Summer Programs 2014

Summer Learning Adventures!                         on Wednesdays
This program will provide a checkpoint to augment your child’s summer learning on five Wednesdays and is a focused learning opportunity. See rationale after descriptions.
"Minute to Win It”                                                                                     date        TBA
Those who have watched the t.v. program know about this game’s entertaining and challenging the tasks! We will play a Kinect Minute to Win It game. In addition, we will find out what is possible in a minute, including what we can memorize, learn, and achieve. We will investigate time. How many minutes are in a year? A century?  Campers will have the chance to demonstrate “Minute to Win It” challenges from the show, or to come to camp with a self-created minute long challenge for other students to try.  We will also have a competition with prizes.
“So You Think You Know Maine?”                                                       date    TBA
We live in Maine, but how much do we really know about our home state?  Play the question and answer game and later, become an expert on an area or theme of the state of Maine and create your very own board game.   Possible examples:  the coast, the mountains, Maine’s colonial history, Maine’s native Americans, Maine’s inventors, Maine’s famous people, Maine’s wildlife. Creatively teach the class your game and take home your board game to share the fun with your family and friends.
“Imaginarium”                                                                                             date TBA
Use recycled materials to create a 3-dimensional mat display of your very own designed theme park or city.  Come to camp with an idea and some recycled materials to add to our stash, and create away! Finished cities and theme parks will be displayed in the entry and photographed for the website.
“Survival Camp”                                                                                         date TBA
Every year we have a camp where we go wild!  This year we will either take a trip to the Arboretum or again to Miss Carrie’s camp on Sheepscot Lake.  We will backpack for the day, eat a packed lunch, build a shelter, learn skills to survive if we were ever lost in the wild in Maine!  More information to follow after Miss Carrie checks with the Arboretum on their summer program availability.
“Pippi vs Junie B: Round 3”                                                                     date TBA
Last summer, Pippi won the most exciting activities contest!  But will Junie win this time around?  Miss Jen will try her darnedest to get the win for Junie. Last year, Pippi’s activities included making pancakes over an outside campfire, blowing bubbles, pluttifikation and more!  Be sure to attend this mini camp on August 14 to find out which character wins the vote, and have a blast all day with Pippi and Junie!

Summer Learning Adventures Nuts and Bolts:   
Ages: 6-12             
Cost:  $60
Daily Schedule:
8:30      Arrive; hands on math games and summer skills review
9:30      Mini camps described above
10:30    Outdoor time
11:00    Continue mini camp
12:00    Lunch
12:30    Continue mini camp
2:00      Possible interest areas such as agriculture and music
3:30      End of day; your child may stay until 5 pm for an additional $6 daycare charge.     
Contact Us  for more information or to sign up for summer programs.
Download Summer Registration Form, fill out and attach to an email or mail to school.
Or call 626-5550.
Rationale
In 2010, Time magazine published a compelling piece about the value of utilizing summer time to extend children’s learning and avoid an achievement gap.  This achievement gap can happen when children have too much free time in the summer, especially unsupervised and/or filled with electronics.  Although many variables, such as family time, impacted the achievement of the students studied, it was clear that some children take a step back in the summer while others move ahead in their cognitive development.  Over many summers, this gap adds up to many years’ difference in achievement.  Especially when a child is behind in any area, even small amounts of learning time improve achievement.  Check out the article, “The Case Against Summer Vacation”.
www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2115863-5,00.html. 
(Not that we don’t love summer vacation! Hee hee hee.)

Quality Full Time Childcare
A Montessori learning environment for students whose families must work in the summer through a full-time childcare program.  Includes a four hour theme based mini-camp for children 5 and up on Wednesdays.

Details about Quality Childcare
For those needing full time childcare in the summer (#1 above), Jess Gray (Miss Jess) will be the main teacher and Jennifer Polley (Auntie) will be covering Fridays.  There will be only one teacher at a time with a back-up person on call if needed, so we must limit the enrollment of the childcare to 7 students, ages 3-12.

Enrollment Priorities for Full Time Childcare Program
First Priority: currently enrolled students needing full day childcare for most weeks of the summer.Second Priority:  currently enrolled students needing less than full day childcare, or needing only part of the summer.
Third Priority: new enrollees needing full time care for most weeks of the summer
Fourth Priority: currently enrolled students or new enrollees needing occasional care in the summer  
Due to staff limitations, we will not enroll children who need behavioral assistance.

Hours and Weeks
Childcare hours are from 8 am to 5pm. 
Childcare will start on Monday, June __th, and go through Friday, August __th. 

Cost
The full-time cost for the nine weeks is listed below.  If you select full time childcare, you may choose not to utilize all the available hours and weeks, but we must charge for them.  For part time slots we will prorate the time depending on the amounts of time requested. Part time amounts are listed on the Summer Registration Form (linked below).
                         Full Time Price  9 weeks                 $1600    ($800/mo) 
                                                                                    Deposit of $400 due upon sign up.
Contact Us  for more information or to sign up for summer programs.
Download Summer Registration Form

Summer Tutoring Services
Please call the school at 626-5550 to speak with Carrie Gervais if you are interested in Summer Tutoring Services for your child. All tutoring services are open to children in pre-K through grade 8 who currently attend Stepping Stones, as well as children from public, other private, or homeschooling backgrounds. Tutoring Services are by appointment only and are held throughout the summer. Only $30 per hour, plus group, same family, and multiple hour discounts.

"We must support as much as possible the child’s desires for activity; not wait on him, but educate him to be independent.”

                                 —Maria Montessori

Getting creative, and dirty!

Animal husbandry--a Summer Learning Adventures interest area!

Who will win the battle? Pippi or Junie?

Just a day old!

Being up close with nature helps scientists develop!