CEO Program
The DSU CEO program for grades 6 through 8 helps students develop positive self-management habits that last a lifetime.
DSU’s signature CEO Program is much like a cross country trip. There’s no winging it. It’s intentional. Students follow a plan that creates habits and non-negotiable steps to success. They learn about themselves and they learn from others; and when they experience challenges, they will learn to be flexible and accountable. They develop self-awareness. They learn to identify the activities they enjoy doing, what are the “have to’s”, and what are the triggers to distraction?
DSU staff help students create the life, not just academic goals, that they want for themselves. It’s a plan customized to the student’s interests and life with room to experience success and learn from the failures. No judgement, no emotion, no expectations except to try, to work hard and to be committed to the process.
What do students gain from the CEO program?
- They are the Chief Everything Officer of their life.
- They are in charge, building the skills to advocate for themselves and manage their commitments.
- They learn critical Executive Function skills of time management, organization, and long-range planning.
- More home life harmony and less conversations focused on “have you done your homework?”
- A sense of confidence & pride in their achievements.
- Less time overwhelmed by homework; a sense of accomplishment with work done.
- More engaged in the classroom & more accountability.
- Ability to advocate for themselves resulting in deeper relationships with their teachers.
- Earlier awareness to recognize “I need help”; confidence to know that it is not a sign of weakness but a sign of proactivity and being in charge.
For Middle School through 9th Grade
DSU’s CEOs range from 6th grade to high school. The program runs 2:45pm-5:00pm daily. Students are encouraged to lead a full life engaging with teachers after school, enjoying social time, extracurriculars and selfcare prior to arriving in the Academic Center at 3:15pm.
6th Grade CEO
The transition to middle school is a significant one! A new school environment with a team of teachers, some with different expectations, deadlines and homework delivery systems. It can quickly feel overwhelming. First and foremost, students appreciate DSU’s environment to process the excitement and challenges of the day then go to the Academic Center Monday through Friday for a distraction free environment to execute the daily homework. During the first term, students learn Schoology, Gmail and track their progress on the Aspen Portal. DSU staff provide weekly lessons for students to learn to advocate for themselves and build lasting relationships with their teachers. Strategies are reinforced throughout the year to feel in control and develop ongoing homework and study habits.
7th Grade CEO
7th grade is a great time to hone important executive function skills like agenda management, study skills and managing the academic, extracurricular and personal commitments. While 7th graders tend to be more active in extracurricular activities, they still appreciate the value of using their after school time purposefully. They enjoy the camaraderie of friends but also want their evenings free to pursue their activities or enjoy time to relax. They are developing as independent learners but still appreciate the structure, distraction free environment and regular check ins with staff.
8th/9th Grade CEO
Our 8th grade CEO’s have a system that works and the daily coaching requires more of a check in. Audits of agendas, Schoology and Aspen portal are still implemented but students are generally far more connected to their grades and strive to do well. For an 8th grader who has never done CEO, it’s not too late to implement executive function strategies to build strong homework and study habits.
2024 - 2025 DSU CEO Tuition Rates
| Grade | Annual Tuition | Deposit | Monthly Tuition (10 mos.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | $3,558.00 | $534.00 | $302.40 |
| 7 | $3,202.00 | $480.00 | $272.20 |
| 8 | $2,881.00 | $432.00 | $244.90 |
*Program deposits, fees and monthly tuition are non-refundable. DSU programming is a year long commitment. Changes to schedules are not guaranteed.
CEO is a yearlong commitment, because success comes from following the plan every day. A 10-month payment plan is required in addition to the state required forms to fulfill your student’s registration.
DSU offers a sibling discount of 5% off the annual tuition of each child enrolling in DSU programming. This discount will be applied to each monthly payment. Discount is applicable to families with multiple children.
Scholarships are available.
Please note sibling discounts and scholarships cannot be combined.
Daily Schedule
Monday - Friday
2:45 pm to 3:15pm DMS students walk independently to DSU and sign in at the front desk. Enjoy time to blow off steam, grab a snack at the Blender Café, participate in organized group activities led by DSU staff, or get a head start on homework.
3:15pm – 5:00pm Move to the lower level of DSU for structured homework time including emphasis on study skills, agenda management, time management, and tracking long term projects and assignments and breaking up work into manageable parts.
5:00 pm Pack up for dismissal or extracurricular activities ensuring all materials are returned to their binder/backpack and assignments to be completed at home are marked in their agenda.
Students sign themselves out when picked up by an adult or moving to another location (i.e. walk to library, athletics.) *Departure time is flexible, according to student’s schedule.
