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 2012 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 25 and ending August 17. 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 12:45-3:45 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 3:45-6 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 eight 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 hula hooping contest, running through the sprinkler, or sitting on the lawn eating popsicles together – all the things that make summer...well, summer!

We are also pleased to again offer our Preschool Pavilion program, which will run all eight weeks that camp is in session. Preschool Pavilion is available to 4-year-olds (by September 30, 2012) and will feature weekly themes and creative, developmentally appropriate activities. Each session 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 e-mailing summercamp@pinecrestschool.org or by leaving a message at the school office (703.354.3446).

It’s going to be another great summer!

Beth Hartzler
Camp Director

Dear Camp Families,

I spent a lot of time the last week of camp thinking about what I would say in my end-of-camp letter. On Friday night when I walked out after the last camper had been picked up, the last hug had been given, and the final goodbye had been said I was still thinking about it. When I got into my car the CD my girls had been given in Girl Power camp was playing and the song that was on was Proud by Heather Small. The words that rang from the speakers were, "What have you done to make you feel proud?" Tears streamed down my face and right away I knew I had the beginning of my camp letter in my answer. Creating, running, and growing camp at Pinecrest Summer Pavilion has made me extremely proud!

It has been one of my greatest joys and privileges to be a part of PSP and to see it blossom into the camp it is today. Five and a half years ago Pinecrest Summer Pavilion was just an idea. When we opened our doors that first summer, camp, though small, far exceeded all of our expectations. Each summer since we have added classes, increased enrollment, and brought in more staff. While we have built on some, refined a bit, and tweaked things here and there, we have staunchly stuck by and kept the things that we felt set us apart. Providing you with a fun, high-quality, and flexible program that offers a great variety of classes to choose from and that nurtures curiosity, confidence and a love of learning has always been important to us. Having a camp atmosphere that is warm and comfortable, maintaining a high level of personal attention for both the campers and their parents, and developing a sense of community has also been a top priority. Each summer has been awesome in its own way and we always think it is the best - that is, until the next summer comes along and we are surprised to find we have had an even better time than the year before. As one of our campers said this year, "Pinecrest just keeps getting better and better." Making sure that statement remains true and that we have the "best camp ever" as another camper said, will always be my goal.

One of the funniest things someone said in an end-of-camp note to me was, "Some people think you are crazy to do this job year after year but I am glad you do." I may be crazy but there is nothing on earth I would rather be doing. There are so very many wonderful parts to being a camp director. Every single day was full of smiles, hugs, and laughter and there were too many funny stories and touching moments to count. My head and heart are so full of the many incredible memories of our 2011 turquoise summer that I could never pick a favorite. There is much that I loved...

I loved dreaming of classes, designing the schedule and waiting to see who signed up for what. I loved welcoming back former campers and seeing them a whole year bigger. I loved meeting and getting to know our new campers and parents whose names I knew via forms or e-mail for months before they came. I loved opening car doors, checking kids off on the clipboard, and hearing over 400 campers say, "Hi, Mrs. Hartzler!" at some point or another over the course of the summer. I loved spending my summer working with the best teachers and most dedicated assistants ever. They are all so incredibly awesome and they work so hard. Their talent, creativity, and ability to make every subject one that is fun continues to amaze me. They care about each other and most importantly they know the kids and care about them. I loved walking the halls, stopping by classes, and seeing happy campers busily engaged, and one cool activity, project or show after another. I loved the delight on campers' faces as they came down the water slide for the first time, became a superhero, graduated to Jedi status, or performed a magic trick. I loved that it was not out of the ordinary to see kids walking down the hall covered in shaving cream, assistants wrapped in duct tape or campers standing in a pool of yucky spaghetti because there is little we won't do in the name of fun. I loved the way kids from all over came together in a new place and became friends. I loved that it is not just staff who feels our camp is like a big family, but our camp families too, and that coming back each summer is kind of like attending a family reunion. I really loved the pictures at each week's end because they told the story of eight wonderful weeks at Pinecrest Summer Pavilion better than my words ever could. I can't wait to love all of these things all over again next year!!

Camp always goes by too fast. "How is it possible that camp can already be ending?" said my daughter on the way to Pinecrest the last day of camp. What takes almost a year to plan comes to fruition in 8 short weeks and they just fly by. More than one camper has told us they wish that camp could last all year long. While that is not possible, the good news is that Pinecrest Summer Pavilion 2012 is only 10 months away, and 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.

We hope that you and your child enjoyed your experience with Pinecrest Summer Pavilion as much as we did. We had an amazing summer teaching, hanging out, and having fun with our campers. There is nothing we would rather do. We are so proud of our success and so thankful to you, our camp families, 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 next year 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.

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 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. As one of my young friends said, "I love this camp. It is the best place to be." I couldn't agree more!

Wishing you and your child a fabulous school year and hoping to see you back in 2012

It was a great summer!
Beth Hartzler