Garden Camp at BHA Preschool 2024
THE PROGRAM
During the summer, BHA Preschool offers Summer Garden Camp, an extension of our Jewish, nature-play program for 2-4 year-olds. At Summer Garden Camp, children play and express themselves in infinite ways, with the nurturing and guidance of our BHA Preschool educators and our materials-rich outdoor learning spaces.
A typical day: Summer Garden Camp is structured like our school-year preschool program, with plenty of open-ended nature play and group gatherings that build social skills and community participation. During summer, we provide extra opportunities to tend and harvest in the garden, prepare refreshing snacks, splash in cool water and blow bubbles, and other seasonal nature-based activities. The woodsy side yard and blooming garden in addition to our neighborly hens provide the sparks of interest that lead to our campers' curiosity, learning, and fun.
The program will take place 100% outdoors, rain or shine. However, we will use the indoor classroom if the weather presents dangerous conditions.
Each two-week session of Summer Garden Camp will have up to nine children with two experienced BHA Preschool teachers.
Please contact Preschool Director Ilana Friedman with any questions.
ENROLLMENT
Registration opens to BHA members and 2023-2024 preschool families on March 5th, 2024.
Registration opens to incoming 2024-2025 preschool families on March 13, 2024.
Registration opens to others who have expressed interest via the waitlist on March 20, 2024.
OUR CALENDAR
We will have four 2-week sessions of Summer Garden Camp. Our program runs Tuesdays through Fridays from 9:00 am until 11:55 am. All students are enrolled for the full four days of both weeks of the session.
Session I - June 18, 2024 - June 28, 2024
Session II - July 9, 2024 - July 19, 2024
Session III - July 23, 2024 - Aug. 2, 2024
Session IV - Aug. 6, 2024 - Aug. 16, 2024
Families may enroll for multiple sessions.
YOUR CHILD
Summer Garden Camp is designed for children who have turned two years before the start of the camp session and who are as old as 4 and ½ years by the start of the camp session.
If your child is new to BHA Preschool programming, please consider your child’s needs with this in mind before your enroll:
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Children will have a more successful camp experience if they are able to cope with some separation from primary caregivers. Summer Garden Camp provides nurturing guidance and an engaging environment. However, compared to the regular school year, we have less time and fewer staff to support a child with severe separation anxiety.
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Children will have a more successful camp experience if they are okay with outdoor summer elements like heat and bugs. The group spends most of the time outdoors, regardless of the weather.
If you don't think your child will manage these aspects of Summer Garden Camp in a mostly easy-going manner, we encourage you to hold off until they are ready, rather than subjecting them to stressors. Camp is supposed to be fun!
Before you register, please review our Criteria for Participation. After enrolling, we will make time to talk with you by phone and ensure you and your child can visit during preschool before we begin summer programming, if it makes sense to do so.
We look forward to a fun and enriching summer with the children!
TUITION
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Preschool Garden Camp Tuition 2024 |
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BHA Members |
Non-Members |
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One 2-week Session |
$370 |
$448 |
GARDEN CAMP PAYMENT POLICY
- The tuition costs noted above are the entire cost - there are no additional enrollment fees.
- Payment is due upon registration, payment can be made in full or split into scheduled recurring payments, and paid online by credit card or e-check.
- Recurring payments must be scheduled at the time of registration and the final payment is due by May 31st.
EARLY WITHDRAWAL
In the event that a family withdraws a student from preschool, the following obligations apply:
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Withdrawal prior to June 1 - forfeit 25% tuition.
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Withdrawal after June 1, but prior to June 17 - forfeit 50% tuition.
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Withdrawal after June 17 - forfeit 75% tuition.
Individual circumstances can be addressed on a case by case basis by petitioning Beacon Hebrew Alliance’s Board of Directors.
For more information on our progressive, garden based preschool, visit here.
Wed, April 24 2024
16 Nisan 5784
Ilana Friedman, Preschool Director & Lead Teacher
Ilana began BHA Preschool in September 2016 with teacher and flower farmer Diana Cowdery and the support of the BHA Community. Ilana comes to BHA with a Masters in Teaching from Brown University and more than thirteen years of experience teaching in progressive classrooms in New York. Dedicated to creating playful, child-centered learning communities for local children, Ilana founded Beacon Craft Workshop and co-founded the Camp @ the Camp, a program of Beacon Recreation. Ilana loves making art, singing, hiking, and most of all spending time with children. She lives in Beacon with her husband and two children. Ilana feels extremely grateful to work with the encouraging, resourceful, and spiritually open community of BHA.
