FAQ
Who will be teaching my child?
Our teachers come from a variety of backgrounds, ranging from current or retired school teachers, to university professors and advanced graduate students. All of our teachers have experience with this age group, and all are committed to gifted education.
Why is Summer Stretch only four days a week?
Most Summer Stretch classes include fairly extensive homework assignments, and having some free days allows students more time to schedule their homework. In addition, while these courses are intense and require a lot of hard work, we also recognize that it is summer, and students need some time to relax and participate in other activities.
Will my child be fully supervised while on the UW campus?
Summer Stretch students are fully supervised while in class and on field trips. Students are expected to be mature enough to handle some level of freedom before and after class, and during their lunch break. Parents should talk to their students to set rules about whether the student is allowed to leave campus.
I work full time. How can I arrange to pick up my child at 2:20?
Students are welcome to stay at the Robinson Center after class, but must be out before 4:30pm when the center closes. In addition, there is excellent bus service to campus from most areas. Many of our Summer Stretch students enjoy the freedom of taking the bus to and from class.
How much homework will my child have?
Most of the Summer Stretch classes give substantial homework, but the amount varies from class to class. It may be more than your child is used to having. Make sure your child is not overbooked with activities, so that he/she will have time for homework and time to get enough sleep.
The overall experience for my son T. was amazing. He met really smart, hardworking and nice students from all over Washington. Our son really made us proud. He went from “Why do I have to go to math camp, to I want to get an A out of the class”. The life lessons he experienced will be with him for life.
B.B., Summer Stretch Parent
What if there are conflicts between Summer Stretch and a family vacation or another activity?
Absences can be very disruptive to your child’s Summer Stretch experience. Please let the Robinson Center know as soon as possible about any scheduled absences. These will be discussed with the teacher on a case-by-case basis. If there are too many conflicts, we will recommend that your child not participate in Summer Stretch.
Can my child receive school credit for Summer Stretch?
Some high schools award credit for these courses; yours may or may not. If you desire credit and/or appropriate placement, you must check with your school prior to applying to this program.
What if my child has a medical condition or severe allergies?
We will do our best to accommodate your child’s needs. Parents will complete a detailed medical form so that teachers and Robinson Center staff will be aware of any relevant medical issues. You can also contact the teacher directly if you have further concerns.
How does my child qualify for Summer Stretch?
If your child is in 7th grade, he or she needs to take either the ACT or the SAT and achieve a score at or above the 50th percentile. Requirements for higher grades are slightly higher and are evaluated on a case by case basis. Please see the exact requirements to know if your child qualifies.
What is the deadline for receiving qualifying test scores for Summer Stretch?
There is no hard-and-fast deadline for scores for Summer Stretch. However, a student must have a complete application, including test scores, before registration in a class can be confirmed. Students can wait to apply, but classes sometimes fill quickly and there is a chance that they won’t get into the class they want by the time the scores can be reported. We would encourage taking the ACT or SAT as early as possible and having the scores submitted to the Robinson Center in order to be sure of a confirmed spot in a class.
What is the correct code for the ACT and SAT to insure that my child’s scores reach you?
Please use our High School Code 481174 to have your scores delivered to the Robinson Center. Please do not use the UW code since these scores go to UW Admissions and do not reach our office.
If my child attended Summer Stretch last year, does he/she need to take the ACT/SAT again this year to qualify?
If your child qualified last year and would like to take the same discipline, he does not need to take the ACT/SAT again. For example, a student who qualified for American Literature last year is qualified to take Essay Writing this year.
If the student would like to take a different discipline this year, but did not have the qualifying scores for that discipline last year, he will need to re-take the ACT or SAT. For example, a student who took American Literature last year but did not have high enough math scores at that time to qualify for any of the math classes would need to re-take the ACT or SAT to qualify for a math class this year.