Academics

Summer Programs

Learning and Exploration

Your summer adventure awaits at The Bush School. We are excited to welcome campers for a range of summer classes and camps for students entering Kindergarten - Grade 12. Bush summer camps are open to the greater community, welcoming students from beyond Bush to enjoy summer on one or both of our two campuses in Seattle, Washington and the Methow Valley in Mazama, Washington.

Seattle Campus Summer Programs

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  • Bush Blazer Athletics

    The Blazers Summer Athletic Camps focus on teaching and developing fundamental technical and tactical sports skills in a fun, inclusive, and challenging environment. Participants can apply their experience to recreational, club, and interscholastic sports teams.

    Our experienced and qualified coaches use age-appropriate methods to teach sport-specific skills, team strategies, and the mental aspects of the game, including teamwork, leadership, confidence, and fair play. In line with the Blazers Athletic philosophy, coaches encourage campers to work hard, improve various aspects of their game, and develop a love for the sport. Blazers Athletic Camps are open to athletes of all experience levels!

    While some camps are offered separately for boys and girls, students of all gender identities are welcome to participate. The Athletic Department is committed to working collaboratively with each family to determine the best options for each student-athlete’s journey.

    Don’t miss this year’s new offering - the Speed, Agility, and Quickness Camp (grades 6-12): Designed for athletes of all sports, this camp focuses on improving speed, agility, and quickness through proper technique and effective training methods. Participants will develop fundamental movement skills, enhance coordination, and build explosive power in a fun and challenging environment. Whether you’re looking to get faster, more agile, or simply improve overall athleticism, this camp will help you take your game to the next level!

    Girls Volleyball
    Lead Instructor: Mike Barnes (Girls Varsity Volleyball Head Coach)
    Dates:  Monday, June 16-Friday, June 20 (no camps on Juneteenth: Thursday, June 19)
    Age: Sixth - Eighth Grade
    # of Days: Four 
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    Location: The Bush School, Schuchart Gym
    Cost: $220
    Notes:
    • All campers receive a camp t-shirt and a volleyball
    • Athletic Trainer coverage provided throughout the camp
    • Please bring indoor volleyball shoes, a water bottle, and a snack
    • Participants need to be dropped off and picked up at Schuchart Gym

    Speed, Agility, and Quickness
    Lead Instructor: Ray Wells Jr (Track & Field Head Coach) 
    Dates:  Monday, June 16-Friday, June 20 (no camps on Juneteenth, Thursday, June 19)
    Age: Sixth - Twelfth Grade
    # of Days: Four 
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    Location: The Bush School, Turf Field
    Cost: $220
    Notes:
    • All campers receive a camp t-shirt 
    • Athletic Trainer coverage provided throughout the camp
    • Please bring running shoes, a water bottle, and a snack
    • Participants need to be dropped off and picked up at The Bush School’s turf field

    Girls Basketball
    Lead Instructor: Bea Chang (Girls Varsity Basketball Head Coach)
    Dates:  Monday, June 16-Friday, June 20 (no camps on Juneteenth: Thursday, June 19)
    Age: Sixth - Eighth Grade
    # of Days: Four 
    Time: 12:30-3:30 p.m.
    Location: The Bush School, Schuchart Gym
    Cost: $220
    Notes:
    • All campers receive a camp shirt and a basketball
    • Athletic Trainer coverage provided throughout the camp
    • Please bring indoor basketball shoes, a water bottle, and a snack
    • Participants need to be dropped off and picked up at Schuchart Gym

    Ultimate Frisbee (All Genders)
    Lead Instructor: Max Bommarito (Boys & Gx Varsity Ultimate Head Coach)
    Dates:  Monday, June 23 - Thursday, June 26 
    Age: Sixth - Twelfth Grade
    # of Days: Four 
    Time*: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
    *Schedule Options:  
    Full Day: Grades Sixth-Eighth: 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
    Half Day (Morning): Grades Sixth-Eighth: 9:00 a.m.-Noon
    Half Day (Morning): Grades Ninth-Twelfth: 9:00 a.m.-Noon
    Half Day (Afternoon): Grades Sixth-Eighth: 12:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
    Location: Genesee Park (Upper Field)
    Cost: $220 (Half Day); $415 (Full Day)
    Notes:
    • All campers receive a camp shirt and a disc
    • Athletic Trainer coverage provided throughout the camp
    • Please bring cleats, a water bottle, a snack (half day camps) / packed lunch (full day camp), and sunscreen
    • Participants need to be dropped off and picked up at Washington Park
    • A shuttle bus will be available for participants enrolled in the morning Ultimate Camp and the afternoon Boys Basketball Camp, providing transportation from Genesee Park to The Bush School. 


