Leaning into Cushing’s strong history of learning support, the Prep Connections Program gives you the tools you need to participate more fully, enthusiastically, and successfully in a college preparatory curriculum.

Academic Skill-Building For All Learning Styles

Learning is a cumulative process. We build on existing knowledge and skills to master progressively more complex operations and tasks throughout our lives. For this reason, the Prep Connections Program is based on the belief that the process of learning is as important as the content learned. Learning how to learn can be one of the most important skills you can acquire as you prepare for more significant high school, college, and life challenges. 

Prep Connections gives 9-12 graders the tools needed to participate more fully, enthusiastically, and successfully in a college preparatory curriculum. The Program encompasses three key components: strategies to improve English language skills, review and practice of mathematics skills, and study techniques. 

Each component has its own course block (see below). At the start of the Program, we assess your academic skills to place you in the appropriate course levels. After that, our Prep Connection faculty will help you understand and appreciate your particular learning style and set reasonable and attainable personal goals. This approach allows you to capitalize on your strengths, recognize your weaknesses, and formulate an action plan for achieving academic success.

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Prep Connection Courses (Grades 9-12)

Students participate in three courses each morning — English language skills, mathematics skills, and study techniques — and pick from a variety of academic, arts, and athletic options in the afternoon.

English: Reading + Writing

This course will strengthen your reading and writing skills and teach various strategies to build your reading efficiency. You will acquire techniques to improve comprehension and enjoy reading. Using short fiction and novels as the basis for reading and writing assignments, you will learn the critical vocabulary necessary to analyze literature in more depth and communicate your understanding successfully. You will also learn how to write clearly and concisely for various audiences and purposes, becoming familiar with the writing process, including prewriting, outlining, drafting, editing, and revising. Finally, you will learn how to communicate effectively in discussions by supporting ideas with evidence. With consistent effort, you become a more capable writer, a more discerning reader, and a more articulate class participant. 

Mathematics

This class focuses on filling in gaps to help you progress satisfactorily during the academic year, developing your mathematical competence while reviewing or previewing content areas in pre-algebra, algebra I or II, geometry, or pre-calculus. In addition to advanced content that prepares you for the upcoming academic year, your instructors will review key foundational math concepts to support your success. Throughout the course, you’ll receive ongoing feedback and evaluation to track your progress and identify any areas that may benefit from additional focus.

Study Techniques

Students in Prep Connections spend part of every morning in study technique workshops. Using the English and Math class assignments for material, our Prep Connections faculty help students develop various strategies for improving organization and time management, reading comprehension, vocabulary and word skills, written expression, note-taking, test preparation, and performance. Faculty monitor each student’s progress closely and work to develop individually-tailored plans to build critical academic skills and self-confidence in the learning process.

More Than 25 Afternoon Classes + Activities

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After working on study skills in the morning, afternoons at Cushing Summer are an opportunity to further explore your interests. We offer additional academic classes to sharpen skills or explore new subjects, performing and visual arts classes to find inspiration and flex creative muscles, and athletic workshops to keep fit and active.

Explore Afternoon Programming