My 7yo son attended summer camp at Appletree last year. When we first went for a visit prior to registering, the director, Laura, took us on a tour showing us the gymnastics room, indoor soccer/hockey rink, the back baseball fields, the computer lab, and the outdoor pool and playground. She told us about the planned field trips (usually 3-4 in a season) and provided us with a printed schedule of weekly activities. Everyday was to include pool time as well as some other unique sports activity (a soccer game no the indoor court, roller hockey at the indoor rink, gymnastics in the gym - complete with play balls, trampolines, balance bars) and an arts & craft activity or some other inside "wind-down" activity. Every Friday, one child could bring in a movie and they'd make popcorn - this was called "Popcorn Theater." Lunch and snack was to be provided daily - and a varied memu was offered. I was told that the child care workers were experienced and others were currently enrolled in their third/fourth year of college with a early childhood educ major. I was excited about the fun he would have - and so was my son. Although the cost per week was a little higher than some other camps, it would be worth it! My son was "all about sports" - this would be the perfect camp for him!
Little did I know, my son's experience would be nothing like I was promised. One field trip. No time in the hockey rink. No time on the indoor soccer court. Maybe one arts & craft activity during the entire 8wks. No computer lab time. No time in the gymnastics room. Just pool time (and less than what was promised, too!) and an occasional game of kick ball or dodge ball. And the child care workers were hardly experienced! The one girl seemed like the last place she wanted to be was in a room full of kids. On many occasions, I heard the frustration and disdain in her voice, when she turned to a child and said "What?!? Just leave me alone for a minute! I'm trying to do something." And Popcorn Theater... Does letting 5-7 yo's watch the PG-13 rated horror movie "The Grudge" qualify as an appropriate movie for kids? I would NEVER allow my child to watch it. Unfortunately, I didn't find out that the camp allowed it until the program ended.
And to add insult to injury, I received a letter from the camp, just a couple weeks ago, claiming that I still owed for two weeks. What a joke! I enrolled for 8 out of 10 weeks and was told that I wouldn't have to pay for those weeks if I notified them at the time of registration. Certainly that's not the usual policy at most camps, so I even clarified that point verbally and again in writing when I filled out the initial paperwork. They rec'd my reg forms with my notation, signed it and returned my copy to me in the mail before camp began.
If anyone owes money - it's the camp who owes ME a refund! And now, due to the "outstanding balance", they refuse to release their EIN so that I cannot claim the childcare expenses of over $1500 when I file my federal taxes. Unreal!
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