    Soccer (All Genders)
    Lead Instructor: Marcelino Dumpit Jr (Boys & Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach) 
    Dates:  Monday, June 23 - Thursday, June 26 
    Age: Second - Fifth Grade
    # of Days: Four
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    Location: Genesee Park (Upper Field)
    Cost: $220
    Notes:
    • All campers receive a camp t-shirt and a soccer ball
    • Athletic Trainer coverage provided throughout the camp
    • Please bring soccer cleats, a water bottle, sun screen, and a snack 
    • Participants need to be dropped off and picked up at the Bush Turf Field

    Boys Basketball
    Lead Instructor: Ben Scheffler (Boys Varsity Basketball Head Coach)
    Dates:  Monday, June 23 - Thursday, June 26 
    Age: Sixth - Eighth Grade
    # of Days: Four 
    Time: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. 
    Location: The Bush School, Schuchart Gym
    Cost: $220
    Notes:
    • All campers receive a camp shirt and a basketball
    • Athletic Trainer coverage provided throughout the camp
    • Please bring indoor basketball shoes, a water bottle, and a snack
    • Participants need to be dropped off and picked up at Schuchart Gym
    • A shuttle bus will be available for participants enrolled in the morning Ultimate Camp and the afternoon Boys Basketball Camp, providing transportation from Genesee Park to The Bush School.
  • Upper School Academic Classes

    Writing the College Essay, Seattle
    Instructors: Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum (Week 1), Melissa Lanctot & Michelle Naito-Lo (Week 2)
    Dates:  Two week-long sessions
    • Week 1: Monday, July 28 – Friday, August 1
    • Week 2: Monday, August 11 – Friday, August 15
    Age: For rising Twelfth Grade students only
    # of Days: Five days per session
    Time: 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. (including a break for lunch)
    Location: In-person at The Bush School 
    Cost: $845

    Description: This one-week course for rising seniors explores the writing portions of the college application process. Writing the College Essay helps students craft a compelling personal narrative of who they are and how they want to present themselves to colleges with both joy and authenticity.
     
    By the end of the course you will:
    • Analyze the nuances of the Common Application personal essay and college supplements
    • Practice editing your own and others’ work for topic, form, and voice
    • Complete an edited draft of the Common App personal statement
    • Brainstorm and draft at least one college supplement
     Note:  Students must bring a laptop to each class session and should expect to write both in class and at home throughout the week. This class is offered three times in July and August, and students should sign up for one week only. Please note that financial aid for this course is available to current Bush students who receive financial aid for tuition. Please see the Financial Aid section for more information.

    Geometry
    Instructor: TBA
    Dates:  Monday, June 30 - Friday, July 25 (No class on July 4)
    Age: Ninth through Twelfth Grade, open to all students
    # of Days: Nineteen
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
    Location: In-person at The Bush School 
    Cost: $1650
    Prerequisite: Students who have completed Algebra

    Description: This is an intensive course designed to present the major topics of a geometry course with practice problems that lead to fluency. Emphasis is on relationships among spatial constructs, algebraic applications and using deductive reasoning for proof. This course can serve as a student’s comprehensive study of geometry at the high school level or prepare students for a more in-depthexamination of a full-year geometry class. Enrollment in this class does not imply placement in Algebra II in the coming academic year. This decision is made through a placement test and in consultation with the Department Chair at the conclusion of the summer course.

    Introductory Calculus
    Instructor: TBA
    Dates:  Monday, June 30 - Friday, July 25 (No class on July 4)
    Age: Ninth through Twelfth Grade, open to all students
    # of Days: Nineteen
    Time: 1:00- 4:30 p.m.
    Location: In-person at The Bush School 
    Cost: $1650
    Prerequisite: Math Analysis or equivalent Pre-Calculus course

    Description: This course synthesizes a wide array of previous math experiences. Among other topics, this class introduces polar and parametric equations, vectors, difference equations, and logistic functions. Concepts introduced in Math Analysis are refined, broadened, and extended. Through graphic, numerical, and algebraic points of view, the groundwork is laid for a formal development of rates of change and limits of infinite sums. Enrollment in this class does not imply placement in Advanced Calculus in the coming academic year. Enrollment in this class does not imply placement in Introductory Calculus in the coming academic year. This decision is made through a placement test and in consultation with the Department Chair at the conclusion of the summer course.

    Pre-Season Writing
    Instructor: Sarah Cohen
    Dates:  July 28 - August 8
    Age: Ninth and Tenth Grade
    # of Days: Ten
    Time: 9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
    Location: In-person at The Bush School 
    Cost: $650

    Description: The transition into high school is an important one. This class will help students manage this transition by preparing them to write at a high school level. Students in the Pre-Season Writing course will have a chance to brush up on techniques they may not have used much during the summer. Drafting and gathering feedback on writing in a helpful workshop atmosphere allows students to combine the serious purpose of building stronger skills with the fun of working together. The goal is to have students enter their high school year with a sharpened sense of how to write well at this level. This course focuses on three areas of preparation: approaching writing assignments, generating ideas, and reviewing the basics.
     
