Anonymous wrote:Doing the math:

We are a CHDS family. It costs us about $30000 for 40 weeks of school (Sept 4 to June 15). That amounts to $750 per week.

So Sidwell is going to charge about $700 per week for summer "hand work"? CHDS is a school, that is it actually TEACHES not just babysits or plays "Floor Hockey" (Yes, that is a Course at Sidwell Summer Camp).

GREED.

Floor hockey is a workshop choice in Explorers- so your child can do for a period... my now HS son loved it when he was in 3rd grade! he did that along with 4 other choices in a given week... and the instructor back then was a PE teacher who taught the skills but also sportsmanship, how to win and lose gracefully... if you want more of the academic classes - you can pick them... or choose another camp to go to...my son went to public school during the year but loved going to Explorers, soccer, voyagers in his summer... it was worth the money to us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The early bird discount was only $50 this year and was over 12/31. I was disappointed, and I think my brain recorded it as just "bummer" and I forgot to even use that discount opportunity!

Registered last week for 2 weeks + before/aftercare and the total was about $1400. Insanity. I don't ever recall it being this much, and I'm especially bummed because I only need about 40 minutes of aftercare each day.

We used after care too (the girls' favorite part of the camp!!). Just looked, it's gone up to $150. Wasn't it $100 per week last year?

It was $125 last year so went up $25 - so $10/hour if you use all the hours for some fun activities and snack... my kids always gave me a hard time if I picked up before 5:45 pm as they loved the staff and activities. Face it, having kids is just expensive! maybe my mom guilt for working but I feel better knowing they love their camp.

Headfirst is $140/week for PM and $85/day for AM
NPS - $130 PM and AM $50 but only 4 days/week (And camp is $400 so Sidwell was cheaper with the Early Bird)
Beauvoir - $105/week AM? PM - $242.5 PM? Camp $465+...

that was just a quick glance - good quality camps are just expensive...

Lets compare apples to apples.

$700 a week is with before and aftercare. I do not know what time CHDS started and ends - but I am confident it is not 7:30 AM and 6PM.

A public school year has 180 days - most private schools are less - but let's pretend that CHDS has 180 school days. It is actually closer to $825 a week than the $750 you are commenting on.

Also - the greed - have you talked to the Smithsonian about zoo camp? The before care was $100 and aftercare was $175 in 2014.

Doing the math:

We are a CHDS family. It costs us about $30000 for 40 weeks of school (Sept 4 to June 15). That amounts to $750 per week.

So Sidwell is going to charge about $700 per week for summer "hand work"? CHDS is a school, that is it actually TEACHES not just babysits or plays "Floor Hockey" (Yes, that is a Course at Sidwell Summer Camp).

GREED.

Wow, we looked last night to start the arduous process of arranging our two DC's camps. We did handwork camp last 2 years.

With after care, it is going to be ..... nearly $700 per week ($520 + $150). I will look back to be certain, but I am pretty sure that the last two years we paid about $500 with the early bird and the usual fees. Oh yes, we also got a small sibling discount. Is that also gone??

I am not previous poster (needing 40 mins). The after care runs till 6 at Sidwell. And we were often the last ones doing the pick up, needing every minute till 6 at work

Anonymous wrote:The early bird discount was only $50 this year and was over 12/31. I was disappointed, and I think my brain recorded it as just "bummer" and I forgot to even use that discount opportunity!

Registered last week for 2 weeks + before/aftercare and the total was about $1400. Insanity. I don't ever recall it being this much, and I'm especially bummed because I only need about 40 minutes of aftercare each day.

If you are near Bethesda, Landon's camps are from 9 to 4 so you wouldn't even need aftercare.

Anonymous wrote:The early bird discount was only $50 this year and was over 12/31. I was disappointed, and I think my brain recorded it as just "bummer" and I forgot to even use that discount opportunity!

Registered last week for 2 weeks + before/aftercare and the total was about $1400. Insanity. I don't ever recall it being this much, and I'm especially bummed because I only need about 40 minutes of aftercare each day.

We used after care too (the girls' favorite part of the camp!!). Just looked, it's gone up to $150. Wasn't it $100 per week last year?

The early bird discount was only $50 this year and was over 12/31. I was disappointed, and I think my brain recorded it as just "bummer" and I forgot to even use that discount opportunity!

Registered last week for 2 weeks + before/aftercare and the total was about $1400. Insanity. I don't ever recall it being this much, and I'm especially bummed because I only need about 40 minutes of aftercare each day.

Congressional info here. Hope you like it!
http://www.congocamp.org/

Anonymous wrote:But look around - there are more and more kids in the area. There is demand for the programs. If you need cheap- try for dc parks and rec. if you want more programming- you need to pay for it. The minimum wage went up in DC.

There were more kids in the area every year. Not just this year I think. So I don't think this makes any sense.

FYI, when the discount was available for early sign-up, there was also a rise in camp fees.

Don't be so condescending as to write "if you need cheap". Who here is trying to pay as MUCH AS POSSIBLE for camps? There is a whole range between Sidwell and DC parks and rec. The OP clearly asked for something in the "$400 to $500 range". That sound like DC rec?? You are a total elitist

But look around - there are more and more kids in the area. There is demand for the programs. If you need cheap- try for dc parks and rec. if you want more programming- you need to pay for it. The minimum wage went up in DC.

Typo -- not so great

To clarify -- sidwell did have an early bird discount this year BUT it was smaller than in past years AND the base tuition cost went up. So it went from being a good deal to being a bit so great deal and also leaving a bad taste.

I am the OP. Thank you to all with the great suggestions (we have two minecrafters! I am so excited to hear about that possibility). We have not been able to find much information on Congressional. If that poster could give any more details, I would be grateful.

Thanks for the advice to follow @sidwellsummer. I think we are done with them. We feel quite confident they will see it in a decline in enrollments. Best