Middle School Holds The Second Annual Academic Bootcamp!

Hoo-ah! Speyer’s Middle School took a break from its usual Friday schedule and held the Second Annual Academic Bootcamp. Though it may sound intense, you know that, here at Speyer, we welcome such challenges…but always mix in a bit of fun! The day-long “bootcamp” allowed our Middle Schoolers to become oriented with the various technology tools they will use over the course of the year, discuss key executive functioning skills, and foster a sense of community across all grades.

During the morning, students rotated through four different workshops, which were full of information and discussions. Our fearless faculty worked with the students to explore Schoology, Google Drive, and email communications, reviewed the responsibility of using their Google Chromebook, and offered tips and know-how on how to implement time management and organizational skills.  

Walking into a workshop, one might see students bringing mindfulness exercises into their use of Schoology or practicing how to create and organize materials within Google Drive. Entering another workshop, one might spy students developing a time management plan for a week at Speyer based upon a given scenario or hear conversations about how to properly use school-issued devices. 

To round out the day, the entire Middle School and faculty trekked to Dewitt Clinton Park to engage in a series of team building activities lead by the PE department, splitting everyone into their mixed-grade Speyer Houses (as you recall, the houses are Lillihopper, Bellaphish, Kesterbee, and Quenlion). An afternoon of friendly competition between Speyer Houses is the perfect way to enable students get to know one another beyond their grade-level peer group. Among the challenges: passing pool noodles down a line only using their feet, transporting sport balls on foam puzzle pieces with their non-dominant hand, and a game of toss...using toilet paper! Throughout the fun-filled afternoon, Middle Schoolers communicated with each other, supported one another, and showed their true leadership skills. 

The Second Annual Academic Bootcamp was exciting, informative, and energetic – and, judging by the enthusiastic smiles at the end of the day, a huge success! Huzzah!