Special Needs Summer Camps (MD & DC)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this old thread b/c of the very helpful list of summer camps that may work for kids with SN. If anybody can chime in with experiences with these camps, or other suggestions, I would very much appreciate it! I'm looking for both theraputic camps and also regular camps that are inclusive for a 7 year old with significant speech issues.

A particular question about the Rockville JCC inclusion camp: Does this fill up super early such that there is no point in even thinking about it for summer 2018 now?

Yes, it fills up quickly. See if there is a waitlist? They also give priority registration to JCC members so at some point you get the hard sell to join.
We would if we had a dime to spare but since we don’t and we haven’t we end up feeling guilty about it if our kid gets into a camp session.

Yes, it fills up quickly. See if there is a waitlist? They also give priority registration to JCC members so at some point you get the hard sell to join.
We would if we had a dime to spare but since we don’t and we haven’t we end up feeling guilty about it if our kid gets into a camp session.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child likes the JCC inclusion camp well enough, but as a non Jew I will say that the camp administration finds ways of making us feel less included, more so as the years go by. We, the parents, don’t feel particularly welcome, but our child doesn’t seem to sense any of that. So, if you’re okay with that dive right in.

That's unfortunate and maybe something you should bring up to the board? I'm not Jewish but I have many friends who are members of the JCC and they really believe in the mission of including everyone, especially families with kids with special needs. I know they would be heart-broken to hear that your family is being treated this way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our child likes the JCC inclusion camp well enough, but as a non Jew I will say that the camp administration finds ways of making us feel less included, more so as the years go by. We, the parents, don’t feel particularly welcome, but our child doesn’t seem to sense any of that. So, if you’re okay with that dive right in.

That's unfortunate and maybe something you should bring up to the board? I'm not Jewish but I have many friends who are members of the JCC and they really believe in the mission of including everyone, especially families with kids with special needs. I know they would be heart-broken to hear that your family is being treated this way.

It makes us feel a little heart broken too because we are so thankful for this experience for our child but they say and do unkind things to us. Subtle, but not unrecognized.
We cannot say anything to the board as we don’t want to ruin our child’s experience or her chances of acceptance in future years. Maybe the board should check some on the camp administrators? Have a chat about being welcoming to all?
I wonder if money has something to do with it? Does the camp depend on donations? We love the camp but in raising a special needs person we have no money (we have crazy debt).

The camp is worth it though - it’s very nice and we wish that more camps were like this one. It is a wonderful thing for a special child.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child likes the JCC inclusion camp well enough, but as a non Jew I will say that the camp administration finds ways of making us feel less included, more so as the years go by. We, the parents, don’t feel particularly welcome, but our child doesn’t seem to sense any of that. So, if you’re okay with that dive right in.

This is like a Jewish person (like myself) alluding to a bad experience and then saying "They must have treated me like that because I'm Jewish" without a shred of evidence or explanation. Nobody gets to do that. Either you tell us what happened and explain why you think you are being treated second class because you're not Jewish, or you don't spread such an ugly story. Frankly, I'm not okay with your post.

[Anonymous]

Treatment and Learning Center has one too

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this old thread b/c of the very helpful list of summer camps that may work for kids with SN. If anybody can chime in with experiences with these camps, or other suggestions, I would very much appreciate it! I'm looking for both theraputic camps and also regular camps that are inclusive for a 7 year old with significant speech issues.

A particular question about the Rockville JCC inclusion camp: Does this fill up super early such that there is no point in even thinking about it for summer 2018 now?

Yes, it fills up quickly. See if there is a waitlist? They also give priority registration to JCC members so at some point you get the hard sell to join.
We would if we had a dime to spare but since we don’t and we haven’t we end up feeling guilty about it if our kid gets into a camp session.

Yes, it fills up quickly. See if there is a waitlist? They also give priority registration to JCC members so at some point you get the hard sell to join.
We would if we had a dime to spare but since we don’t and we haven’t we end up feeling guilty about it if our kid gets into a camp session.

To get into this camp you also have to buy a membership so that you can do camp enrollment the very first day it opens. At one point I did a lot of calling to figure out the steps and the fees and eventually determined that it just wasn't worth the effort or extra money. Signing up for camp should not be a major undertaking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bumping this old thread b/c of the very helpful list of summer camps that may work for kids with SN. If anybody can chime in with experiences with these camps, or other suggestions, I would very much appreciate it! I'm looking for both theraputic camps and also regular camps that are inclusive for a 7 year old with significant speech issues.

A particular question about the Rockville JCC inclusion camp: Does this fill up super early such that there is no point in even thinking about it for summer 2018 now?

Yes, it fills up quickly. See if there is a waitlist? They also give priority registration to JCC members so at some point you get the hard sell to join.
We would if we had a dime to spare but since we don’t and we haven’t we end up feeling guilty about it if our kid gets into a camp session.

Yes, it fills up quickly. See if there is a waitlist? They also give priority registration to JCC members so at some point you get the hard sell to join.
We would if we had a dime to spare but since we don’t and we haven’t we end up feeling guilty about it if our kid gets into a camp session.

To get into this camp you also have to buy a membership so that you can do camp enrollment the very first day it opens. At one point I did a lot of calling to figure out the steps and the fees and eventually determined that it just wasn't worth the effort or extra money. Signing up for camp should not be a major undertaking.

