WHAT IS CAMP?

Campers:  Campers include school-age girls and boys from diverse backgrounds and with a variety of interests and abilities.  A majority of campers return from year to year.  It is also great to see new faces at camp each summer.  Campers are carefully placed in groups according to age and/or interests.

Fees:  A week of day camp is $185.  This fee includes all activities and special events, supplies, equipment, staff, field trips with related transportation and admissions, snacks, facilities and the full range of available program hours.  A one-time $10 registration fee is charged, part of which pays for your child’s camp shirt.  A $20 deposit per week is due at the time of registration to be applied toward the weekly fee.

Hours:  The program is open from 7:30 a.m. until 5:45 p.m. daily.  Day camp activities occur from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.   Before Camp Care is available from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and After Camp Care is available from 4:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. for no
additional fee.

Kick-Off:  Monday the camp director and staff welcome campers, review rules, explain routines and schedules, and familiarize new campers with camp. Kick-off concludes with a fun activity sure to help everyone get comfortable with one another and excited about their week!

Staff:  Camp directors are college graduates in areas of study relevant to working with children.  They have extensive experience working directly with children as well as
management experience.  All camp staff are eighteen years or older, are caring, energetic and have experience and education related to working with school-age children, as well as first-aid and CPR certification.   A site staff team is made up of the camp director, an assistant director,specialists and counselors.

Snack and Lunches:  Morning and afternoon snacks are served daily.  Campers bring their own lunch to camp.   Lunches should be packed so as not to require refrigeration
or heating. Milk and juice are served daily and milk is available at lunchtime.

Special Events:  Special events are theme-related activities for the whole camp best suited for a larger group.  They might include games, activity stations or special guests
and presentations.  Special events are a great opportunity for social interaction beyond the established small groups.

Field Trips:  Campers take one or more field trips related to their theme or specialty unit. Field trips are taken via chartered school bus or AFTER SCHOOL van or bus with an approved driver.  Notice of all field trips is given the first day of the week.  Campers wear their camp shirts on field trips.

Swimming:  Safety is our first priority when swimming.  Once a week the whole camp takes a trip to an area swimming pool or public beach staffed by trained lifeguards. Campers are assigned to one of two swim levels and are closely supervised by lifeguards and all camp staff.

Friday Festivals:  Friday afternoon the camp has a celebration of the week.  Included is an opportunity for groups to share their week followed by an all-camp activity
guaranteed to end the week with fun and festivities!  Parents are welcome at the Friday Festival, and encouraged to join in the fun.

Convenient Locations:  AFTER SCHOOL Day Camps are conveniently located in your community.  All buildings provide the necessary space for the variety of activities and programs offered by AFTER SCHOOL.  We have also carefully chosen facilities that have access to plenty of green space since summer camp means being outside!

ACA Accredited:  AFTER SCHOOL Day Camps are American Camp Association accredited programs.  ACA accreditation verifies that a camp complies with 300 individual health and safety program-quality standards and assures parents that our programs meet or exceed national standards.  The ACA Accredited Camp logo is a mark of distinction that only 25% of camps in the United States have earned and is evidence of our commitment to a safe, high quality camp experience.

CAMP PROGRAM 5-7 Year Olds  We are sensitive to the needs of our youngest campers to feel safe, to be able to explore and make choices and to socialize with others. The entire camp program centers on a broad weekly theme.  Activities are planned in advance for small groups of 10-12 campers by the camp specialists.  Campers choose specific activities throughout the week based on their interests.

• Campers are divided by age and/or interest area into groups of ten to twelve participants.
• A physically and psychologically safe environment serves as the base from which children explore, learn and have fun!
• The entire camp program centers on the weekly theme.

• Throughout the week campers are given the opportunity to choose theme related activities based on their interests.
• Specific activities are planned in advance by the camp specialists; however, campers’ interests and needs will guide the execution of these plans.
• Field trips such as swimming, nature excursions, and theme-related outings occur throughout the week.
• With themes that stretch the imagination and fun activities that guide children's growth, AFTER SCHOOL Day Camp is the perfect place for a 5-7 year old!

CAMP PROGRAM 8-12 Year Olds   We respect the growing independence of our older campers and their desire for challenges and social interaction.  Eight to twelve
year olds register for a specialty unit that relates to the weekly theme, but is more specific and more advanced.  Specialty units are not lessons, but consist of a variety of
activities designed to broaden a camper’s understanding of a topic, provide opportunity for new experiences, and spark new interests.  Camp specialists plan and lead specific
unit-related activities for these small groups of 10-12 campers.  The number of unit choices varies by camp.

• Campers choose from specialty units (two to seven choices depending on the size of the camp) each week.
• Campers choose units when they register.
• Each specialty unit group of ten to twelve campers and a Camp Specialist spend their week together getting to know one another, focusing on activities related to the specialty areas, and enjoying traditional day camp activities.
• Campers spend at least half of each program day in specialized unit-related activities, projects, or field trips.
• Camp specialists plan specific activities and field trips in advance; however, children's interests and needs will guide the execution of those plans. Specialists strive to explore the broadest range of unit related activities, providing a variety of activity types to meet the varied interests of this age group.
• Specialty units are not lessons, but consist of a variety of activities designed to broaden a camper's understanding of a topic, provide opportunity for new experiences, and spark a new interest.  These specialized activities happen in the context of a traditional day camp program which includes opportunities for all-camp activities, field trips, recreation and plenty of fun!
• Some specialty units may require specific equipment and/or previous unit-related experience.  Units may also include an additional activity fee for the additional equipment, supplies, or instruction necessary for those units.