Academics

GRACE Summer Program

GRoton Accelerate Challenge Enrich (GRACE) provides an opportunity for Groton students to use the summer after Third Form (9th grade) to accelerate their academic progress.

GRACE promotes flexibility within the Groton curriculum and helps all students reach their full potential. For some, GRACE will accelerate access to our most advanced courses; for others, it will fill a preparation gap and provide a foundation for success.

The optional four-week program prepares GRACE Scholars for the rigors of Upper School, while also recognizing the importance of summer fun and recreation. Each winter, current Third Formers receive information about applying to GRACE.

This year's GRACE program will run from Sunday, June 22 to Friday, July 18, 2025.

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Cort Pomeroy

Director of Enrollment Management, Director of GRACE

978-448-7516

Academic Courses and Goals

By immersing themselves in only one or two subjects at a time, GRACE Scholars can make meaningful academic progress in just four weeks. Students typically take either two A courses, one B course, or an A and a B course. Occasionally, two B courses may be taken, but only with special permission. A courses meet for an hour and a half each weekday; B courses meet for three hours each weekday, plus an hour on Saturday.

During free periods, students will have the opportunity to take enrichment classes in art and theater.

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English

A Course: Enhance writing and analytical skills in preparation for Upper School English
History and Social Science

Modern Global History A: Enhance reading, writing, note-taking, and research skills in preparation for Modern Global History
Latin

A Course: Students coming from Latin 1, firm up preparation for Latin 2
B Course: Students coming from Latin 1, move directly into Latin 3, skipping Latin 2
Mathematics and Computer Science

A Course: Students coming from Geometry, firm up algebra skills in preparation for Algebra 2
B Course: Students coming from Algebra 1, move directly into Algebra 2, skipping Geometry during the school year
Science

A Course: Firm up preparation for Chemistry
B Course: Move directly into AP Chemistry without taking Chemistry during the school year
World Languages

Chinese 1: Covers the essential topics of a Chinese 1 course and is intended for students currently in Chinese 1 who want to shore up skills in preparation for Chinese 2 and for students who were not able to take Chinese 1 in Third Form. For this latter group, the department will make a recommendation about the most appropriate IVth Form course placement (Chinese 1 or 2) at the conclusion of GRACE based on progress made.

Chinese 2: Covers the essential topics of a Chinese 2 course and is intended for students currently in Chinese 2 who want to shore up skills in preparation for Chinese 3 and for students who want to advance from Chinese 1 directly to Chinese 3. For this latter group, the department will make a recommendation about the most appropriate IVth form course placement (Chinese 2 or 3) at the conclusion of GRACE based on progress made.

French 1: Covers the essential topics of a French 1 course and is intended for students currently in French 1 who want to shore up skills in preparation for French 2 and for students who were not able to take French 1 in Third Form. For this latter group, the department will make a recommendation about the most appropriate IVth Form course placement (French 1 or 2) at the conclusion of GRACE based on progress made.

French 2: Covers the essential topics of a French 2 course and is intended for students currently in French 2 who want to shore up skills in preparation for French 3 and for students who want to advance from French 1 directly to French 3. For this latter group, the department will make a recommendation about the most appropriate IVth form course placement (French 2 or 3) at the conclusion of GRACE based on progress made.

Spanish 1 (ñ) : Covers the essential topics of a Spanish 1 course and is intended for students currently in Spanish1 who want to shore up skills in preparation for Spanish 2 and for students who were not able to take Spanish 1 in Third Form. For this latter group, the department will make a recommendation about the most appropriate IVth Form course placement (Spanish 1 or 2) at the conclusion of GRACE based on progress made.

Spanish 2 (ñ): Covers the essential topics of a Spanish 2 course and is intended for students currently in Spanish 2 who want to shore up skills in preparation for Spanish 3 and for students who want to advance from Spanish 1 directly to Spanish 3. For this latter group, the department will make a recommendation about the most appropriate IVth form course placement (Spanish 2 or 3) at the conclusion of GRACE based on progress made.

Beyond the Classroom

In addition to enrolling in courses, students will experience a variety of fun and enriching extracurricular activities. Groton’s Dining Hall will provide all meals, and boarding students will stay in Groton dorms under the supervision of the GRACE faculty.

Weekday Recreation and Entertainment

Afternoon activities: swimming, stand-up paddle boarding, tennis, running, and group games
Off-campus entertainment (Wednesday nights): mini-golf, a trampoline park, movies, and bowling

Weekend Outings

Amusement park
Whitewater rafting
Ziplining
Beach trip
Boston

Daily Schedule

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Class Day Schedule

Breakfast
8:00 a.m.
Class Block
8:30–10:00 a.m.
Short Break

Class Block
10:10–11:40 a.m.
Lunch

Class Block
12:20–1:50 p.m.
Short Break

Class Block
2:00–3:30 p.m.
Outdoor Activity
3:45–5:00 p.m.
Dinner
5:30 p.m.
Study Hall
8:00–9:30 p.m.
Evening Snack
9:30 p.m.
Dorm Check-In
10:00 p.m.

How to Apply

Acceptance into GRACE is based on the recommendations of teachers and department heads who assess whether each student is well suited to benefit from the course or courses in which they are interested.

Tuition & Financial Aid

The tuition listed below covers all expenses, including not only the academic program, but also meals, art courses, recreational programs, entertainment, and field trips.

2024 Boarding Tuition:

$8,300

2024 Day Tuition:

$6,650

Financial aid is available, in some cases exceeding levels allocated during the school year, to keep the cost of the program from preventing a student's participation in GRACE. Once students are admitted into the GRACE program in early February, parents will be contacted and given the opportunity to request financial aid.