FAQs & Policies

We offered more than 275 camps in 2017, ranging from our Academic Camps (language arts and math — kindergarten to SAT prep) to Athletic Camps (basketball, baseball, Ultimate Frisbee, soccer, fencing, flag football, dodgeball and more) to Enrichment Camps (art, engineering, technology, science, crafts, chess, languages, music, cooking, humanities, etc.). Since our selections change from year to year and camps are run and designed by the instructors leading them, please visit www.da.org/summer for a full listing.

The simplest shortcut is to start the registration process by clicking on the Registration tab (once registration opens around mid-December). There is no commitment, and the first few questions ask the age of your child, which weeks you are interested in participating and if you’d like a morning or afternoon camp (or both). The filter will show you all of the camps that apply to your child!

No. These camps are intended to help students remain academically engaged over the summer, not as course credit. Parents are given an assessment at the end of the camp and academic camp instructors will share attendance information with schools if parents request it but will not write letters of recommendation for schools/admissions offices. 

Camp listings will be viewable around Thanksgiving, and registration opens in mid-December.

• Before Care runs from 7:30–9 a.m.
• Morning (A.M.) camps run from 9 a.m.–noon
• Lunch supervision runs from noon–1 p.m.
• Afternoon (P.M.) camps run from 1–4 p.m.
• After Care runs from 4–5:30 p.m.

The majority of our camps are located at Durham Academy Lower School, 3501 Ridge Road, Durham, N.C., 27705. Some camps will take place next door at our Upper School campus, which is connected to the Lower School campus.

BEFORE/AFTER CARE: If you are dropping of at Before Care or picking up from After Care, when you pull into our campus, make your first left and follow the signs all the way around the back of the Lower School until you can park facing our Lower School Playground. Before Care and After Care is located in the Lower School gym, which is the large building on your left as you walk onto the playground.

A.M./P.M. CAMPS: Dropoff and pickup for all of our camps will be in the car line in the front of the Lower school. As you pull into the Lower School, simply drive straight and go around our carpool loop until you reach the front of the building. Our staff will greet you and your child and escort or direct them to their camp depending on their age and comfort level.

• Drop off for Before Care begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Lower School Gym.
• Drop off for A.M. camps begins at 8:50 a.m. in the front of the Lower School.
• Drop off for P.M. camps begins at 12:50 p.m. in the front of the Lower School.
• Pick up from A.M. camps begins at noon in the front of the Lower School.
• Pick up from P.M. camps begins at 4 p.m. in the front of the Lower School.
• Pick up from After Care is by 5:30 p.m. in the Lower School Gym.

No, we do not provide lunch; however, during registration, you may see an option for “Lunch Supervision,” which means that your child will be eating lunch with our summer camp group, supervised by our staff. We do have vendors that will provide lunch to your child in our "lunch bunch," but you must order and pay through their own websites. We do provide snacks during each camp, and children are always welcome to bring their own snacks if they want.

Yes, we offer an A.M./P.M. camp discount, which applies to anyone who is registered for an A.M. and P.M. camp of the same week. This provides a discount of $40 from the cost of camp for the week, as well as free lunch supervision from noon-1 p.m. — an additional $50 value. When registering, make sure to sign up for both A.M. and P.M. camps of the same week during the same online registration session; do not select the “lunch supervision” option — it will be added automatically for free at checkout.

Yes! In 2017, more than 40 children were able to attend camp thanks to our scholarship program. Each of our 270-plus camps offered spaces made available free of charge to scholarship recipients, and lunch and transportation is provided in many cases.

Because it is not possible for us to independently assess and assign aid packages, we ask parties interested in financial aid to go to www.TADS.com and apply for our aid there. There is a $34 fee for applying, but anyone who is accepted will receive a  discount of $150 for Academic Camps and $75 for Enrichment Camps for up to six camps. Alternatively, if your child is enrolled in the subsidized lunch program at his/her school, they automatically are accepted for aid. In matters of greater need, please send in a letter of appeal to the camp director, and we will do our best to help!

