MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMY
For students entering grades 6-8, O’Dowd’s Middle School Academy offers a fun and enriching experience on the O’Dowd campus. Our holistic program encourages self-exploration – creating opportunities for students to grow academically, creatively, socio-emotionally, and physically, through hands-on learning, engaging activities, small group work, and sports (basketball, football, soccer, running, and more.) See our sample list of courses below!
Academy Dates and Schedule - 2026
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Academy 1: June 15-26, 2026 (no classes June 19)
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Mini-Academy: June 29 - July 1
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Academy 2: July 6-16
Daily Schedule
Block One 9:00 - 10:00am
Dragon Community 10:00 - 11:00am
Block Two 11:10am - 12:10pm
Lunch 12:10 - 12:55pm
Block Three 12:55 - 1:55pm
Block Four 2:00 - 3:00pm
Adventure Time 3:00 - 4:30pm
Dragon Community Time
Students who choose to take a morning class also participate in Dragon Community Time guided by trained teen camp counselors and supervised by adult staff. In Dragon Community Time, students participate in various fun social and camp activities.
Lunch
Middle School Academy provides a daily lunch option made with organic produce, some sourced from O’Dowd’s on-site Living Lab. For students who enroll in 3 or more courses, daily lunch is included!
Middle School Classes - Sample List
Full list and details in Registration.
Basketball, Football, Soccer, Volleyball, All Sports Conditioning and more
See Registration for all details.
Public Speaking
Develop public speaking skills while becoming a critical thinker and an informed global citizen.
Drama
Master the basics of acting and musical theater in a fun and safe environment. All skill levels welcome!
Dance
In this supportive and inclusive environment, beginner students can explore the world of dance.
Incredible Edible Garden
Learn to grow seasonal vegetables using sustainable agricultural principals, as well as basic chicken and rabbit care.
Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies
This fun and interactive class teaches students the essentials of staying active, making nutritious food choices, and managing stress through hands-on activities, games, and challenges.
History of Popular Culture
From the birth of rock ‘n’ roll to the rise of hip-hop, pop, and today’s viral hits, students will discover how music has shaped culture and inspired generations.
Literary Lit: Dissecting Written and Spoken Word
Analyze the conscious consumption of digital media and ability to deeply criticize song lyrics and other forms of literature
Lights, Camera, Critique!: The Art of Movie Analysis
From cool camera angles and special effects, to the music and sound that set the mood, students will learn how filmmakers create amazing stories to capture our imagination.
Digital Music
Explore the fundamentals of digital audio, multi-track recording and songwriting.
Math 1
Fundamental skills for high school algebra, including fractions, decimals, ratios, percentages, and graphing.
Math 2
Algebra skills including order of operations, exponents and radicals, ratios and proportions, algebraic notation, and solving linear equations and inequalities.
Math 3
For students who have successfully completed Pre-Algebra, topics include solving linear equations, slope and graphing linear equations, polynomials and factoring.
Photography
Learn the basic elements of a “Wow!” photograph, with outdoor and indoor shoots, and photo editing programs like Adobe Lightroom.
Reading the Write Way
Improve reading comprehension by analyzing fiction and writing short stories.
Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: An Intro to Sustainability
This course introduces students to the principles of sustainability and equips them with the knowledge and skills to reduce waste, reuse resources, and reimagine a greener future.
Science of Motion: How and Why Things Move
Students will explore the fascinating world of motion and physics through hands-on experiments, creative challenges, and teamwork.
Spanish Language & Culture
Learn the basics, practice listening and pronunciation, and create fun skits.
and More. See Registration pages.
Mini Academy
STEM, Junior Ranger Hiking, The Great Escape Team Challenge, Rhythm & Rhyme: Basics of Poetry, Tinker Tank Science Class, CPR, Fashion and Culture, Healthy Baking, Get Creative with Canva and more
