2025 SUMMER STEAM CAMPS
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
Camp Dates: June 16-August 8th, 2025.
Location: Bishop Diego School, 4000 La Colina Rd. SB.
Camp Information:
- Camp Arrival and Drop-off is 8:30-8:55am. Campers meet other campers, play games and participate in a science demo in the Courtyard. At 9am – campers go with their counselors to their specific camp & classroom.
- Camp Ends at 3:30pm. Pick up for campers is 3:30-3:45pm in the courtyard. Campers will be grouped by their camp with their counselor in the courtyard.
- Aftercare is available Monday-Thursday 3:30-5pm and must be registered for in advance.
Follow These Steps:
- Know the name of your child’s camp so that check-in is smooth and easy for all families. To review camps your child is registered in, go to: https://campsself.active.com/artexplorersterrificscientific
and enter your ACTIVe login and password. Check that all names of people who can pick up your child are listed in your ACTIVE account. - For Drop-OFF at 8:30-8:55, park your car in the Bishop school parking lot and walk your child to our check-in tables at the school gate. Look for the name of your child’s camp at the check-in tables and check-in there. If you are late to camp ((9:05 or later), your camper misses getting into their group and requires being walked to their classroom individually. Kids sometimes feel embarrassed to walk into their classroom after everyone is already there and seated. Joining their camp mates in the courtyard really helps with group comfort AND helps us organize them in their camps and proceed as a group to their classroom.
- For Pick-Up of your child, 3:30-3:45, park your car in the school parking lot and enter the gate near the check-in table. Look for your child’s camp group in the Courtyard. There will be big signs with name of each camp! For your child’s safety, make sure they are checked out with their counselor. After 3:45, any remaining campers will go to Aftercare to be picked up and a daily fee of $12 is charged.
- To Pick-Up Early or Drop-Off Late, please send an email on the day of the event to the director. When you arrive come to the check-in tables.
Authorized Pick-Up Persons
- ALL persons authorized to pick up your child MUST BE listed in your ACTIVE account. Your child will not be released without the name.
- Click here to enter your account and add names: https://campsself.active.com/artexplorersterrificscientific On the right side of the web page, click on “Manage Authorized Pick-up” Then choose “+add pick-up” under participant name and click on SAVE.
Parent/Child “Campus Walk About” – Mondays, 3:30pm
On Monday, pick up your child and let them give you a guided tour of the lovely Bishop Diego campus and their classroom. This is an informal walk about!
Aftercare is available from 3:30-5:00pm and must be signed up for in advance. In the event of an unanticipated situation, a camper can enroll for one day by emailing or talking with the Director. Fee is $12 daily. Aftercare includes outside game time, inside creative projects and reading time depending on their interest. Occasionally, we have a “child appropriate” movie that campers can choose to watch. Late fees are charged at $1.00 per minute past 5:00pm.
Please keep your child home if they show any signs of a cold (cough, sore throat, fever, body aches, headache) or have been exposed to Covid. Then do a COVID test. Be sure it is not expired! Please inform us if your child does test positive for Covid so that we can take action to mitigate its spread.
Forgot to ADD Lunches or Aftercare when you registered? Follow these directions to add:
- Must be ordered a week in advance of your child’s camp.
- Directions: https://support.activenetwork.com/camps/articles/en_US/Article/Add-Session-Options-Merchandise-after-Registration-via-Online-Account-Camp?searchIn=allTypes
- Next, enter ACTIVe Account & complete order: https://campsself.active.com/artexplorersterrificscientific
Daily Schedule…a typical day!
8:30-8:55 Courtyard Events
- Science Demonstration & Games
9:00am Specific Camp Activities
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- Tribes Activity: Get to Know You
- Project Time: Camp lesson/project -1.5 hr.
- Break: OUTDOOR snack//bathroom break-15 min
- Project Time: Camp lesson/project-1 hr.
Mid-day: Lunch/Outdoor Play – 60 min
Afternoon: Specific Camp Activities
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- Tribes Activity – Get to Know You
- Project Time: Camp lesson/project-1.25
- Break: OUTDOOR snack/bathroom break -15 min
- Project Time: Camp lesson/project – 1 hr.
- Finish up/clean-up: Move out to pick up area -10 min.
3:30-3:45 Camper Pick UP in Courtyard
What Makes a Successful Camp Experience
Critical to a successful camp experience is that your child knows the content of the camp and the camp name in which he/she is enrolled. Be sure that both you and your child have read the camp description and that it is a good fit. Encouraging your child to try something new is always a positive effort, but ensure your child knows what they are trying!
