June Term
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West Sound Academy’s academic semesters end mid-May, so all West Sound Academy students participate in June Term during the last ten days of the school year. June Term can also provide students an opportunity to opt-in to an international or domestic experiential learning trip called a June TREC (Travel, Rethink, Explore, Connect).
During June Term, students study one or two intensive classes in a forum where they can put the academic skills they have been building into practical application. Students enroll in either one morning and one afternoon June Term class or an all-day June Term class. Students are graded and earn 0.25 elective credits for a half-day June Term class or 0.5 elective credits for an all-day June Term class.
Full-day June term courses consume the entire school day, so students are enrolled in just one course. Half Day courses meet for three hours each day, either in the morning or the afternoon. The Independent June Term is available as a morning or afternoon half-day option. Students are first required to submit a June Term Independent Proposal form and have it approved by the Head of School.
The classes listed below were offered in the 2025 June Term. Offerings for the 2026 June Term will be announced in March.
- All
- Full Day
- Half-Day
Connected: Exploring Humanity Through Film
AFTERNOON JUNE TERM – In this June Term class, every frame told a story. This wasn’t just a film class—it was an exploration of the human spirit guided by Ben Owen. Through breathtaking films, students uncovered the beauty of life, the power of connection, and the endless mysteries of the universe. Each movie challenged their…
Cryptology
MORNING JUNE TERM – Many teens love cracking codes and solving puzzles. This immersive course covered both cryptography (making up secret codes) and cryptanalysis (deciphering codes). Led by Ben Owen, students uncovered the art and science of hidden messages from ancient ciphers to modern encryption techniques. Using Python and AI-assisted tools, this class took on…
Independent June Term
A student can propose an Independent June Term course of study for half the day. The student must indicate their intention in an Independent June Term course proposal. All independent June Term course proposals must include a designated adult supervisor or mentor. Any student interested in pursuing this type of June Term project should submit…
June Bites: Basic Mexican Cuisine
AFTERNOON JUNE TERM – In this course, students worked with Mercedes to develop basic culinary skills and familiarize themselves with traditional recipes and typical dishes from different regions of Mexico. Students also learned about safety and hygiene and develop creativity and autonomy in the kitchen.
June Kites
MORNING JUNE TERM – What better way to enjoy the lovely Spring weather than to fly kites? In this course, Forrest guided students as they explored the kite traditions from different cultures, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Japan, and the United States. Students incorporated this knowledge as they built their own kites and practiced making them soar…
June Tunes
FULL DAY JUNE TERM – This was an all-day music ensemble course with the goal of giving a live performance on June 10 at the Austin-Kvelstad Pavilion in Poulsbo’s Liberty Bay Waterfront Park. Students taking this class needed to have intermediate to advanced experience on at least one instrument. Led by Paul, the class worked…
Learn, Explore, and Discover Nature!
FULL DAY JUNE TERM – Students joined Bernice and Luca on the trails as they hiked and shared nature knowledge. This course consisted of all-day hiking destinations around Kitsap County. Students brought a packed lunch, wore outdoor clothes, and were prepared to explore everything from woodland trails to tide-pooling fun. Everyone created nature journals along…
Secrets, Suspense, and Twists: Exploring Hitchcock & Dahl
MORNING JUNE TERM – Many students love stories that make their hearts race, their minds spin, and keep them guessing until the very end. In this class students stepped into the shadowy world of suspense and thrillers! They uncovered the secrets behind what makes a story truly thrilling by diving into the works of two…
The Art of Studio Ghibli
AFTERNOON JUNE TERM – In this class, students dove into why Studio Ghibli (and especially Hayao Miyazaki) is one of the most influential animation studios/artists of the last century. Led by Stepper McCrery, students watched part of a Studio Ghibli movie each day, and then explored the art style and techniques. They drew characters (and…
Full Day
Full-day June term courses consume the entire school day, so students are enrolled in just one course.
June Tunes
FULL DAY JUNE TERM – This was an all-day music ensemble course with the goal of giving a live performance on June 10 at the Austin-Kvelstad Pavilion in Poulsbo’s Liberty Bay Waterfront Park. Students taking this class needed to have intermediate to advanced experience on at least one instrument. Led by Paul, the class worked…
Learn, Explore, and Discover Nature!
FULL DAY JUNE TERM – Students joined Bernice and Luca on the trails as they hiked and shared nature knowledge. This course consisted of all-day hiking destinations around Kitsap County. Students brought a packed lunch, wore outdoor clothes, and were prepared to explore everything from woodland trails to tide-pooling fun. Everyone created nature journals along…
Half Day
Half-Day courses meet for three hours each day, either in the morning or the afternoon.
Connected: Exploring Humanity Through Film
AFTERNOON JUNE TERM – In this June Term class, every frame told a story. This wasn’t just a film class—it was an exploration of the human spirit guided by Ben Owen. Through breathtaking films, students uncovered the beauty of life, the power of connection, and the endless mysteries of the universe. Each movie challenged their…
Cryptology
MORNING JUNE TERM – Many teens love cracking codes and solving puzzles. This immersive course covered both cryptography (making up secret codes) and cryptanalysis (deciphering codes). Led by Ben Owen, students uncovered the art and science of hidden messages from ancient ciphers to modern encryption techniques. Using Python and AI-assisted tools, this class took on…
Independent June Term
A student can propose an Independent June Term course of study for half the day. The student must indicate their intention in an Independent June Term course proposal. All independent June Term course proposals must include a designated adult supervisor or mentor. Any student interested in pursuing this type of June Term project should submit…
June Bites: Basic Mexican Cuisine
AFTERNOON JUNE TERM – In this course, students worked with Mercedes to develop basic culinary skills and familiarize themselves with traditional recipes and typical dishes from different regions of Mexico. Students also learned about safety and hygiene and develop creativity and autonomy in the kitchen.
June Kites
MORNING JUNE TERM – What better way to enjoy the lovely Spring weather than to fly kites? In this course, Forrest guided students as they explored the kite traditions from different cultures, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Japan, and the United States. Students incorporated this knowledge as they built their own kites and practiced making them soar…
Secrets, Suspense, and Twists: Exploring Hitchcock & Dahl
MORNING JUNE TERM – Many students love stories that make their hearts race, their minds spin, and keep them guessing until the very end. In this class students stepped into the shadowy world of suspense and thrillers! They uncovered the secrets behind what makes a story truly thrilling by diving into the works of two…
The Art of Studio Ghibli
AFTERNOON JUNE TERM – In this class, students dove into why Studio Ghibli (and especially Hayao Miyazaki) is one of the most influential animation studios/artists of the last century. Led by Stepper McCrery, students watched part of a Studio Ghibli movie each day, and then explored the art style and techniques. They drew characters (and…