Summer Programs

¡Pasa el verano hablando español! Passez l’été en parlant français !

ISB’s French and Spanish Language Immersion Program captures the best of language learning and summer fun! ISB Summer’s staff is comprised of experienced, talented, and creative educators. Small group sizes (assigned by age) of up to 18 children and 2 to 3 counselors (based on the number of kids in a group) help each group build strong bonds and allow for personalized learning and attention. ISB’s warm and welcoming atmosphere makes the Summer Program a great experience for children of all language levels. Beginners grasp the rhythm of the language, learn songs, and build daily vocabulary. More advanced speakers enhance their skills by learning new vocabulary and using the language with their peers.

ISB’s Summer Language Immersion Program is open to rising Pre-K 4* through rising 5th Grade students.
*Children must be 4 years old by September 5.

Register for ISB Summer!

Our program is suited for beginners and native speakers alike. The target language (French or Spanish) is incorporated into the routine of the day, and many new words and expressions are introduced based on the theme of the week. At the end of each week, families will receive a newsletter and photo album sharing the week’s adventures and highlighting the target language vocabulary. All children will enjoy a weekly gardening session. Additionally, we  welcome a weekly residency with the music-filled fitness program Zing! for children in Pre-K 4 through Grade 2.

Summer 2024 Dates and Prices

2024 Program Dates
Session 1: July 1 – July 5; Closed July 4 – $600
Session 2: July 8 – July 12 – $750
Session 3: July 15 – July 19 – $750
Session 4: July 22 – July 26 – $750
Please note there is a non-refundable registration fee of $25 per session.

Extended Care Until 5:30pm: $125 per week ($100 for Session 1)

Sibling Discount: Receive 2% per child per session when 2 or more siblings are registered.

Multiple Session Discount: Register for 2 or more sessions to receive 2% off your total.

Registration for ISB Summer takes place online via Popsicle. Create your account, enter your child(ren)’s information, and then choose your desired program sessions. Get started now!

Summer 2024 Themes

Session 1: A Look At The Stars

July 1-5; closed Thursday, July 4

In this shortened holiday week, we open summer by looking up and learning about the beautiful planets in our solar system. Grades 1 and up will take a field trip via charter bus to the American Museum of Natural History to visit the Hayden Planetarium.

Session 2: Voyage Around the World! (Hispanophone and Francophone NYC)

July 8-12

Children will enrich their cultural lenses of New York by learning more about the hispanophone and francophone communities that are central to our great city. Our talented counselors will also share their own diverse cultural traditions as we celebrate culture through song, story and food. There will be a special performance on campus for all groups. Grades 1 and up will take a day trip by charter bus to Manhattan to visit cultural centers for the hispanophone and francophone communities.

Session 3: Oceans Abound

July 15-19

This week, we enter the world of the ocean and get to know the vast diversity of creatures that inhabit it. By charter bus, we will take an all-group day trip to the urban national park of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. We will also have a visit with the ocean- curious illustrator, Stacey Posnett, who will share some of her illustrations of creatures, which  highlight the superpowers they possess.

Session 4: Architecture and Archaeology

July 22-26

For our final week, we will explore societies through architecture. How does the climate impact the way people design their dwellings? Children will make observational drawings of local architecture and build models of various dwellings from around the world. Grades 1 and up will take a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to visit the Egyptian wing as well as the Moroccan Court.

  • A Look At The Stars

    Session 1: A Look At The Stars

    July 1-5; closed Thursday, July 4

    In this shortened holiday week, we open summer by looking up and learning about the beautiful planets in our solar system. Grades 1 and up will take a field trip via charter bus to the American Museum of Natural History to visit the Hayden Planetarium.

  • Voyage Around the World

    Session 2: Voyage Around the World! (Hispanophone and Francophone NYC)

    July 8-12

    Children will enrich their cultural lenses of New York by learning more about the hispanophone and francophone communities that are central to our great city. Our talented counselors will also share their own diverse cultural traditions as we celebrate culture through song, story and food. There will be a special performance on campus for all groups. Grades 1 and up will take a day trip by charter bus to Manhattan to visit cultural centers for the hispanophone and francophone communities.

  • Oceans Abound

    Session 3: Oceans Abound

    July 15-19

    This week, we enter the world of the ocean and get to know the vast diversity of creatures that inhabit it. By charter bus, we will take an all-group day trip to the urban national park of Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. We will also have a visit with the ocean- curious illustrator, Stacey Posnett, who will share some of her illustrations of creatures, which  highlight the superpowers they possess.

  • Architecture and Archaeology

    Session 4: Architecture and Archaeology

    July 22-26

    For our final week, we will explore societies through architecture. How does the climate impact the way people design their dwellings? Children will make observational drawings of local architecture and build models of various dwellings from around the world. Grades 1 and up will take a trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to visit the Egyptian wing as well as the Moroccan Court.

A Day at ISB Summer

At ISB Summer, children are a part of engaging and language-rich activities, including arts & crafts, group games, sports, cooking, music, drama, and story-time. Playing outside is also a key part of the summer experience! Daily recesses are scheduled in ISB’s play yard and local parks. Daily activities are always unique, but each day has one thing in common: the groups are always busy having fun!

