High School Courses

Shady Side Academy offers summer courses for students entering grades 9-12, including for-credit courses in math and science.

Math courses offering a full year of academic credit meet half-days for six weeks. Science courses offering a full year's academic credit meet half-days for five weeks with one additional afternoon lab per week. All courses are held on the Senior School campus. Limited bus transportation is available only with prior registration. For-credit courses include lunch.

Please note some courses have prerequisites in order to enroll. For-credit summer courses are condensed and therefore accelerated due to the shortened duration. Students can expect additional work at home each evening. Read course descriptions carefully before registering. Most courses have enrollment limits so that we can provide a quality learning experience for every student. All courses are subject to cancellation if fewer than five students enroll prior to Friday, May 9, 2025.

Notes on For-Credit Courses

Transfer of Credits: Credit for the purpose of making up a failure has been accepted by public and independent schools. Arrangements for credit transfer should be discussed when registering for Summer School. Shady Side Academy does not assume responsibility for credits not transferring. 

Absences: To earn credit in for-credit summer courses, students must attend all class sessions. We recognize that from time to time, circumstances arise beyond the control of students or their families, including illness or emergency, that make attendance impossible. The Summer School director may deem an absence approved or unapproved based on available documentation. Unapproved absence from any course may result in no credit earned.

SSA Families: Please note only one graduation requirement in any discipline can be earned through summer school. For example, Science requires three years of study, and only one of the required Science courses may be taken in the summer. To read the policies regarding summer study, please see the Course Catalog on the Senior School Parent Information page.