Before & After School Activities
Hello DES Families!
Spring is here and we are heading outdoors! Get your basketball, soccer ball, tennis racket, and put on your thinking caps as we prepare for Before & Afterschool Activities!
Whether your child would like to sculpt pottery, learn how to code like the pros, play chess with their best friend, or complete science experiments (make volcanoes?), we have a diverse lineup to cater to every passion and interest.
Master the strategies of chess with the C&O Family Chess Center.
Delve into the world of experiments and science and make some chemical reactions.
Unleash creativity with coding classes or dream of being the next Kobe Bryant in basketball
.. and that's just a sneak peek!
Check out the full list and register your child for their favorite sessions at
Act fast as slots fill up quickly. Let's make this Spring memorable with enriching experiences and endless learning opportunities.
Warm regards,
DES PTA
Note: Our activities are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Board of Education of Montgomery County, the superintendent, or Diamond elementary school.
Spring 2024 - Before and Afterschool Activities
Registration information is at the bottom of this page.
Mondays
Chess - C&O Family Chess Center
This class is for all levels of students from New Players (just learning the Pieces) to Advanced Students who have previous experience and may have even played in organized competition. Class time will be divided between a lesson and a game play portion. Instruction for new students will include the basics of how the pieces move, board set up, simple opening strategy and checkmate skills.
Advanced students will cover tactics and strategy, more detailed openings and game
analysis. We will provide information and a location for practice outside of class including
access to weekly tournaments. We focus on sportsmanship and healthy competition and a
sense of teamwork while we work towards self-improvement.
Mondays at 8-915a
Dates: Apr 8 - June 3
Grades K-5
Cost: $150
Chemistry Detectives - Big Learning
Explore solids, liquids, and gasses and create new materials from exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions. Use viscosity and density to describe liquids and make your own lava tubes. Experiment with mixtures, solutions, acids, and bases to help solve our gold paper caper, mix a polymer, and make glue from milk.
Mondays at 4-5p
Dates: Apr 8 - June 10
Grades K-2
Cost: $185
Chemistry Lab Science - Big Learning
Detect and measure invisible matter, test for vitamins C and E and whether vitamins are fat or water soluble. Record your data in your Science Journal. Use Chemistry to solve mysteries, titrate acids and bases, and test flow resistance. Learn to calculate retention factors and how they affect chromatography, and make cheese and goop. 8-week session.
Mondays at 4-5p
Dates: Apr 8 - June 10
Grades 3-5
Cost: $185
Tuesdays
CANCELED Karate - Kaizen Karate
Kaizen Karate's team of highly trained martial artists offer a number of programs for students. We focus on discipline and encouragement in a fun-loving environment. The main goal is to help everyone progress, continually improve, and enjoy the process. Karate instruction is geared towards the students age and current belt rank.
Tuesdays at 4-5p
Dates: Apr 23 - June 4
Grades: K-5
Cost: $143
Tennis (indoors) - MSA Sports
Designed for players of all ages who would love to learn and exercise the sport of tennis. Previous tennis success is NOT required. What is required is a desire to become a truly accomplished tennis player by learning skills and techniques to obtain a deep understanding of tennis and love for the game. The experience extends well beyond the tennis courts. Away from the rigors of practice and competition, young tennis players become involved in the participation of healthy habits and the building of lasting friendships among tennis players.
Tuesdays at 3:50-5p
Dates: Apr 9 - May 28
Grades K-5
Cost: $175
Wednesdays
Soccer (indoors) - MSA Sports
MSA believes children should be equipped with the knowledge of learning the fundamentals of sports, but also about responsibility, leadership, and teamwork! We want all children to learn the building blocks of the sport they want to play and to add to that foundation as they become more experienced in the sport. Our coaches will inspire these characteristics into children as they learn their sport.
Wednesdays at 3:50-5p
Dates: Apr 17 - May 29
Grades K-5
Cost: $175
Music Lessons: Piano, Guitar, Violin, Drum - Learn Now Music
Students will participate in an ensemble music group. They may choose which instrument to play during the session. Piano, guitar, violin or drums. Students will learn about the instruments as well as how to play in a music group. *FREE Rental Instruments included.
Wednesdays at 4-5p
Dates: Weekly Sept 27- June 12
Grades K-5
Cost: $89 x 10 payments
Thursdays
Basketball (indoors) - MSA Sports
MSA is known for improving each athlete's skills and tremendously enhancing their ability to perform newly acquired skills while having FUN! Through fundamentally sound drills, games and innovative visualization techniques, we help the athlete not only to improve their skills, but also allows them to gain confidence, build up their self-esteem and overall attitude for life and the game itself.
Thursdays at 3:50-5p
Dates: Apr 11 - May 30
Grades K-5
Cost: $175
Spanish Introductory K-1 + Beginner B Extended Grades 2-5 - Big Learning
Join us as we continue our Spanish learning adventure in a fun, informal, language immersion setting. Gain confidence in hearing and speaking Spanish, build new vocabulary and expressions, explore new and familiar themes, and practice early reading and writing skills in Spanish. Topics for spring include favorite outdoor games and activities, the Mayan number system, snack time, describing physical characteristics, wild animals, Machu Picchu, prepositions, and more cultural notes!
Native Spanish speakers teach our classes. Each session includes different topics, themes, and hands-on activities with a workbook to encourage practical use of the language and strengthen early literacy skills. Beginner B Extended is offered in the Spring and is appropriate for students who have participated in at least one 8-week Beginner session.
Thursdays at 4-5p
Dates: Apr 18 - June 6
Grades K-1 + 2-5
Cost: $180
Coding - Panda Programmer
Learn about Scratch JavaScript. Created by MIT, Scratch is a program that allows students to create their own interactive stories, games, and animations. Python - from web development to
data science, machine learning, and more, Python’s real-world applications are limitless.
JavaScript is the language that powers your favorite websites and online applications. Students learn HTML and CSS as well!
Thursdays at 4-6p
Dates: Apr 11 - May 16
Grades K-5
Cost: $239
Fridays
CANCELED Pottery - Mudskippers Pottery
Join Mudskippers Pottery this session as we explore all things Fall! Get ready to get your hands dirty and tackle NEW projects that are sure to keep you entertained. You will work on pinch pots, coil pots and slab hand built pottery as you take your pottery from start to finish even glazing your own work! You don’t want to miss this chance to create memorable masterpieces you can cherish all year round! Come on and let’s get muddy!
Fridays at 4-5p
Dates: Apr 5 - May 26
Grades: K-5
Cost: $203
*These classes are neither sponsored nor endorsed by the Board of Education of Montgomery County, the superintendent, or Diamond elementary school.
*Click on Kiddo for link
Big Learning (Chemistry, Spanish) / C&O Chess / Kaizen Karate / Mudskippers Pottery (Art)
Montgomery Sports Association - MSA (Basketball, Soccer, Tennis)
Other Activities (classes + registration)
Learn Now Music (group music lessons - ongoing Sept-June)
Register at https://learnnowmusic.com/group-lessons/
Panda Programmer (coding classes)
Register at https://pandaprogrammer.