Yes, we do provide transportation from Hill Learning Center to Durham Academy (either on a minibus or a supervised walk) for students joining our camps from Hill. We also include free lunch supervision to help ease the transition (please pack a lunch for you child). If you plan to have your child join us from Hill, please notify the DA Summer Programs office at summer@da.org.

Camp Weeks for 2019

Week 1: June 10–14
Week 2: June 17–21
Week 3: June 24–28
Week 4: July ____ (No camp on Thursday, July 4; all costs are reduced by __ percent)
Week 5: July 8–12
Week 6: July ---
Week 7: July ---

Academic camps run for 5 weeks from Week 2 through Week 6 in two sessions*:

"A" session is 9-10:15 a.m.

"B" session is 10:45 a.m.–noon
Children participating in both sessions get a break on the playground with a snack from 10:15-10:45 a.m.

*Camp Kindergarten runs in two three-week sessions (weeks 2-4 and week 5-7) from 9 a.m.-noon.

Camp Session Times

A one-time-per-year/per-camper $15 registration fee is charged to cover fees, a camp shirt and use of our camp system, Thriva Active Network.

A minimum of $20 cancellation fee per camp will be applied to all camp withdrawals. This would not apply in cases of a camp being canceled by DA Summer Programs due to low enrollment. See the Refund Policy section below for more details. 

Fees associated with enrichment and athletic camps on a weekly basis:

• One Half-Day Camp Session: $190-$250*
• (7:30–9 a.m.) Early Drop Off: $60
• (Noon–1 p.m.) Lunch Bunch: $50
• (4–5:30 p.m.) After Care: $60
• $15/day drop in charge for lunch, Before Care or After Care.

*Extra fees cover either materials or rental costs.

Fees associated with the five-week-long academic courses:

• One Academic grades 1–12: $380 ($40 discount if you register for 2 academic camps)
• Camp Kindergarten, three weeks from 9 a.m.-noon: $550
• Five weeks of Morning Care $250
• Five weeks of Lunch Bunch $250

Week 4 camps are listed with a 40 percent discount on camp costs and discounts due to there being no camp on Thursday, July 4, or Friday, July 5.

We offer a $40 discount, as well as free Lunch Bunch supervision ($50) for anyone enrolling in both morning (A.M.) and afternoon (P.M.) camps on the same week. To receive these discounts, you must register for the same week morning and afternoon campus during the same registration session.

*If receiving free lunch supervision with an A.M. and P.M. camp of the same week, please do not select the lunch option when registering; it will be applied automatically at checkout.

Unless noted otherwise, all camps meet and dismiss at Durham Academy Lower School, 3501 Ridge Road, Durham, NC, 27705.

Students taking academic courses or participating in morning camps should be dropped off at the main entrance to the Lower School between 8:50 and 9 a.m.

Students enrolled on afternoon camps should be dropped off at the main entrance to the Lower School between 12:50 and 1 p.m.

If you register for Before Care, you may drop off your child inside the gym at the Lower School anytime after 7:30 a.m.

Camps at DA's Upper School Campus (US Gym and US Science Building)

Pick-up and drop-off occurs easily in the front the of the Upper School; pull into the Upper School entrance on Ridge Road, where you will see the car line on your right and parking on your left (if you plan to walk your child into camp). The classrooms will all be on the right. Instructors will be ready and waiting for you at the car line and in the classrooms starting at 8:45 a.m. on Mondays and 8:50 a.m. Tuesday–Friday. Instructors will be present to supervise Academic Recess (10:15–10:45 a.m.), noon and 4 p.m. car lines or to walk students back to the Lower School for lunch or Aftercare. See the map below to help you smoothly navigate our two car lines. 

Students taking "A" session academic courses (9-10:15 a.m.) should be picked up on the Lower School Playground after their class at 10:15 a.m. Students taking "B" session academic courses (10:45 a.m.-noon) should be picked up at the main entrance to the Lower School at noon.

