After School Enrichment

Get ready to dribble, shoot, and score! This fun-filled program focuses on developing essential basketball skills, including dribbling, passing, shooting, and teamwork, all while fostering a love for the game. Participants will engage in exciting drills, friendly competitions, and cooperative games that promote physical fitness and sportsmanship. Whether your child is a beginner or looking to improve their skills, this class offers a supportive environment where young athletes can grow, make friends, and enjoy the thrill of basketball!

Explore the artistry of dance in our inclusive ballet class! Students of all levels will delve into essential ballet skills, gaining proficiency in the five classical positions, familiarizing themselves with movement terminology, and refining core techniques. Students will deepen their understanding of the barre, enhancing their placement and musicality. Join us as we foster a love for dance and cultivate strong ballet fundamentals tailored to every student's journey!

Students will need to bring ballet shoes, tights, a leotard, comfortable clothing, and hair ties for hair.

Grades 2nd - 5th with Ms Franz

Discover Cheer Dance, where we celebrate youth cheerleading, tumbling, and dance. Students will master fundamental skills, basic stunting, and dance moves, all while emphasizing the essentials of teamwork and camaraderie. Our goal is to instill a love for cheerleading and impart values of sportsmanship, teamwork, and dedication. This program fosters self-confidence and nurtures a passion for spreading joy. Participants will culminate their experience by learning a short cheer routine to perform at a few of our high school/middle school games! Join us in embracing the spirit of cheerleading!

Grades K - 5 with Christina Giffone

Step into the spotlight with our theater program designed especially for young children! In this engaging and interactive course, budding performers will delve into the exciting world of theater, focusing on physicality, movement,  and mastering basic stage terminology. Through fun improvisation exercises, they'll gain confidence in thinking on their feet and performing in front of groups, nurturing essential life skills along the way. Miss Emily, from this past year’s Early Childhood Program, fosters a supportive environment where children can express themselves creatively and develop body awareness through dynamic activities. Whether your child dreams of dazzling on stage or simply wants to explore their imagination, our theater program promises to ignite their passion for performance and cultivate valuable skills that will last a lifetime.

Grades K - 2nd with Emily Shea

Join Ms. Bentner for an introduction to Glass Fusion! Using a special ceramic kiln and microwave oven, students will explore the magical world of glass and mosaic fusion. They'll craft stunning tiles, charming jewelry, unique pendants, and more! This hands-on experience is not just educational but also incredibly fun! It's a perfect opportunity for young artists to let their creativity shine bright! Watch as they discover new talents and proudly bring home their masterpieces to showcase to family and friends.

Grades K - 5th with Mrs. Benter

Join Ms Schiller for our Fun Friday Arts and Crafts program, where creativity knows no bounds! Kids will get hands-on experience making colorful bracelets and designing unique Shrinky Dinks. Each class is packed with a variety of exciting activities to spark imagination and artistic expression. It's the perfect way to end the week on a high note with friends, fun, and fantastic creations!

Grades K - 4th with Ms Schiller

Join The Fashionable Stylista’s Sewing & Fashion Design program and take your sewing and fashion design skills to the next level! Our program is designed to teach students how to sew clothing items and create stunning fashion design collections. Throughout the semester, students will complete several design projects. The program culminates in our Class Fashion Show, where our students showcase their creative talents and garments. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to unleash your creativity and learn from the best in the fashion industry.

Grades 2nd - 5th with The Fashionable Stylista

Calling all inventors and innovators! This exciting engineering program inspires students to pursue futures in science and technology. While working with Maker Kits, students build mechanical, artistic, and engineering skills and learn to act as inventors in their own right. They design remote-controlled hydraulic arms, learn to harness energy to power race cars, and experiment with structural design. Students keep their inventions and proudly share their projects with family and friends.

Grades K - 5th with Nexplore

Step into the fascinating world of the Middle Ages! Embark on a journey where young knights create their shields and family crests, fashion cardboard lances for jousting contests, construct majestic castles, engineer ingenious catapults for defense, and culminate in a grand celebration of our discoveries.

Grades K - 5th  with Denise Trezza from Stemtastic

Robotics with Edison combines computational thinking, computer programming, and 21st-century education in an engaging way. Edison is a safe programmable robot and interactive STEM teaching resource for coding and robotics. In Nexplore Robotics, students progress through different programming languages as their skills grow, starting with icon-based drag-and-drop coding, through block-based coding, and on to text-based programming. Students build both this important 21st-century skill and their confidence through exploration, iteration, and collaboration.

Students will need to bring their Chromebooks to this class.

Grades 2nd-5th with Nexplore

In this Portledge staple, students will master fundamental chess strategies, delve into chess notation, and grasp essential rules tailored for each phase of the game. Our dynamic sessions blend instruction with hands-on gameplay, providing an immersive learning experience where students can immediately apply their newfound skills. Join us as we empower young minds to think strategically, problem-solve effectively, and discover the thrill of chess!

Grades 1st - 5th with Mr. LaFlair

Engage your child in a transformative journey of yoga and mindfulness designed to foster physical strength, emotional resilience, and enhanced focus. Through gentle yoga poses and calming breathing exercises, children will learn valuable techniques for relaxation, concentration, and self-awareness. Our classes provide a supportive environment where children can develop confidence and essential life skills, promoting well-being and inner peace.

Grades 1st - 5th with Natasha Crosby

In our fall session of Club Français, students will dive into the excitement of the Paris Olympics! Led by our new Lower School World Language Teacher, Madame de La Bruyere, students will enjoy a variety of engaging activities that combine language learning with fun. Highlights include crafting mini Eiffel Towers and colorful Olympic Rings, learning French vocabulary through "Simon Says" and simple gymnastics movements, and participating in a relay race between the French team and Team USA. We’ll also explore the French soccer team and their players. Join us for an incredible journey where learning French is as exciting as it is fun!