FAQs
General FAQ
| Q. Are the majority of students attending Summer Programs at Princeton Day School students of the School?
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A. Summer Programs at Princeton Day School are open to students within PDS as well as students from other schools. Approximately 25% of our summer campers attend PDS during the school year. What is the size of programs offered? Enrollment varies depending upon the program. Generally, sports programs range from 20-40 campers while arts and academics programs range from 8-16 campers
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| Q. When do you start accepting applications for Summer 2021?
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| A. The Summer Programs website will publish the program offerings and open for registration in February. Admissions are rolling. Certain programs will start filling up as early as mid-March. If you are enrolling several children, we encourage registering early to ensure you receive your first-choice programs. Please Note: Our database works best with Chrome, please use this as your browser when registering your child.
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Q. Should I choose a program according to my child's current grade or the grade he/she will be entering in the fall? |
| A. Programs are based on the grade a child is entering in the fall. For example, if Art is listed for grades 2-3, your child will have to be entering either one of those grades this fall to be eligible
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Q. My child would really like to take a course but s/he is not entering the grade for which it is listed. Can s/he still apply for that course? |
| A. Programs and their curriculum are designed specifically for the designated age group and their abilities. If you believe you have a special situation, and would like to discuss it in further detail, please call or email us with your request.
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| Q. If a program is marked "Full" on the website, can I still apply for that program?
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A. If a program is listed as full, it has reached it capacity. Your child's name will automatically be added to a waitlist. You may want to choose an alternative program as a second-choice. |
| Q. What are the chances of getting in if you are on the waitlist?
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A. If your child is at or near the top of the waitlist, there is always a chance (though no guarantee) of getting into a closed program. If you are at the bottom of the waitlist, and the program start date is approaching, it is probably in your best interest to select a different program. |
| Q. How will I find out if my child gets into a program for which we were waitlisted?
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A. If a space becomes available in a fully-enrolled course, a Summer Programs staff member will call the first name on the waitlist. This is a phone call we love to make! If you have not heard from the Summer Programs office, then it is safe to assume a space never became available for your child. |
| Q. Are all of the instructors from Princeton Day School?
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| A. Many Summer Programs instructors are full-time teachers at Princeton Day School. We also have a portion of teachers from other schools as well as professionals who are highly recommended. All instructors have been fingerprinted and passed criminal background checks.
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Q. Who are the camp counselors? |
| A. The camp counselors are: Princeton Day School upper school students, high school students from surrounding areas and college students. Our counselor application process is thorough and intensive. Counselors assist the instructors, support campers, and help where needed (drop-off, pick-up, and lunchtime). 80% of Summer Programs staff members are over 18
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Q. What are your camper to staff ratios?
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| A. Ratios adhere (and in some cases exceed) those set by the American Camp Association. They are as follows:
Campers 5 years and younger 4:1 ratio
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Daily Camp Routines
| Q. What time is camp? |
| A. Morning programs start at 8:30 a.m.. You may drop your child off anytime between 8:15 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. If you need to drop your child off before 8:15 a.m., we offer a pre-camp program beginning at 7:30 a.m. for an extra fee. Pick-up time for morning camp is at 11:30 a.m. If morning campers choose to stay for lunch, they should be picked up at 12:10 p.m. Afternoon programs start at 12:15 p.m.. You may drop your child off between 12:05 p.m. and 12:10 p.m. Afternoon campers are welcome to arrive early, at 11:30 a.m., if they choose to have lunch at PDS before their afternoon program. Pick-up time for afternoon camps is at 3:15 p.m. with camps beginning to pack-up for the day and head outside around 3:10 p.m. Should you need your child to stay longer than 3:15 p.m., we offer an extended day program until 5:30 p.m. for an extra fee. |
Q. What happens on the first day? |
| A. The first day your child attends camp, you will park your car (in Lower School area for arts/academic programs, or at the Ice Rink for sports camps) and check your child in. When checking in, our staff will be sure to check that your account is paid in full and a medical form is on record. Each day following the first day, you will simply pull up in your car and our staff will open the door and help your child out of the car. The children will wait together and be taken to their programs as a group with the teacher/counselor. *Mini-Camp Exception*: Our youngest campers will be escorted by their parent or care-giver to the mini-camp classrooms to ensure that they arrive safely and that any information is communicated between teacher and parent. At the end of the day, mini-campers will be picked up directly from the classroom as well. |
| Q. Where do I drop-off and pick-up? |
| A. There is detailed information on the PDS Summer Programs Website including maps for drop-off and pick-up information under the "Parent Resources" tab. Most sports campers are dropped-off/picked-up at the Ice Rink while all arts/academics campers are dropped off at the main school area. Pick-up locations vary by grade: K-3rd grade in front of the Lower School, and 4-12th grad in front of the upper school flagpole area. |
Accounts & Billing FAQ
| Q. How much is the registration deposit? |
| A. We require a $100 non-refundable deposit for each day program in which each child is being registered. This applies to each session for which you are registering. Day camps that exceed $500, overnight camps, and adventure camps require a $150 non-refundable deposit per participant. Spaces are not held until the deposit per-program is received. |
Q. Can I pay by credit card |
| A. Summer Programs at Princeton Day School will accept credit cards in addition to checks and cash. However, for your security, our policy is that credit card numbers must be entered directly by the user; we are unable to take credit card information over the phone. Just follow the instructions at the time of online registration. |
| Q. Can I bill the summer programs amount to my PDS school account? |
| A. For accounting purposes, we cannot bill your Princeton Day School account. Payment must be made separately to Summer Programs. |
| Q. What is Summer Programs' refund policy? |
| A. No refunds will be given after May 1st. |