After-School Program

After-School Specialist

Mr. Dominic Amato, Twain's After School Specialist

Program Overview 

Mark Twain offers free after school programing 5 days a week from 2:30-4:45pm

All Twain students are invited to participate in the after school program, however it is not required. 

"Late Bus Days" Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday

On Mondays, Tuesday, Wednesdays, and Thursdays there are busses to take students home at 4:45.  These bus numbers and stops may be different than student's regular afternoon run so students should check SIS StudentVue to access this information.

"Parent/Guardian Pick Up Days" Friday

While students are able to be picked up from the Kiss and Ride line any day of the week, there are no late busses on Fridays.  This means if a student stays after school on Friday they will need to have arranged transportation or be able to walk home. 

 

After School Club Schedule

Late Bus Route #1

Late Bus Route #2

Late Bus Route #3

Late Bus Route #4

Late Bus Route #5

Late Bus Route #6

Late Bus Route #7

Special Ed Late Bus Run

 

Club Descriptions

AVID Club

Sponsor: Mrs. Clinton

Meets: Thursdays First Block

AVID Club is open to all students. We help build community and promote a college-going culture. We encourage student-led projects! If you want to learn leadership skills in a family environment, join us on Thursdays first block!

Building Inclusive Communities 

Sponsors: Mx. Sheers and Mr. Ziegler   

Meets: Thursdays First Block

Building Inclusive Communities is a space to learn about social justice, celebrated marginalized groups, and help shape school culture. We will discuss issues related to the LGBTQ+ community and other marginalized groups. Everyone is welcome into this safe space to share with each other and find support.

Creative Writing

Sponsors: Ms. Roman 

Meets: Thursdays First Block

Creative Writing Club is a space for students who are interested in writing stories, song lyrics, graphic novels, book reviews, and other genres. Through our writing we will explore ourselves, the world around us, and the issues that impact us. We will nurture our inner writer as we explore and learn new techniques to enhance our writing.

Here is the link to our Google site The TigerPost

Drama Club

Sponsor: Mr. Scaros

Meets: Thursdays Both Blocks

Drama Club focuses primarily on Theatre Sports – an improvisational sport that challenges students to think on their feet and create scenes and characters from minimal information. The concept is very much like the TV Show “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” A few times a year, middle schools from around the county compete in Theatre Sports Competitions which gives students a chance to enhance their skills and meet others. Students who participate in Drama Club decide what games will be played each day and vote on who will represent Twain at each upcoming competition.

Game Room

Sponsor: N/A

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays Second Block, Tuesdays Both Blocks

In Game Room students are provided with the opportunity to play board games and card games with one another, or play a collection of provided video games such as Wii Sports, Madden NFL, Mario Kart, Super Smash Brothers, and Just Dance.  Students are supervised by core team members. 

Girls Open Volleyball

Sponsor: Ms. Besecky

Meets: Tuesdays Both Blocks

Any Twain female students who would like to improve and hone their volleyball skills are welcome to attend this weekly practice session.  Ms. Besecky is supervising but will not be actively coaching.

Homework Club

Sponsor: N/A

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays First Block

Homework Club is an option provided for students who need a quiet environment to work on homework, group projects, or other tasks.  Students will be under the supervision of a core team member.     

Model UN Club

Sponsor: Mr. Murphy and Mx. Sheers

Meets: Wednesdays First Block

In Model UN, students act as delegates to the United Nations and simulate UN committees.  They represent a country, research modern issues, and work together to find solutions.  This activity takes place at MUN conferences; this year we plan on attending weekend meets at local high schools and potentially an overnight trip to William and Mary College.  In club meetings, we will prepare for the conferences, play games, and learn about the World.

Mural Club

Sponsor: Ms. Arocho and Ms. Ashey

Meets: Mondays Both Blocks

Mural Club is for students who would like to decorate the walls of Twain.  Students have the ability to choose themes, be creative, be themselves, draw, paint, and socialize with other artistic students.

