Hi, I’m Nate Paul! I am a Central Park father of two and the Gifted & Talented Coordinator at Denver Green School Northfield. I’m also the founder of Ready Set Middle School, a 3-day middle school readiness workshop for rising sixth-graders right here in Central Park.
Students of all ages– not just middle school– are at risk for the proverbial “summer slide” by which kids lose an average of two months’ learning each summer. This academic regression sets them back at the beginning of the fall term, and the cumulative effect can have a substantial impact over time. I’ve summarized some simple strategies for helping your kids avoid the summer slide, and the effort will be absolutely worth it come back-to-school time.
- READ. All reading is good reading, so don’t hesitate over graphic novels, reading below their current ability level, re-reading old favorites, etc. Incentivize challenging reads. Explore non-fiction. Join summer reading programs– the Denver Public Library has one, so does the Tattered Cover at Stanley, and so (still!) does Pizza Hut. Model reading yourself, and start a family read-aloud.
- WRITE. Start a diary, or keep a journal of a vacation or summer camp. Write letters to friends and family. Create a website or blog. Fine motor control and muscle tone are important for writing, so drawing, learning calligraphy or bubble letters, and coloring can also help maintain skills.
- DO MATH. Everyday math is everywhere, from the grocery store to the interstate road trip. Provide card and dice games, Noetic Math or logic problems, and anything with numbers. Add puzzles for spatial reasoning. Introduce personal financial literacy, or invest in your kids’ neighborhood business ventures.
- GET OUTSIDE. Fresh air, sunshine, exercise, and the natural world are right out the front door, good for mind, body, and spirit. Explore Northeast Denver’s pools, parks, and greenways. Go for family hikes and picnics. Host a tent sleepover in the backyard. Get a bug guide or a star chart. Plant and nurture green things.
- LET LOOSE. Kids need experience to build independence, so give them chances to travel, shop and socialize on their own. Check out www.letgrow.org for guidance and resources. Kids need lots of playtime too, but not just alone or with siblings… summer is the time to get a crew together. Unstructured, minimally supervised, multi-age, mixed gender play is an excellent context for social and emotional development. Let kids invent their own games, solve their own problems, and resolve their own conflicts.
Get Ready for Middle School
I’ve been a middle school teacher for 15 years. When someone asks me what I do for a living and I tell them, I am usually met with a painful wince and a sympathetic head shake. What most people don’t know is that while middle schoolers are challenging and awkward, they are also incredible. Fun. Curious. Kind. Opinionated. Capable. If you are the parent of a soon-to-be middle schooler, congratulations and welcome to this new chapter.
Over the course of my career, I’ve observed which skills and mindsets best serve rising sixth graders, and which they often struggle to develop on their own. I founded Ready Set Middle School to launch kids toward greater independence, foster a growth mindset, and build practical skills for middle school success. We cover everything from managing a calendar and emailing your teacher to avoiding drama and finding your people… and it’s a fun, inclusive, confidence-building experience, perfectly timed in the summer before sixth grade.
Our workshops take place on summer weekday afternoons at the Pavilion at Central Park. We are currently enrolling for our July 2025 sessions. Let’s send your student off to that first day of middle school with confidence! Register today at www.readysetmiddleschool.com or email me at nate@readysetmiddleschool.com.
