Dear Parents,

Welcome to Pinecrest Summer Pavilion! Whether your child is a returning camper or is joining us for the first time, we are pleased to offer him/her a unique and memorable summer experience. Our mission is to provide a program with variety, flexibility and fun that nurtures curiosity, confidence and a love of learning. We are very excited about our summer 2010 schedule that does just that and are looking forward to having your child be part of the fun.

Pinecrest Summer Pavilion is committed to offering our campers an enjoyable and enriching summer experience in a physically safe, emotionally supportive, and fun-filled environment. We believe our high-quality instruction, low camper-to-teacher ratio, talented instructors, and cheerful facility create the perfect environment for exploration, growth and, most of all, fun. Whether it’s for a few weeks here and there, or a full-time summer experience, Pinecrest Summer Pavilion is sure to provide just what you need.

Our camp will be available to rising K-6 students and will run for eight weeks, in one-week sessions, beginning June 28 and ending August 20. Each week, camp will be divided into two half-day sessions. The morning session will run from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and the afternoon session will run from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Anyone wishing to stay all day will choose two classes (one in the morning and one in the afternoon) and will participate in a supervised lunch and play time. After-care is available from 3:30-6 p.m. for an additional fee.

At Pinecrest Summer Pavilion, you can custom-design your child’s great time by choosing the classes that best fit his/her needs and interests. During the nine weeks of camp, a wide selection of programs will be offered so that children can experience a lot of fun and exciting activities, not just one. Drama, cooking, writing, art, science, math, sports and a wide array of creative, themed classes will all be part of the adventure.

In addition to variety, our program offers great flexibility. Have swim team in the morning? Don’t worry, you can attend our exciting afternoon sessions. Like to spend the afternoon by the pool? Come early to enjoy a morning session and be done by noon. Interested in an action-packed summer of learning and fun or need full-time care? We’ve got you covered with our full-day camp program and after-care. Here you will find something for everyone!

We also know that summer is the time to relax, have fun and just be a kid. Like Pinecrest School, Pinecrest Summer Pavilion endeavors to develop community and build camp spirit. In addition to taking classes campers will have the opportunity to take part in camp-wide activities and theme days. This might mean playing on our giant water slide, dressing for a “beach day,” participating in a watermelon seed spitting contest, running through the sprinkler, or sitting on the lawn eating popsicles together – all the things that make summer...well, summer!

After successfully piloting our Preschool Pavilion program last year for four weeks, we are pleased to announce that this year we are expanding to include it all eight weeks that summer camp runs. Preschool Pavilion will be available to 4-year-olds (by September 30, 2010) and will feature weekly themes and creative, developmentally-appropriate activities. Each session will be one week long and will take place from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Just a few clicks away on this page, you will find more information about Pinecrest Summer Pavilion, including forms, schedules, fees, and class descriptions. Updates will be posted regularly. If you have any questions or need any assistance, please feel free to contact me by leaving a message at the school office (703.354.3446) or by e-mailing summercamp@pinecrestschool.org.

It’s going to be another great summer!

Beth Hartzler
Camp Director

Dear Parents,

On his last day of camp this year one first grader walked in with a rather sad face. When asked how he was and what was wrong he said, "I'm fine. Well, actually...I am upset. I am upset because it is so long til next year when I can come back." Another camper stated enthusiastically that they wished there were "100 more weeks of camp." And still another told me that this was "the best camp they had ever been to." These are just a few of the many stories and comments that we have been hearing all summer from both campers and parents. We are so very appreciative of all this positive feedback. Loving camp, wishing it wasn't over, feeling like next year is so very far away and not wanting to wait for the fun to being again is how we are all are all feeling right now.

The last day of camp is a bittersweet one for all of us. After months of planning and a full summer of camp it is hard to see it ending and hard to say goodbye - to the kids and to each other. It was a truly great summer. We all had a blast doing exactly what we love to do - teaching, hanging out, and having fun with kids. We hope that you and your child enjoyed your experience with Pinecrest Summer Pavilion as much as we did.

As I do every year, I spent some time this summer asking campers to tell me what they liked best about their day or what their favorite class or thing about camp was. While at times I did get some specific answers, more often than not their reply was the generic but all encompassing "everything." I have to laugh every time I hear that answer because try as I might, I cannot ever narrow down my favorite part either.

Choosing one particular favorite when there are so many great parts is near impossible. I loved creating a flexible schedule with a wide variety of classes that I thought would be pleasing to kids and their parents and then seeing who signed up for what. I loved welcoming back former campers and seeing them a whole year bigger. I loved meeting our new campers whose names I knew via forms or e-mail for months before they came. I loved opening car doors, getting to know kids and parents, and hearing over 300 campers say, "Hi, Mrs. Hartzler!" at some point or another over the course of the summer. I loved that we had such an awesome staff of talented, creative teachers and assistants who came up such amazing activities, processes, products and shows. I loved that campers were always happy and engaged when I walked around to check on things and that there was an incredible amount of learning that went on, most often under the guise of fun. I loved the warm and comfortable environment that we were able to create and that kids from all over came together in a new place and became friends. I really loved the pictures at week's end because they told the story of nine wonderful weeks at Pinecrest Summer Pavilion better than my words ever could.

Each year I think Pinecrest Summer Pavilion can't get any better yet each year it has. Many old favorites and some great new additions made for our most popular and most fun summer yet! We are so proud of our success and so thankful to you, our patrons, for being a part of it and for doing such a great job spreading the word about our unique program. We can't wait for Pinecrest Summer Pavilion 2010 (only 10 months away) to bring you another summer of learning and fun. We will, of course, strive to ensure that our program remains top-quality in every way. Believe it or not, planning is already underway! It will be a busy fall as we get together ideas for classes, recruit teachers and prepare our camp packets for release in January. If you have any ideas for camp classes you would like to see on next year's schedule (new or repeats) or any feedback/thoughts in general please let me know. You can email me at summercamp@pinecrestschool.org at any time.

Finally, I'd like to thank you for both your support this summer and even more for the wonderful letters I received at the end of camp. I have already looked at the cards and read through the notes several times. I will cherish them, as well as the memories of camp, for a very long time. Pinecrest Summer Pavilion is definitely my baby and nothing makes me feel better than knowing what a difference it has made to so many people.

Wishing you and your child a fabulous school year and hoping to see you back in 2010.

It was a great summer!

Beth Hartzler