News Crew

Sponsor: Mrs. Huber

Meets: Mondays and Wednesdays Both Blocks

News Crew after school club is to support student members of the TwainTV Daily Morning News Show Mondays and Wednesdays 1st block.  Once month or as needed there is a mandatory meeting for all members to make sure all Daily Crews are up to date on procedures and complete any needed trainings.  All other meeting times are to be used for students to work on their own project segments based on something they are passionate about. These are not mandatory meetings but are the only time after school students will have access to studio equipment to work on their projects.

Open Gym

Sponsor: N/A

Meets: Fridays Both Blocks

Open Gym is an option provided for students to come and participate in different sports/activities of their choosing.

Quiz Bowl

Sponsor: Ms. Besecky and Mr. Campana

Meets: Mondays Both Blocks

Quiz Bowl is an interscholastic team competition/activity that tests students' knowledge of a broad range of academic subjects and general knowledge in a quiz-show style format similar to the game show Jeopardy!  Quiz Bowl will meet Monday afternoons during both after school blocks in the Library or Room 207 (as announced in advance); students can attend either or both blocks as they are able.

Running Club

Sponsor: Ms. Wadsworth

Meets: Mondays First Block

Any student wanting to start running or work on speed and endurance is encouraged to come out and train with us! Whether you are a walker or run a lot, we encourage you to give running club a try.

**Running Club meets with weather permitting - if it’s raining, we recommend students still stay and attend Twain Fitness instead. Running Club will take a break from November - March and resume after spring break.**

Sports and Recreation

Sponsor: N/A

Meets: Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays Second Block

Sports and Recreation is an option provided to students who would like to participate in activities such as basketball, soccer, football, jump rope, kickball, volleyball etc.  Students are supervised outside or inside by core team members.  

Teacher Help

Teacher Help is an opportunity for students to get extra help from their teachers after school.  Each teacher has identified a day and time in which they will be staying after school.  This information is posted in the Schoology Course for each teacher.  

Students should confirm with their teacher before 2:15 on the day they plan to stay after with that teacher. 

Technology Student Association

Sponsor: Mrs. Gadson

Meets: Mondays and Wednesdays Both Blocks

Technology Student Association is a nation-wide Career & Technical Student Organization directly affiliated with Technology and Engineering Education courses.  The organization provides leadership opportunities as well as competitive design and engineering challenges for students at the middle and high school level.  Students choose from a list of challenges and prepare for Fall Virtual, Regional, State and National Competitions occurring each year.  Both National TSA and Virginia TSA have very informative websites that provide a wealth of information and help promote the organization.  During the after-school program students select, practice and make projects they will take to competitions. The competitive events are extremely challenging requiring student effort in and out of school. 

**Students must be in Engineering class to participate in TSA**

Tiny Hats for Tiny Babies

Sponsor: Mrs. McGarry

Meets: Thursdays First Block

Every year 15 million babies are born preterm and nearly one million of these babies will die from complications of being born too early, like hypothermia. Tiny Hats for Tiny Babies started out as an initiative to have communities of knitters knit tiny hats that would be donated to preterm babies on the African continent. Mark Twain participates in this initiative on a local level donating hats to Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. l. Our students use round looms to knit tiny hats for our local preemies.

Weightlifting

Sponsor: Mrs. McGarry

Meets: Wednesdays First Block

Come join Mrs. McGarry in the weight room for some strength training and cardio fitness.

Yearbook Club

Sponsor: Ms. Howard

Meets: Wednesdays First Block

Why yearbook club? Because you have the opportunity to learn and apply the following:

  1. Journalism skills
  2. Business skills
  3. Technology skills
  4. Social Media skills
  5. Life skills
  6. Graphic Design skills

For additional information, message Mrs. Howard in Schoology under Groups then locate Yearbook club. You can also email Mrs. Howard: @email

Yoga Club

Sponsor: Mrs. McGarry

Meets: Mondays First Block

Come join Mrs. McGarry in a relaxing session of balance, coordination, mindfulness, and meditation through yoga poses and breathing techniques to relieve stress.