Every year students face a gap during summer where they spend nearly three months without engaging in any academics, particularly mathematics. This is especially a problem given that material in school is delivered to students in a batch process. The result is often a brief understanding of systems and concepts in the short term, but hardly an emphasis on long term knowledge or mastery. That’s where the BRIDGE summer program comes in. Students will cover the critical transitional pieces of their prior skills and coursework and be introduced to the essentials of what’s ahead. This creates a smoother shift for students and helps bridge the gaps between school years.

What does the BRIDGE program look like?

Covering topics that range from test taking and study skills to mathematics and writing, students (individually or in a group) will meet once per week for 8-12 weeks during the summer. The lessons are also supplemented with a manageable homework load to keeps students engaged, but not overwhelmed (let’s face it, student’s are already questioning getting academic coaching during summer break in the first place).

A typical program begins with skill evaluation and exploration of learning habits. Following that introduction, foundational pieces are discussed and implemented so the student is ready to put the new systems and coursework in motion. Core principles and concepts in the respective academic areas will then be taught, as well as how to have success with studying and learning in the future.

Testimonials

“Our son is a high school golfer and misses quite a few days of school every Fall due to golf tournaments. We were nervous about him potentially falling behind in his advanced math classes. The summer before his freshman year, Alec and our son met once a week to work ahead in math to develop a stronger understanding of the core concepts taught during the school year. Our son felt this was so valuable that we continued each summer thereafter. Alec is very knowledgeable about advanced math concepts and explains them in a clear way that is easy to understand. We will continue to participate in the BRIDGE summer program and this will be the perfect gateway to ACT prep. We highly recommend Alec!”

Kelly Jacobs, Mother of Charlie Jacobs, Davenport Assumption High School

"Alec Fetterer does an amazing job! Mike Gorsline and I highly recommend Alec! Our son is an athlete and has a very busy schedule so BRIDGE has been perfect for math coaching in the summer. Alec is able to accomplish a tremendous amount of high quality and effective tutoring in a short amount of time. Our son has also been working with Alec for some pre-ACT preparation, and we are excited for him to continue to work with Alec to study for the ACT. In addition to being a great teacher, Alec is able to relate to his students and get them excited about studying (even in the summer) which is not an easy task. Our son always looks forward to his tutoring sessions with Alec!"

Mike and Monique Gorsline, Parents of David Gorsline, Pleasant Valley High School