It's not a major undertaking. Camp is designed to serve the needs of its members first and excess capacity is offered to the community. There is so much demand for the inclusion camp that after the member demand is satisfied, there is no excess capacity for the community.

Remember, inclusion camp does not cost any more than standard camp. There is not an additional fee for the shadow. But there is a cost. That cost has to be covered somehow. Membership dues help offset some of that cost. The dinner of champions raises a lot of money to offset the rest. If you don't want to be a supporting member, that's fine. But then you can't complain that you didn't get into inclusion camp because it fills up so quickly. Membership is open all. You don't have to be jewish to be a member and you get the use the of facilities all year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our child likes the JCC inclusion camp well enough, but as a non Jew I will say that the camp administration finds ways of making us feel less included, more so as the years go by. We, the parents, don’t feel particularly welcome, but our child doesn’t seem to sense any of that. So, if you’re okay with that dive right in.

This is like a Jewish person (like myself) alluding to a bad experience and then saying "They must have treated me like that because I'm Jewish" without a shred of evidence or explanation. Nobody gets to do that. Either you tell us what happened and explain why you think you are being treated second class because you're not Jewish, or you don't spread such an ugly story. Frankly, I'm not okay with your post.

+1. As a member of the JCC, I'm saddened by your post. But there is no way to fix it if you don't tell someone what happened.

[Anonymous]

DH and I got a JCC family membership last year with the hopes of getting my now 1st grader into the 2018 inclusion summer camp. I submitted the camp application as soon as it opened for members having a child who never attended their camp. No luck! I was told the sessions are full. First priority goes to returning campers who are members, second priority goes to returning campers, then members having first time campers, finally it opens to everyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I got a JCC family membership last year with the hopes of getting my now 1st grader into the 2018 inclusion summer camp. I submitted the camp application as soon as it opened for members having a child who never attended their camp. No luck! I was told the sessions are full. First priority goes to returning campers who are members, second priority goes to returning campers, then members having first time campers, finally it opens to everyone.

Send your child for 1 session this summer and next year you'll be able to get first priority.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our child likes the JCC inclusion camp well enough, but as a non Jew I will say that the camp administration finds ways of making us feel less included, more so as the years go by. We, the parents, don’t feel particularly welcome, but our child doesn’t seem to sense any of that. So, if you’re okay with that dive right in.

PP, the point of this thread was to list inclusive/SN camps. Your thread is hijacking the point of the thread. Stat a NEW thread if you want to complain about a specific camp. Please ask the site administrator to remove your off topic posts and start a new thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I got a JCC family membership last year with the hopes of getting my now 1st grader into the 2018 inclusion summer camp. I submitted the camp application as soon as it opened for members having a child who never attended their camp. No luck! I was told the sessions are full. First priority goes to returning campers who are members, second priority goes to returning campers, then members having first time campers, finally it opens to everyone.

Send your child for 1 session this summer and next year you'll be able to get first priority.

I think you missed the point.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I got a JCC family membership last year with the hopes of getting my now 1st grader into the 2018 inclusion summer camp. I submitted the camp application as soon as it opened for members having a child who never attended their camp. No luck! I was told the sessions are full. First priority goes to returning campers who are members, second priority goes to returning campers, then members having first time campers, finally it opens to everyone.

Send your child for 1 session this summer and next year you'll be able to get first priority.

How can you send your child to one session of a camp you are closed out of?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DH and I got a JCC family membership last year with the hopes of getting my now 1st grader into the 2018 inclusion summer camp. I submitted the camp application as soon as it opened for members having a child who never attended their camp. No luck! I was told the sessions are full. First priority goes to returning campers who are members, second priority goes to returning campers, then members having first time campers, finally it opens to everyone.

PP, I empathize. I was in your shoes for 3 summers before my daughter got in. Pro tip: Call the special needs/inclusion office next fall a couple of weeks before Camp registration opens for returning special needs campers. Talk to them. Explain that you have been trying to get Larla in for a couple of seasons. Tell them about Larla and her needs. Tell them that Larla is friends with Larlette and Larleen who go there and love it and it's heartbreaking for her to see them go off and she doesn't understand why she can't go too. Ask if there's anything you can do to maximize her chances of getting in.

BTW, to the poster who thinks nonJews are disfavored. WTF? They could fill the camp with Jewish kids if they wanted to. Seems to me they bend over backwards to be fair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DH and I got a JCC family membership last year with the hopes of getting my now 1st grader into the 2018 inclusion summer camp. I submitted the camp application as soon as it opened for members having a child who never attended their camp. No luck! I was told the sessions are full. First priority goes to returning campers who are members, second priority goes to returning campers, then members having first time campers, finally it opens to everyone.

Send your child for 1 session this summer and next year you'll be able to get first priority.

How can you send your child to one session of a camp you are closed out of?

Are you closed out of the inclusion camp or the entire camp session for your childs age? My guess is you are closed out of the inclusion aspect but could still register and pay for the traditional camp. I'm not going to say it is the best thing for the child to send them there without support. The traditional camp will call and send your child home if they are having a hard time. And financially, it's not the best thing for a family to pay for a session of camp that they can't use because your child won't be successful without support. But it is a way to get your kid into priority registration for the following summer. You could also offer to provide your own shadow during during the traditional camp session.