During the School Year 

September-June

2:15pm-5:30pm, Monday-Thursday

  • Attendance is taken daily
  • Homework help, papers, projects
  • Additional academic support: Khan Academy, i-Ready software for extra math and ELA
  • 30 minutes of reading and math with 1:1 support
  • 1:1 College and Career Prep and Counseling
  • Daily enrichments
  • Workshops: art, yoga, drug and alcohol prevention, coding and robotics, guest speakers
  • Field Trips and college campus tours
  • Nutrition Program; daily snacks and/or meal provided
  • Community service
  • Workshops/Req. parents: nutrition and English classes; Clean City Danbury Day; 1 hour a month of help
  • Approx. 25 active volunteers: tutors, chaperones, workshops
  • Winter Tennis (Jan-March): high school students prepare for the upcoming tennis season, 1 day a week, 1.5 hours

We monitor our grades and assignments daily and each student has a weekly check-in with our Director of Education. He attends all parent-teacher conferences and maintains ongoing communication with teachers, schools, and counselors.

During the Summer Program

June-August

6 weeks, 8:30am-2:30pm, Monday-Friday

  • Attendance is taken daily
  • 3 hours of tennis; drills, match play, tournaments, team building, fitness, training for 5k/1 mile race
  • 3 hours of academics: personalized math packets, reading, summer workbooks, book clubs
  • College and career prep
  • Daily enrichment workshops
  • Nutrition Program, daily healthy breakfast and lunch
  • Paid internships for Danbury Grassroots Academy seniors and/or alumni to coach our students in the summer
  • Field trips and college campus tours

We have an intense and productive summer program including tennis, academics, and enrichment. We provide two hours of academics: Personalized math packets, reading, summer workbooks, book clubs, daily enrichment workshops, paid internships for Danbury Grassroots Academy seniors and/or alumni to coach our students.

High School Student College/Career Preparation

We ensure that every Danbury Grassroots Academy student has the belief, desire, and skills to attend a post-secondary school or college alternative that maximizes their academic potential and ability to achieve their future goals, by providing the following comprehensive support.

  • Help identify and apply to college, college alternatives, and scholarships
  • Work with families to assess college acceptances and financial packages
  • Provide access to college tours and fairs
  • Provide high school course selection guidance
  • Develop life skills including resume writing, interviewing, and financial literacy
  • Assist with identifying and applying to part-time jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities

Pre-College Experiences

Pre-college experiences allow academically motivated Danbury Grassroots Academy students to experience the life of a college student for a week or more during the summer. In most cases, the students have received partial or full scholarships from the colleges. The Danbury Grassroots Academy College Assistance Fund bridges the gap for remaining costs

  • Builds college readiness and confidence through living away from home with roommates, attending classes with college professors, and participating in college-related activities.
  • Provides an opportunity for their parents and families to gain an acceptance and understanding of the benefits and challenges of attending a boarding college
  • In the past 5 years, fourteen students have applied and been accepted into a pre-college program.

Alumni Support

We remain committed to the success of our students enrolled in college or trade school by continuing to provide resources that supplement those offered by their respective schools.

  • Academic and wellness check-ins and support
  • Mentorship and guidance for course selection, study abroad, and internship/research opportunities
  • Review direct and indirect costs and help facilitate financial needs each semester
  • Provide opportunities for peer and mentor networking and volunteer engagement with younger Danbury Grassroots Academy students

With the addition of a volunteer college counselor, a commitment to staff development, and the creation of a Danbury Grassroots Academy College Assistance Fund, specially earmarked for pre-college and college support, Danbury Grassroots Academy has deliberately focused efforts to grow our high school college preparation program, develop partnerships with scholarship and colleges, and provide continued mentorship and resources to our college/trade-school bound graduates.

These goals reflect our unwavering commitment to grow alongside the young people and families we serve, and as a result, an additional 10-15 alumni, ages 18-22, are now served by our program.

Field Trips & College Tours

Each year, students participate in a broad range of educational, cultural, and recreational field trips, including:

Arts, Culture & Museums

  • Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Hartford)
  • The Peabody Museum
  • The Danbury Museum & Historical Society
  • New Pond Farm
  • The Bushnell Theater (live performances)
  • ACT Theater in Ridgefield
  • The New York Botanical Gardens
  • Storm King
  • Ridgefield Play House

STEM, History & Exploration

  • Essex Steam Train & Riverboat Excursion
  • Circle Line Ferry around Manhattan
  • Science centers in Hartford or New York
  • FlyRC Fairfield League (model radio- control flying organization)

College & Career Exposure

  • Campus tours including those to Fairfield University, Bellarmine, UCONN, Southern CT State University, Eastern CT State University, Boston-area colleges, and Western CT State University
  • Annual College Fair at WCSU for all 8th–12th graders

Nature & Recreation

  • Local hikes and outdoor exploration
  • Sherwood Island State Park: annual BBQ and beach day
  • The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk
  • Winter Ice Skating (January–March, 10–15 students monthly)
  • Shepaug Eagle Observation Area

Sports & Community Engagement

  • Danbury Hat Tricks hockey game (one per season for students and their families)
  • US Open Qualifying Tournament (annual visit)

These experiences provide students with joyful memories, hands-on learning, and real-world exposure that strengthens their academic engagement, cultural understanding, and personal growth.

Enrichment Workshops

  • Led by our volunteers 4 days a week during the school year and 3 days a week in the summer
  • Writing, art, yoga, STEM, health and nutrition, financial literacy, drug and alcohol prevention, resume writing, coding and robotics, Latin classes, dance classes, yoga class, and more!