    Approaching writing assignments: How to "receive" an assignment, understand what is being asked, break it down into manageable chunks, and do the assignment in an efficient, timely, and effective manner.
     
    Generating ideas, or brainstorming: How to develop a simple idea into a complex nuanced argument, how to narrow a broad idea into a focused topic, and how to write a strong thesis statement.
     
    Reviewing the basics: writing strong, varied sentences; focused, complete, and concise paragraphs; and logical, tightly organized essays. Attention will be given to grammar, mechanics, spelling, and vocabulary in context.

    Study Skills for High School
    Instructor: Sarah Cohen
    Dates:  July 28 - August 8
    Age: Ninth and Tenth Grade
    # of Days: Ten
    Time: 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
    Location: In-person at The Bush School 
    Cost: $500

    Description: The transition to high school is a time of tremendous change. This course is designed to ease the transition by providing students with the study skills and tools necessary to manage a more demanding academic load. The course will address homework habits, planning, time management, organization, big projects and tests, mental health, self-reflection, and self-advocacy.

    Robotics
    Instructor: TBA
    Dates:  TBA
    Age: Ninth through Twelfth grade
    # of Days: Sporadically through the summer
    Time: TBA
    Location: In-person at The Bush School 
    Cost: FREE
     
     
    Description: Are you interested in Robotics Club — or already in it? We’re inviting all levels, from beginners to experienced engineers and coders, to join us for the annual summer design/build series. Register via campbrain to show your interest, and we will send out emails with information on student-led build sessions throughout the summer. 
     
    Competitive robotics is rapidly gaining popularity in the Seattle area. Maintaining Bush Robotics as a team to be reckoned with depends on plenty of time to design and build — oh, and to get it wrong, too. Iteration and testing is what this class is all about. Since robotics contests start early in the fall, let’s get a jump on your designs.
     
    These summer workshops are about your ideas and ambitions. The Vex Robotics platform has become ever more exciting as they’ve added all manner of sensors, wheel types, and pneumatic pistons. The Bush Robotics team has a history of thinking differently about how to approach each game, and we’ve built an inviting creation lab for whatever you can scheme up.

    Join us for one or more iterations in this series of design/build sessions. Even if you can’t make all of them, you can still have a big impact on the final robot and a hand in elevating Bush Robotics.
     
  • Coding for Kids

    Coding for Kids - Lower School Robotics 
    Dates: Monday, July 21 - Friday, July 25
    Age: Fourth - Fifth Grade
    # of Days: Five days per session
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    Location: The Bush School
    # of students: 7 - 16
    Cost: $379
    Register here via Bush
    Learn More 

    Description:
    Learn to code with your very own robot! Students will learn the basics of programming a robot and learn how to use code along with hardware to open up so many more possibilities with technology. Through a block-based, visual programming platform, coders will learn introductory concepts, such as code structure, variables, and loops. They will apply these concepts, along with problem-solving and creative thinking, to program their robot to complete mission challenges, such as avoiding obstacles, light sensing and following a path.
     
    *For this class, there is a $10 added maintenance fee for the use of the Edison robot that each student will use during the class.

    Coding for Kids - Middle School Python
    Dates: Monday, July 28 - Friday, August 1
    Age: Sixth - Eighth Grade
    # of Days: Five days per session
    Time: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
    Location: The Bush School
    # of students:  7 - 16
    Cost: $369
    Register here via Bush
    Learn More 

    Description: 
    Ready to learn one of the most widely used programming languages in the world? Then this is the class to sign up for. Python is a very versatile and easy-to-learn starter language that is widely used by software developers, scientists and data analysts, from medical research to applications at NASA. Through the games they create, students will learn and practice core coding concepts and learn Python-specific concepts and syntax. Projects range from trivia quizzes to competitive two-player games and everything in between. Students will gain valuable experience with key concepts such as data structures and algorithms.


  • Camp Galileo - Register Now!

    The Bush School welcomes back Camp Galileo to its campus this summer for the third year in a row! Galileo engages every kid with hands-on projects that teach design-thinking and problem-solving skills, all wrapped in big summer fun. Energetic, inclusive staff and world-class curriculum make for a summer kids love. Camp Galileo has been providing decades of fun for campers at 70+ locations in California, D.C., Chicago, and Denver. The Bush School is Camp Galileo’s first Seattle location. 

    Summer 2025 Information

    Dates
    : Monday, June 23 to Friday, August 1
    (Six Sessions)

    ENROLL NOW >> Click here to register 

    Questions: For questions related to enrollment, parents and guardians can email at: info@galileo-learning.com 
  • Debate Camp - Register Now!

