Summer Camp FAQs
When you arrive at EC3 for Summer Camp, we’ll guide you to the designated classroom in the gym. Parents will check their children in and out using the Child Pilot App—either by scanning the QR codes located throughout the building or by using the Kiosk at the main entrance. Our teachers will greet you and your child, introduce you to the space, and help you get familiar with the staff. Each day, you’ll need to complete the required sign‑in/sign‑out sheet for licensing purposes. Every child has their own cubby for personal belongings, and lunch boxes should be placed in the refrigerator.
The teachers will help your child settle in with an activity and are always available to answer any questions. You’re also welcome to stop by the office at any time if you need additional assistance.
Who Are the Teachers?
At EC3, our Summer Camp classrooms are led by highly qualified and experienced educators. Our teaching teams include seasoned elementary school staff as well as college students majoring in early childhood or elementary education. Each camp group is staffed with two full‑time teachers and supported by additional team members to ensure a safe, engaging, and well‑supervised environment.
All Summer Camp teachers meet the same high standards we set for our year‑round early learning staff. They receive specialized training in elementary education, have hands‑on experience working with school‑age children in play‑based classroom settings, and are dedicated to providing high‑quality care. Our teachers bring a spirit of curiosity and adventure that matches the energy of our campers while skillfully guiding the needs of a diverse group of young learners.
How Many Children Will Be Participating, and What Are Their Ages?
Our School‑Age Summer Camp can accommodate up to 30 campers, all of whom are children who have completed kindergarten through third grade. Each year brings a mix of ages within that range, and our teachers tailor activities to ensure they are engaging and age‑appropriate for everyone.
Our Preschool Summer Camp can accommodate up to 20 campers and is designed specifically for 4‑ to 5‑year‑olds who have completed a GSRP or Head Start program and will be entering kindergarten in the fall. Activities are carefully structured to meet the developmental needs of rising kindergarteners while maintaining a fun, play‑based environment.
How Is Tuition Handled?
Tuition for School‑Age Summer Camp is $227 per week, and Preschool Summer Camp is $241 per week. Tuition is billed at the beginning of each week and can be paid directly through the Child Pilot system.
Families may take up to two full weeks of vacation during the summer with no tuition charge. Tuition must be kept current to maintain enrollment.
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 if desired (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 7:150 a.m. to 5:45 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!