FAQ's
Q: My child is a picky eater, how do you handle this at Pierce?
A: At every meal, we have a wide variety of “substitute” lunch items. Assorted cold cuts, bagels, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, yogurt, tuna salad, grilled cheese and more are offered daily. Dietary restrictions and allergy issues will be given individual attention.
Q: How long is the camp day, and what activities will my child be engaged in?
A: Buses begin to arrive at 9am, with the camp daily schedule beginning at 9:30am. Our daily schedule concludes at 4:10pm with dismissal at 4:30pm. Our Mini-Day program for 3 & 4 year olds ends/dismisses at 2pm each day.
All groups will be engaged in a broad based curriculum that appeals to a wide range of interests. Everyone swims twice daily (except Mini-Day campers who only swim 1x per day). A strong mix of athletics, fine and performing arts, and special events are planned on a daily/weekly basis. We pay careful attention to issues like heat/hydration, attention span, stamina etc. We employ an age appropriate approach towards our camp curriculum as it relates to the length of periods, type of equipment, size of fields/courts and balancing the menu of camp activities.
Q: How do I communicate with the camp? Who will be my "contact" or go to person at Pierce?
A: At Pierce, we believe in a strong communication system with our parents. It begins with a phone call before camp begins and continues throughout the summer season. We view our relationship as a partnership, with the central goal being your child’s happiness. Our summer office hours are between 8 am and 6 pm daily, with our after-hours answering service accepting calls thereafter. We regularly monitor this service. 516.621.2211.
Your child’s Group Leader will be your primary contact here at camp. He/She will be in touch with you on a frequent basis. Should you want to speak with your campers Group Leader, call our office and we will get him/her to you as soon as possible.
Q: My child is a strong swimmer/not a strong swimmer. How will he/she be handled in this regard?
A: At Pierce, we have an unmatched Aquatic facility and staff. Six, temperature controlled pools, including our Olympic indoor pool the Aqua Dome, set the stage for our famous swim program. All of our pools have been designed for specific age groups. Campers are grouped in the water according to ability. We maintain records on each camper at poolside as well as in our main office’s computer data base. Our swimmers are tested on a weekly basis as a minimum. Of course, campers are not always aware that we are conducting a review of their progress. Our goal is to have all of our camper’s progress in the water. We follow the American Red Cross swimming curriculum which is offered by a large and talented certified lifeguard staff. Should a camper excel or not, we pay close attention to their progress and make the necessary adjustments as needed. When one on one attention is needed, we will make sure that it happens.
Q: How are campers "grouped" at Pierce? Can I request to have my child be with his friends?
A: Campers are grouped according to grade in school completed. We will have multiple groups for each age/grade. We maintain a strict limit as to the size of our groups and will not compromise established ratios and group numbers. In early Spring, we will mail you a "Grouping Request Card." This request card provides you with the opportunity to make your requests for your child’s friends to be grouped with one another. We ask that you limit requests to two, as the requests are many and at times it can become a mathematical issue. We also ask that when making these requests, that parents cross endorse each other to insure the compatibility of the request.
Q: Can my child attend for less then eight weeks?
A: No, we are an eight week only summer program. The only way to attend less then eight weeks would be through our popular 4X4 program at our top-notch resident camp Birchmont. This program blends the best of both worlds in summer camp programming…. Four weeks here in Roslyn with the other four weeks spent at Birchmont with your already made buddies from the Day Camp. Should you be interested in this program, please give us a call so that we can fully describe its countless merits. Additional information on Birchmont can be received by calling 516.621.5034 or on the web at: www.campbirchmont.com. Ask us about our Pierce Points incentive program too!