    Summer 2025 Information

    New this year for our Bush Summer Programs, we are welcoming Debate Camp for two sessions held Monday, July 7 through Friday, July 18. This five-day program teaches and develops student-skills in parliamentary debate, public speaking, and global awareness. Individuals work in teams of two to generate ideas in support of, or in refutation to a selection of debatable topics (new each day). This program is designed for students entering Fifth through Tenth Grade who are curious about debate and want to explore something new. No prior experience is necessary. 

    Click here to enroll today!
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Financial Aid for Summer Programs
There is limited financial aid available for Bush Summer Programs upon request for Bush Upper School students who receive financial aid for tuition. Director of Enrollment Management Adam Choice will send out an official communication to families who receive financial aid with more information on financial aid for summer programs. For more information on financial aid coverage for Bush Summer Programs, please contact Director of Enrollment Management Adam Choice at adam.choice@bush.edu.

Methow Valley Campus Summer Programs

Your summer adventure awaits at The Bush School Methow Valley Campus! The Bush School offers local summer programming in the Methow Valley to provide children ages seven to ten the opportunity to learn new skills as well as the opportunity to explore the Methow’s environment, history, and culture. 

Each camp is led by experienced instructors. Camps are based out of The Bush School Methow Valley Campus in Mazama, Washington, and often venture to destinations around the Methow Valley to explore and participate in a variety of activities. Campers can expect to be outside in any weather and be active and engaged. Please note, we will only offer transportation from Seattle and overnight accommodation at the Methow Campus for the College Essay Course. All others are day only.

Each day camp runs Monday through Friday, from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Campers are required to bring their own lunch and water bottles. Snacks will be provided. For day campers, there will be an optional bus each morning and afternoon that shuttles students to/from the Methow Campus and the Winthrop Library. There is also a MVSD bus to take students between TwispWorks and the Winthrop Library if needed.

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  • The Bush School Discovery Day Camp

    Dates: two sessions
    Monday, July 7 - Friday, July 11
    Monday, July 14 - Friday, July 18
    Location:  The Bush School Methow Campus, 225 Lost River Rd, Mazama WA, 98833
    Ages: Seven to Ten Years Old
    Cost: $290 
    Transportation: 8:30 a.m. drop-off and 3:30 p.m. pick-up at the Winthrop Library

    Description: In a week of outdoor exploration and artistic expression, students will discover the magical secrets of the woods and waters around The Bush School’s Methow Campus. Using all of their senses and a variety of tools, students will develop naturalist skills, play games, and create art from and inspired by nature. Highlights could include building forts in the woods, learning to identify plants and insects, pressing flowers, cooking delicious snacks, and creating self-portraits from found materials.  Friendships will develop and grow as students share feelings, ideas, and new experiences in a nurturing environment with caring instructors. Join us for a week of outdoor exploration, creativity, and summer fun!

    Snacks and transportation provided each day


     
  • College Essay Writing Retreat - Mazama OVERNIGHT

    Instructors: TBA
    Residential Life: TBA
    Dates:  Two Week-Long Sessions Offered  (overnight, transportation from Seattle included)
    • Sunday, June 22 - Friday, June 27
    • Sunday, August 3 - Friday, August 8
    Age: For rising Twelfth Grade students only
    # of Days: Six 
    Location: Methow Valley Bush Campus, 225 Lost River Rd, Mazama WA, 98833
    Cost: $1,500 
     
    Write your college essay in the beautiful landscape of the Methow Valley! This one-week writing retreat allows space for students to create a draft of their personal statement. Through activities and focused feedback, the College Essay Methow Retreat will help students craft a compelling personal narrative of who they are and how they want to present themselves to colleges with both joy and authenticity. Students will also have the chance to enjoy our amazing Methow Campus and surrounding community. Students taking this class should not also register for the Seattle Writing the College Essay course.
     
    By the end of the course you will:
    • Understand the components of a strong college admissions essay
    • Practice editing your own and others’ work for topic, form, and voice
    •  Complete an edited draft of a Common App personal essay
    • Feel relaxed and rejuvenated from your time in the Methow
    • Analyze the nuances of the Common Application personal essay
     You should expect to write for several sessions during the day and for at least thirty minutes each evening.  Students stay in the lodge on campus and cook meals as a group. Transportation to and from Bush is provided. Please bring paper and writing utensils as well as a laptop.
For questions about Bush Methow Valley Campus Summer Programs, email summerprograms@bush.edu.
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The Bush School is an independent, coeducational day school located in Seattle, WA enrolling 735 students in grades K–12. The mission of The Bush School is to spark in students of diverse backgrounds and talents a passion for learning, accomplishment, and contribution to their communities

3400 East Harrison Street, Seattle WA 98112 (206) 322-7978
The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment, recruitment, admissions, or administration of any of its programs on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation. In addition, The Bush School does not discriminate in matters of employment on the basis of age or marital status
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