SPARK: Life on Campus

SPARK - Science for Middle School

SPARK Students on the campus of Brown University

Supervision

SPARK students are supervised throughout the program by a team of carefully selected and trained Resident Advisors (RAs) who live in residence halls with SPARK students and chaperone students in class, and to and from classes and meals. An average student/RA ratio of 12:1 guarantees that students will receive the personal attention they need. A professional live-in staff member who oversees student supervision is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Housing

Students live in Brown’s residence halls within walking distance of classrooms and dining halls. Students are randomly assigned to single or double occupancy rooms on single-sex floors with single-sex shared bathrooms. We will attempt to honor roommate and single-room requests for SPARK students. Rooms provide typical college furniture, and do not have central air conditioning. Students must abide by a 10pm curfew - after 10:00pm, students must be in their own rooms for the remainder of the evening. Lights are out in the dorms after 11:00pm.

Meals

SPARK students eat together in one of Brown’s dining halls, under the supervision of Resident Advisors.

A Typical Day at SPARK

Monday – Friday

Breakfast - 7:30am – 9:00am.
Breakfast is served in one of Brown’s dining halls.
Residential staff will escort students to the dining hall and to their class

Commuter Student Drop off - 8:30am

Classes in Session - 9:00am – 12:00 noon
Students take a class taught by a Brown faculty member, postgraduate fellow, or graduate student. Classes meet every morning for 3 hours. A residential staff member is assigned to chaperone each class.

Lunch - 12 noon – 1:00pm
Lunch is served in one of Brown’s dining halls. Students are supervised by residential staff.                

Afternoons
Most classes conduct laboratory sessions or field trips on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Dates, times and locations of field trips vary by class. A residential staff member is assigned to chaperone field trips.During afternoons when classes are not in session, Resident Advisors lead students in co-curricular activities.

Commuter Student Pick up - 4:30pm

Dinner and Evening Activities
After dinner, students participate in popular supervised social events such as bowling, laser tag, movies, talent show and a farewell dance.

*Please note that SPARK classes that take place off-campus may have an earlier start time to allow transportation to off-site location.

Saturday Closing Event
Parents and students are invited to join instructors and staff for a closing event on Saturday July 18th (Session 1EA) or Saturday July 25th (Session 1EB and 2EA) at 10:00 a.m. (location to be announced).  The closing event will highlight the work of SPARK students.  Light refreshments will be served.

Commuter Students

Parents should plan to drop off their student on campus at 8:30am and pick them up at 4:30pm. The drop off and pick up location will be confirmed when students and parents check in on Sunday. Commuter students are directly supervised by highly selected and trained Resident Advisors and will receive the personal attention they need when they are on campus. Please note that the commuter student meal plan includes lunch only.