Campers must be picked up from enrichments and athletics at the main entrance to the Lower School at noon for morning camps and 4 p.m. for afternoon camps.

If you have registered for After Care, pick up is by 5:30 p.m. in room 218B inside the Lower School Gym or the adjacent playground.

If your child has not been picked up within 10 minutes of the end of camp, he or she will be taken to the lunch/after care area, and will be billed as a drop-in to Lunch or After Care for an additional $15.

Camps at DA's Upper School Campus (US Gym and US Science Building)

Pick-up and drop-off occurs easily in the front the of the Upper School; pull into the Upper School entrance on Ridge Road, where you will see the car line on your right and parking on your left (if you plan to walk your child into camp). The classrooms will all be on the right. Instructors will be ready and waiting for you at the car line and in the classrooms starting at 8:45 a.m. on Mondays and 8:50 a.m. Tuesday–Friday. Instructors will be present to supervise Academic Recess (10:15–10:45 a.m.), noon and 4 p.m. car lines or to walk students back to the Lower School for lunch or Aftercare. See the map below to help you smoothly navigate our two car lines. 

Students enrolled in both the morning and afternoon sessions may join our Lunch Bunch supervised hour between sessions at no additional fee. Campers should provide their own lunch or order from one of our lunch vendors.

Credit cards, debit cards or e-checks to be paid online are necessary to complete your camp registration.

Durham Academy requires a minimum enrollment of five campers for most camps. Registered families will be notified at least one week prior to the camp starting date in the event of a cancellation. Program fees are fully refundable when a camp is cancelled by DA.

Refunds for camp withdrawal:

• Withdrawals made with more than two weeks notice prior to the camp beginning are subject to a $20/camp cancellation fee.
• Withdrawals made with 1–2 weeks notice before the start of camp are subject to a $50/camp cancellation fee.
• Withdrawals made within the week before camp begins or once camp begins are not eligible for a refund.
• Credit card refunds will be automatically refunded to your credit card, but please allow 24 hours for the refund to drop into your account. E-checks will be refunded through the mail. The tentative refund dates are June 27, July 11 and July 25. 

If, after a camp has begun, it becomes apparent that the Summer Program staff has not been made aware of specific medical, behavioral or emotional needs that cannot be accommodated by our staff, or if the camper is uncooperative with instructors or a detriment to other students, the camper may be removed from any current or future camp that she/he may be registered to attend without refund.

All children should come dressed appropriately for camp. Arts and crafts camps might require old clothing that can be stained. Athletic camps will require closed-toed shoes. Preschoolers and kindergartners are advised to bring one change of clothes.

Camps are open to 3-year-old campers who turn 3 before our Summer Programs starts (campers must be 3 by June 9, 2019). All 3-year-olds who attend our camps must be fully potty-trained, as we do not have changing tables on site. Children should be able to use the restroom with minimal assistance (our Preschool bathrooms have lowered sinks and toilets). Please plan to send an extra pair of clothes just in case an incident occurs. 

• If your child is sensitive to the sun, please send him/her with sunscreen already on and provide additional sunscreen in the backpack. *Due to potential allergies, camp staff does not apply sunscreen for campers.
• An extra water bottle is advisable.
• A hat may be useful during outdoor activities.
• Please label all belongings! 
• On days of extreme heat and or humidity, our teachers and coaches will determine time spent outside to ensure the safety of all.

If your child requires medication or has allergy concerns, it is important that you provide the camp director with a written note or email explaining medical concerns at least one week before the first day of camp.

If a child is developing a fever during camp time, you will be contacted and asked to pick up your child as soon as possible. Campers need to be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to camp.

We expect all campers to behave respectfully and kindly in interactions with their instructors and peers. Camper behavior deemed inappropriate by the camp director may result in dismissal. In the event of a dismissal, tuition will not be refunded.