Intensive Theme

Intensive Theme occurs three times per year, towards the end of each trimester. Intensive Theme lasts SEVEN consecutive school days and finishes 1-2 weeks prior to the end of the current trimester. (Check the document linked below for the specific dates this school year.)

YES! All courses earn students general elective credits towards graduation. A few of the courses, and almost all of the field studies, provide a physical education credit. 

Some course use district bussing, but to reduce cost, many rely on students carpooling or, if locations are close by, students will walk.

Students with classes at their home high school, or who are taking a career development course will still need to attend those classes during Intensive Theme, except for two days. These two days will vary depending on the class activites and will be communicated in advance. Please note, students who will be traveling on a Field Study will NOT be able to attend these classes but are responsible for communicating with their teachers about their missed time/content. 

Intensive Theme  (IT) courses primarily take place on-campus, though many also have field trips during the school day. 

Field Study (FS) experiences primarily take place off-campus and involve overnight trips lasting more than one night.

All the courses available to SES students are listed below. They can be sorted by Intensive Theme vs Field Study, by trimester offered and if they offer a Phy Ed or Wellness credit. Each course links to a 2-page summary document giving an overview of the course.

Note that the courses offering a PE credit will also have information regarding their physical rigor level. 

Rigor level 1: 

Moderate pace/distance hiking (NOT daily), cooler weather, consistent altitude

Rigor level 2:

Moderate pace/distance hiking every day, at least one strenuous hike, may need to carry gear, may kayak, may zip-line, reasonable weather, consistent altitude 

Rigor level 3:

Moderate to vigorous exercise every day, will be carrying gear, may kayak, may zip-line, may raft, hot weather, high or changing altitudes

Please reach out with questions to fully understand the physical expectations of students for specific Intensive Theme courses and Field Studies.

Registration takes place each trimester, 5 weeks before the start of Intensive Theme.  Students will be given a reminder of their course options and a link (via Schoology) to complete a Google Form indicating their top 3 course choices. Every attempt will be made for students that complete the Registration Google Form to be placed in one of their top three course choices, with priority going to Seniors and then based on the timestamp on their registration submission. Communication will come through Schoology and the Friday Field Notes. (Check the document linked below for the specific dates this school year.)

To secure your spot on a Field Study experience, you will need to make a non-refundable $100 deposit via MyPaymentsPlus. (For families that qualify for educational benefits, the amount will be $25)

Deposit links will become active in late September or early October, with the specific day shared at least two week in advance. If you cannot find the option to pay a deposit in MPP, this means the Field Study is full and you should contact the waitlist teacher provided for each field study. Waitlist order is determined based on the timestamp of the email received by that teacher. (Check the document linked below to access specific information for this school year.)

Yes! Once the roster is set (beginning of October) the Field Study leaders will communicate with families about additional family and/or student meetings. Typically these meetings are in the evening and may be in person at SES or via Zoom. The topics will range from general information, to behavior expectations, to paperwork requirements for student travel.

There are quite a few paperwork items required by the district and SES for both domestic and international travel. Some field studies also require additional liability and/or medical forms. The field study leaders will distribute and go over these forms with families with enough notice for them to be completed and submitted at least 6 weeks prior to travel. 

All Field Studies require:

• ISD 196 International or Domestic Field Trip & Medical Treatment Form (in MPP with payment #2)
• ISD 196 Overnight Field Trip Expectations and Guidelines
• SES Field Study Form (SES Liability/Medical Document - may require a doctor's signature)

International Field Studies also require:

• US Passport (must be valid 6 months past the return date of the field study)
• Parent Authorization for International Travel (requires Notary signature from BOTH parents, if student is under 18)
• Infectious Disease Prevention (visit to a travel clinic, immunizations/Rx's)  - This form is NOT required by all international field studies.

We do NOT coordinate any fundraising, however, our SES Education Foundation does provide some scholarships. Students may apply for a SESEF Intensive Theme, Field Study or Field Trip Scholarship if they qualify for the Educational Benefits Program Educational Benefits Application. The Foundation may fund requests up to $750.00 per qualifying student per year by completing the SESEF Student Grant application.