsidized housing. This is an ungraded course earning no credit, but 20 service hours may be applied to graduation requirements (check with your school).

Service Learning Experience: Food Insecurity in Seattle
$400
7/17 - 7/21
8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

This course is full.  Please email summerschool@lakesideschool.org if you would like to be added to the waitlist.

What does it mean for a family to be food insecure here in Seattle? What do individuals and families do when they don't have the money or resources to pay for food? Where do they go for food assistance in Seattle? What are the some of the underlying conditions that are driving food insecurity? What's being done, and what can we do as individuals, to help bring food security to more families? In this week-long course we will explore these questions and more by meeting with a range of non-profit organizations and the communities they serve. Each day, we will work with a different organization and to learn about the problems their community members face. We will visit and learn from partner organizations that may include Family Works, Food Lifeline, PCC Community Market, local shelters, and community gardens.

According to a recent University of Washington study, as many as 27% of families are experiencing food insecurity in the state of Washington, with almost a third of those families seeking food assistance. If you want to gain deeper insight into the issues surrounding food insecurity, while also making friends, completing service hours, and getting to know different communities in and around the Seattle area, then this is the course for you! This is an ungraded course earning no credit, but 20 service hours may be applied to graduation requirements (check with your school).

Service Learning Experience: Environmental Issues Facing Seattle
$400
7/24 - 7/28
8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

This course is full.  Please email summerschool@lakesideschool.org if you would like to be added to the waitlist.

This week-long course explores how organizations are implementing solutions to improve the ecosystems in and around Seattle.  We will learn from environmental professionals in the field and in our classroom about how land use, consumption and waste, food production, and transportation impact our natural environment, including our air and water quality.  Potential service-learning projects include beach clean-up, improving salmon habitat, weeding invasive species, and stenciling storm drains. Our work will largely be outside, rain or shine, so be ready for all kinds of weather and to get your hands dirty!  This is an ungraded course earning no credit, but 20 service hours may be applied to graduation requirements (check with your school).