Summer Camp FAQs

When you first come to EC3 for Summer Camp, we’ll direct you to the classroom–located in the gym. The teachers will welcome you and your child, and they will acquaint you with the room and the staff. There will be a sign-in/sign-out sheet that you need to complete each day (it’s required for our license). Each child has a cubby to keep his/her belongings, and lunch boxes go in the fridge. The teachers will help get your child interested in an activity and will be happy to answer any questions you might have–and you’re always welcome to stop by the office for anything else.

At EC3, we have the same requirements for our Summer Camp staff that we do for our early learning staff: teachers must have specialized training in elementary education (preferably a college degree), and they must be experienced working with elementary-aged children in a play-based, classroom setting. Summer Camp teachers must uphold the same standards of high-quality care that apply to all EC3 teachers, and they must share the children’s natural spirit of adventure while managing a diverse group of young learners. Three designated teachers will be the primary caregivers for the entire duration of Summer Camp (Monday, June 12- Tuesday, Aug 15)—and they will be assisted by EC3’s regular support staff for field trips and other occasions.

We expect that on any given day there will be 16–20 children in attendance. Children who have completed kindergarten through third grade are eligible to participate in EC3’s Summer Camp. Each year there are different ages represented, and the teachers adjust each activity for age-appropriateness.

The $227/week tuition fee is billed weekly in advance of the weeks of care and can be paid through Enrollsy. Tuition is due biweekly on Fridays. Tuition can be paid via cash, check, or ACH. Debit and credit cards may be used but incur a convenience fee of 2.5%. Accounts with a past-due balance are charged a weekly $25 late fee.

Each child will be assigned his/her own cubby for personal items. You will want to make sure he/she has a water bottle, a jacket or sweatshirt, a change of clothes, and sunscreen & insect repellent (no aerosols) with his/her name written on the bottle (first and last names). Each child should also have a backpack to use on field trip days. We will let you know when water-play will be involved, so you can provide swimsuits and towels. The children don’t need blankets or pillows unless they are accustomed to napping in the afternoon; usually they just have some quiet time spent reading, writing, or doing craft activities. EC3 Summer Camp is an electronics-free zone – please leave all cell phones, tablets, handheld games systems, headphones, and other electronics at home.

EC3 provides breakfast, morning snack, and afternoon snack; parents provide children with a sack lunch. Summer Camp will be equipped with its own refrigerator and microwave so lunches can be stored and heated if necessary—but please don’t send anything that requires more than 60 seconds in the microwave.
On field-trip days, you’ll want to pack non-perishable items or include something in their lunch to keep things cold—perhaps freeze their juice box the night before!

EC3 is an allergy-aware facility, meaning that food should not be shared with other children. (If any child in the Summer Camp program has a severe allergy to a particular food item, we may require you to refrain from bringing it.)

EC3 participates in the USDA’s Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), which means we maintain proper nutritional standards and practices.

BONUS: Monday is “pizza day” at EC3, which means you don’t have to pack a lunch! We order pizza from our friends at Dominos. We provide fresh fruit and vegetables with lunch on pizza day.

Summer Camp teachers will communicate with families in a number of ways. 

• Classroom whiteboard: Check daily for information about what the kids did that day, as well as upcoming events and reminders.
• Parent board: Check here for the updated field trip/presentation calendar, newsletters and more.
• Camper cubby and/or backpack: Check daily for classroom newsletters, event reminders and other communication from the teachers.
• Email: Look for weekly email reminders regarding field trips and other activities.

Parents may communicate with the Summer Camp teachers in a number of ways.

• Drop off and pick up: A Summer Camp teacher will open and close each day.
• Teacher mailbox: This is where you can leave schedule updates and other notes for the teachers.
• Email: Teachers’ email addresses will be included in the initial packet.

EC3 is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

EC3’s Summer Camp program provides an activity-based, fun summer experience for your child. The weekly “themes” of the camp will be driven by the children’s interests. Those themes will be explored through a variety of experiences, including field trips and outdoor classroom exploration, hands-on activities and art projects, journaling and reading, and project-based learning.
The typical daily schedule (subject to change for guests and field trips)

Unlike many “specialty” Summer Camps, many of our campers are here for over 8 hours a day. To meet their needs, we provide a good deal of time for self-selected activities. This might be arts and crafts, reading, journaling, building with manipulatives, or drawing.

If you have other questions that were not addressed here, please feel free to contact anyone in the office. Thank you for being part of EC3’s summer family!