If your child has never been to camp before, or you know your child has difficulty separating from you, please go over the schedule of the day, talk with them about how you will drop them off at the gate with our counselors and return to pick them up.
Remind them to go to their counselor or director with any questions or worries.
Saying Goodbye to Your Camper
Once your camper is checked in for their camp at Bishop Diego School, please say goodbye at the gate as our counselors will escort them into the courtyard. There they meet other campers, play games and participate in a science demonstration.
At 9am, they walk to the classroom with their counselor to begin their specific camp day.
Parents do not continue past the gate so that we are able to maintain safety, security and help kids join in with others.
Stay super positive, check your own anxiety, and be clear with your child as to the procedure.
We find it is easier for kids to “leave” their parent, rather than their parent “leaving them”.
Behavior Expectations of All Children
Have a conversation with your child about:
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- Being KIND in words and in action. Kids are often exuberant to be with other kids in a fun environment. Please remind them to keep their hands to themselves and not wrestle, grab, roughhouse or get in another child’s face. Some children are adverse to being touched and it is important to respect body boundaries.
- How to make new friends. We do our part through Tribes Activities (anti-bullying program) to help children learn about each other and make new friends. If your child comes with a buddy, encourage them to include others and not isolate in a clique.
- Use of inappropriate language, making jokes that are disrespectful to different groups of people, or making bodily noises they think are funny. We have a zero tolerance for this behavior and parents will be notified to correct the behavior.
- Review what bullying means. Use this LINK to talk with your child. One warning, further negative behaviors will result in being sent home.
What to Bring or Not Bring to Camp
- Please bring a healthy snack and a water bottle daily. Pack a healthy lunch OR purchase hot lunch. Please NO sodas, high sugar desserts, candy NUTS, or peanut butter sandwiches to camp. We frequently have campers with severe nut allergies and even tiny amounts can cause life-threatening or anaphylactic reactions.
- Campers should wear clothes that are easy to play in and get dirty plus closed-toe shoes!
- DO NOT bring cell phones or toys. Our camps follow the California Phone-Free School Act. Click on Link: Assembly Bill 3216, to limit phone cell usage during camp this summer. If your child brings their cell phone to camp, they will be required to store it in their back-pack or in our phone basket in their classroom for the full camp day. Camp time is for kids to make new friends, play with familiar friends, learn new & exciting things, have fun and to stay off phone screens.
Cancellation Policy:
Our flexible cancellation and transfer policy allows you to make timely changes in your summer schedule or receive camp credit if your child cannot attend. Camp credit is good for 2 years. Read our policies below carefully for deadlines.
Changes in schedule:
Transfers in schedule incur a $25 administrative fee and need to be requested by email.
- 24 hr cancellation – full refund.
- 2/9-2/28 – $25 cancellation fee. Balance refunded to your credit card.
- 3/1-4/15 – $50 cancellation fee per camp. Balance refunded to your credit card.
- 4/16-5/31 – $50 cancellation fee per camp. Balance refunded Only to ACTIVE credit and future use up to 2 years.
- 6/1 -8/5 – No refunds or credits will be issued. However, a transfer to another camp this summer is possible if there is available space and will incur a $25 administrative fee. Please understand, we make decisions to run our camps based on enrollment and cannot afford to lose registrations past these dates as that affects other families.
Exceptions:
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- If your child becomes sick or has an injury during their week IN CAMP and is out for multiple days or all week, we will credit your account or transfer them to a different week. This does NOT include pre-arranged treatments.
- No refunds are given if you remove your child from camp due to a mask mandate or COVID testing requirement.
Hot Lunch Provided by Nu Cuisine
Nu Cuisine is the provider of our camp lunches! They provide healthy, organic, vegetarian option, ALL MADE FROM SCRATCH, are State of CA certified, and serve public and private schools in Santa Barbara County. Koji Nomura is the owner of Nu Cuisine and has owned and operated Piranha Restaurant & Sushi, California Noodle Kitchen, Rocket Burrito, Miso Hungry, Santa Barbara Tennis Club Cafe, and OKU Restaurant and Sushi.
We keep it simple! There is no daily selection to choose from.Our Kid-preferred weekly menu for the 8 weeks of summer includes: protein, carbs, fruit and vegetables. When registering for camp, select either vegetarian or meat based option.
The menu’s below will be served during our 8 weeks of camp and rotate weekly to provide variety.