Sample Schedule

8:30am-9:00am – Early Drop-off
9:00am-9:15am – Arrival & Morning Greeting: Circle Time, Discussion of Activities
9:15am-10:15am – Group Activities (arts & crafts, music, cooking, drama, athletics, etc.)
10:15am-10:30am – Snack (bring snack from home)
10:30am-11:15am – Outdoor Recess
11:15am-12:00pm – Group Activities (arts & crafts, music, cooking, drama, athletics, etc.)
12:00pm-12:30pm – Lunch* (bring lunch from home)
12:30pm-1:15pm – Trip to St. Mary’s Playground (Pre-K 4 students have nap/quiet time after lunch)
1:15pm-3:15pm – Group Activities (arts & crafts, music, cooking, drama, athletics, etc.)
3:15pm-3:30pm – Clean-up, Farewell & Dismissal
3:30pm-5:30pm – Extended Day

“Such a wonderful summer program! Truly a hidden gem. Excellent education, programming, fun, and attentive to safety.”
“The activities were so creative and engaging. It was a great way to continue building Spanish language skills in a fun way. All of the staff that worked with the group were so wonderful. They were fun, caring and so enthusiastic. Thank you!”
“Great teachers and good projects, it was a perfect introduction to French!”
“My son made a lot of friends. I loved that he was speaking Spanish all day.”
“My son loved all of the hands-on art projects that accompanied the theme. I personally enjoyed that he came home everyday talking about the projects and his experiences at camp. I loved the fact that the teachers were very creative in their implementation.”

Counselor-In-Training (CIT) Program

The Counselor-in-Training (CIT) program at ISB is designed to introduce rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to the world of being a summer program counselor in a language immersion setting. CITs will work alongside a summer teaching team, developing leadership and collaborative skills. Training dates will be scheduled prior to the start of the program.

Successful CITs are:

  • Bilingual in French/English or Spanish/English
  • Interested in working with young children
  • Enthusiastic, flexible, and comfortable in leadership roles
  • Willing to learn under the guidance of ISB Summer counselors and administrative staff

CIT Program Fees: $300 per session.

After completing registration, CITs will be required to complete a questionnaire about their summer goals, interests, and language learning background. Please note that there are a limited number of CIT positions available each week.

Register here

Intern Program

The Intern program at ISB is designed for ISB graduates who will be in high school in the fall (rising grades 9-12). Interns will work alongside a summer teaching team, developing leadership and collaborative skills all while practicing their French and/or Spanish. Training dates will be scheduled prior to the start of the program.

Successful Interns are:

  • ISB Graduates
  • Bilingual in French/English or Spanish/English
  • Interested in working with young children
  • Enthusiastic, flexible, and comfortable in leadership roles
  • Willing to learn under the guidance of ISB Summer counselors and administrative staff

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Is ISB Summer Language Immersion open to students who do not attend ISB?

    Yes! Our summer Language Immersion program is open to all students who are entering Pre-K 4 through 5th Grade in the 2023-2024 school year. Please note that rising Pre-K 4 students must be 4 years old by September 1st.

  • My child does not speak any French or Spanish. Will s/he feel comfortable participating in the daily activities? How much progress will s/he make in the language?

    We welcome children from all language backgrounds in our Language Immersion program, ranging from those who may speak the language at home to those who are being exposed to the language for the first time. Our aim is to have kids so engaged in various activities (cooking, singing, movement, arts, etc.) that they don’t realize they’re gaining familiarity with a new language. Repetition, paraphrasing, songs, and group routines are used to build children’s comfort, comprehension, and motivation in the target language. Our counselors work to provide a full immersion experience during the program, though there are circumstances that will warrant English being spoken, to ensure that all participants understand the message (for example, for issues regarding safety or social-emotional concerns). We want children to feel comfortable and cared for, so our counselors will also make sure children who do not have the language background know that they are understood even if they don’t speak the target language. Each child will also partake in our two weekly residencies (one hour per residency per week) which will be conducted in English. The amount of language progress made over the course of the program varies from student to student. In the past, those with no prior language exposure have made gains in their comprehension and expression, using simple phrases with teachers and peers and comfortably participating in classroom activities and routines, and more advanced speakers have gained more fluency with thematic vocabulary.

  • My child speaks some French or Spanish, but is not fluent. Will that be a problem?

    Not at all! Our program is open to children of all language backgrounds. We aim to have kids so engaged in various activities (cooking, singing, movement, arts, etc.) that they don’t realize they’re building language skills. Our teachers design activities and experiences around the weekly theme, in order to systematically expose children to new vocabulary and to foster real-world use of the target language. For children who already have some exposure to the language, we find that meeting new French- or Spanish-speaking peers and teachers can be a great motivator to put their language to use.

  • My child will enter Pre-K 4 in the fall but does not meet the September 1st cutoff date. Can I still register?

    We follow our cutoff date fairly strictly. If your child does not meet the September 1st cutoff date for rising Pre-K 4 students, please contact the ISB Summer Team (summer@isbrooklyn.org) to discuss your specific situation.

  • Are the counselors teachers from ISB?

    Our summer team is composed of both ISB teachers and seasonal staff, many of whom work in other schools or with other educational organizations during the year. All staff have deep backgrounds with the language they work in and are passionate about language immersion.

  • How big are the groups at ISB Summer?

    We limit our groups to no more than 18 students with 2 to 3 instructors (based on the number of kids in a group).

  • What is your cancellation policy?

    Registrations that are canceled before May 31, 2023, will be refunded less the non-refundable registration fee of $25 per session. Registrations that are canceled between June 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023, will be refunded less the registration fee and 25% of the program cost. No refunds will be issued after June 20, 2023. If ISB is forced to cancel a program or a session, families will be refunded all payments made including fees.

Have more questions? Please contact the ISB Summer Team at summer@isbrooklyn.org.

Interested in joining the ISB Summer Team?

The ISB Summer team is a vibrant group of individuals dedicated to the well-being, learning, and growth of children. We will begin hiring for Summer 2024 in early Spring 2024.