Summer Programs Overview

Academic Credit Courses

Academic Credit Courses

St. Catherine’s offers academic credit summer courses for students in rising grades 9-12 who are enrolled in the 2024-2025 school year. This is a great opportunity for your daughter to take courses she is interested in, without having to wait for the new school year to begin.
Please note that spaces are limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. A non-refundable deposit of $100 per course is required at registration.

Summer grades will not be used in the calculation of a student’s GPA; however, these courses will be recorded on the student’s transcript and will fulfill graduation requirements.

Credit Course Attendance Guidelines
Course attendance is mandatory because of the condensed nature of the summer course. Each class period is considered to be one week’s worth of material. If a student misses more than two class periods for any reason, the student forfeits the course credit and will be registered for the class during the school year.

Academic Credit Courses

List of 6 items.

  • Art Foundation

    This is a basic foundation class designed to introduce students to art concepts and various types of media and techniques in the planning, design and production of works of art. Students will be introduced to two-dimensional media. Through a series of lectures, demonstrations and exercises, students will be exposed to formal and design elements. The student will be encouraged to start developing a critical eye and an idea of how the creative process works. Sketchbook assignments and critiques will be part of the course. No prerequisite.
     
    Credit: ½ credit Art
    Grades: Rising grades 9-11
    Dates: June 3 - 21 (closed June 19), M-F, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
    Cost: $925
    Location: Upper School Art Studio
    Instructor: Diego Sanchez
    Read More

  • Ceramics 1 

    In this class, students will learn a variety of techniques used to manipulate clay.  Hand building techniques such as pinching, coiling, and slabs will be used. Other techniques may include drape molds, paddling, texturing, slip trailing, and more. Students will also learn about the diverse cultural uses and historical significance of pottery. Form and function has an important role in the class in regards to sculpture vs. dishware.  Students will complete ceramic pieces using various applications of ceramic glazes and firing procedures to produce finished ceramic ware.
     
    Credit: ½ Credit Art
    Grades: Rising grades 9-11
    Dates: July 22 - Aug. 9, M-F, 1:30-5:30 p.m.
    Cost: $925
    Location: Upper School Ceramics Studio
    Instructor: Claire McCarty
    Read More

  • Creative Writing

    Learn the basics of Creative Writing and hone your creative skills! This will be a perfect class for students to explore their passion in creating their own nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and even scripts!
     
    Credit: ½ Credit
    Grades: Rising grades 9-12
    Dates:  July 22 - Aug. 9, M-F, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Location: In-person
    Cost: $925
    Instructor: Clay Coddington-Bechtel
    Read More

  • Ethics in Context: A Blended Service and Religion Class

    This is a joint religion and service-learning class. Students will develop an understanding of ethics through the context of social issues experienced in Richmond, VA. The class will examine the foundations of ethics and current moral issues facing our community, before working in the community to learn from a hands-on experience of service. Social issues highlighted are the history of race, access to good education, public health, and housing, limitations of crime and punishment, and the environment. The course will be a blend of classroom learning and contextual service work in the community. 
    This class meets on St. Catherine’s campus Monday, June 3 through Thursday, June 6th. The first service work day is Friday, June 7th, along the James River. Monday, June 10th through Thursday, June 13 the class meets again in person on campus. A second service project is on Friday, June 14, at the Belmont Community Resource Center. The class will meet on campus Monday and Tuesday, June 17th and 18th. No class Wednesday, June 19th for the Juneteenth holiday. The class will meet on Thursday and Friday, June 20th and 21st as well. We will have an additional service project on Friday, June 21st. There will be a final assessment for the students to complete after the last day of class. The due date for this work will be Friday, June 28th. There is some flexibility on the due date for the final project if students need it. Last, we are currently arranging the service dates, but note some of these dates are subject to change based on community partners and their service needs. 

    Credit: ½ Credit for rising grades 11-12 and estimated 15 hours of community service for rising grades 10-12
    Grades: Rising grades 10–12
    Dates: June 3 - 21 (closed June 19), M-F, 9:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
    Cost: $925
    Location: In-Person at St. Cats and two locations in Richmond, VA
    Instructors: Rev. Drew Johnson, Jennifer Harper
    Read More

  • Health

    This course completes the Health requirement for graduation from St. Catherine's. The first half of the course focuses on a broad range of topics related to mental health and wellness and addiction. Areas of study include: the teen brain, stress and anxiety, eating disorders, depression, suicidality, vaping/e-cigarettes, alcohol awareness and drug use. The ultimate goal is for students to apply what they learn in health class to the real world, using their knowledge to make healthy lifestyle choices and low-risk decisions in everyday life. The second half of the course focuses on a broad range of topics related to human sexuality and healthy relationships. Areas of study include identifying signs of healthy and unhealthy relationships, dating abuse, affirmative consent, sexual assault awareness, abstinence education, contraception, STIs, male & female reproductive systems, reproduction and teen pregnancy. 
     
    Credit: ½ Credit Health
    Grades: Rising grades 10-12
    Dates: June 3 - 21 (closed June 19), M-F, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Location: In-Person
    Cost: $925
    Instructors: Caitlin Shears and Kasey Gilbride
    Read More

  • World Religions

    The religions of the world play a decisive role in all aspects of life, from the arts and music to history and politics. Familiarity with the key beliefs and figures of these traditions is essential to understanding the world around us. The goal of this class is to introduce students to the backgrounds, key doctrines and practices, and contemporary features of five major world religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam — with brief discussions of other important traditions as well. Students will engage the traditions through readings, multimedia projects and field trips to local religious institutions.
     
    Credit: ½ credit Religion
    Grades: Rising grades 9-10
     
    Session A Dates: June 3 - 21 (closed June 19), M-F, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
    Session A Location: Lecture Hall, Armfield Science Center
    Session A Instructors: Miriam Farris, Savannah Watson, and Abigail Whorley
     
    Session B Dates: July 22 - Aug. 9, M-F, 9 a.m.-1 p.m..
    Session B Location: Turner Hall L150
    Session B Instructor: Savannah Watson
     
    Cost: $925
    Read More
6001 Grove Avenue
Richmond, Virginia 23226
804-288-2804
Located in the heart of Richmond, Virginia, St. Catherine’s School is a private, all-girls pre-K, kindergarten, elementary, middle and high school. We provide a well-rounded educational experience for girls from communities across Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and all of central Virginia. St.Catherine’s all-girls educational experience is rooted in more than a century of history and tradition. From our revolutionary past to our dynamic present, St. Catherine’s has always focused on preparing students for a boundless future.