I. Meat based Lunch Menus:
- Pepperoni Pizza
- Pasta and Meatballs
- Pesto Chicken Pasta
- Alfredo Chicken Pasta
- Orange or Teriyaki chicken rice bowl
- Chicken Potsticker rice bowl
- Asian chicken salad
- Chicken Caesar salad
- Cheeseburger with fries
- Chicken tenders with fries
- Chicken soft tacos
- Crunchy beef tacos
- Beef burritos
- Mac & Cheese
- Eggs & Waffles/Syrup
II. Vegetarian based Lunch Menus
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- Bean and cheese burrito
- Grilled Cheese Sandwich with fries
- Quesadilla
- Veggie Burger with fries
- Pasta Alfredo
- Pesto Pasta – Sunflower Seeds
- Mac & Cheese
- Tofu Asian Salad
- Tofu Caesar Salad
- Vegetarian Chili/Tortilla chips
- Pasta Marinara
- Cheese Pizza
- Cheese Ravioli w/ Marinara Sauce
- Eggs & Waffles/Syrup
- Vegetarian Pot Stickers Rice Bowl
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Why Choose Us for Your Child’s Camp This Summer?
Safety First:
We take physical safety and emotional safety very seriously. Children are supervised at all times, our staff are background checked, and we have a zero tolerance for bullying of any type. We respect and affirm EVERY child, parent, and teacher, and will not tolerate any form of prejudicial or demeaning comments, jokes or actions. Children like adults do have disagreements and our staff work to resolve those in a caring and responsible way. Our goal is to provide an environment where children feel accepted, are assisted to get to know each other, feel welcome, and involved in their own learning. We use Tribes Education to encourage that behavior. In the morning and afternoon, each classroom participates in activities that encourage inclusivity, build community, and develop social/emotional growth. Please let us know at any time if you have concerns. We strive to be NUT-FREE. Please do not bring nuts or peanut butter sandwiches to camp. We frequently have campers with severe nut allergies and even tiny amounts can cause life-threatening or anaphylactic reactions.
Inclusivity:
We are a welcoming environment for ALL children regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or gender. We affirm every child’s right to the name or pronoun they wish to be called. Through community building TRIBES activities we help children be inclusive, kind, and make new friends.
Staffing:
Our staff/child ratio is 1:12. Our male and female staff are comprised of teachers, professionals, graduate and undergraduate college students in the departments of science, engineering, medicine, education, computer science, math, and art. When hiring, our top priority is to have staff who LOVE working with kids, are smart, can communicate effectively with children and parents, and work together as a team. We have high expectations of our staff: warm, enthusiastic, engaging, a smile on their face, prepared for each day, and committed to making camp a wonderful experience for kids. We provide training to counselors in the curriculum they will teach, classroom management skills, safety rules, and Tribes education.
Cutting Edge Curriculum:
65 DIFFERENT Camps… the largest array of different camps in Santa Barbara County! We have created an unparalleled set of cutting edge programs designed for the young mind ages 5-14. Our philosophy is to develop a hands-on, minds-on, challenging STEAM program for girls and boys that lays the foundation for innovative minds, problem solvers and design thinkers of the future. Camp curriculum is inquiry based, developed by a team of professionals and “kid-tested” to ensure that camps are fun, full of learning concepts, and have a track record of being successful!
Covid Prevention, Protocols & Classroom Space
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- Please keep your child home if they show any signs of a cold (cough, sore throat, fever, body aches, headache) or have been exposed to Covid. Then do a COVID test. Be sure it is not expired!
- Follow prevention protocols: wash hands and/or use hand sanitizer, wear a mask to camp if you want extra precautions.
- Please inform us if your child does test positive for Covid so that we can take action to mitigate its spread.
- All Art Explorers/Terrific Scientific staff are vaccinated. We encourage all students to be COVID vaccinated.
- Masks are currently NOT required for staff and students. However, we reserve the right to institute masks to be worn in class or to require COVID antigen testing prior to attending camps in the event of an upsurge in COVID either in camps or in the SB Community.
- We will take all precautions necessary to protect students and instructors based on our own assessment of local infection rates as well as Public Health guidelines .
- No refunds are given if you remove your child from camp due to a mask mandate, COVID testing requirement.
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Communications
If you have questions or concerns about any aspect of our camps, our directors or instructors are available to talk with you. Our goal is always to have a positive atmosphere and experience for our campers, instructors and parents. Being respectful and modeling appropriate communications is critical for our kids to observe as well as to resolve any issues.
Administration of Medicine
If your child requires any medications during the time he/she is at the camp, please download this form and print it, fill in the required information, and bring it with the child on the first day of camp. Administration of Medicine Form (Click Link to Download Form)
Camp Evaluation Form
After your child returns home from Summer Camp, we ask that you fill out the online Camp Evaluation Form. Your input will greatly help us improve the camps and course offerings. We can’t wait to hear from you! Online Camp Evaluation Form.
