April 26, 2020
Dear Parents,
As we heard the birds chirping this morning, saw the colors of newly blooming flowers, and smelled the fresh cut grass, we couldn’t help but reflect on the significance of these seemingly small things. Our earth has an amazing resiliency. Every year, trees and plants are brought to the brink of life to conserve energy to make it through the winter. Destructive events such as volcanoes bring forth new landforms and life. Caterpillars spend up to three weeks vulnerable and defenseless as miraculous changes occur within their cocoon.
This COVID-19 situation has been and will continue to be brutal and scary. It will bring us to the brink, its destructive force will be hard to look past, and it has rendered us vulnerable and defenseless. But like the earth, we are resilient. We will all survive this and become stronger for it.
Although things still seem uncertain, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The majority of our camps happen after July 4th, over two and a half months away. Schools, childcare, and camps are in Phase 2 of the reopening. As people return to work, they are going to need childcare, and Club SciKidz is dedicated to providing children with a safe, engaging, and fun summer.
We are committed to running our camps and programs this summer. Even if Maryland schools end up closing for the rest of the school year, we will still run our camps as scheduled. Yes, camp will most likely look a little different. Camp enrollment numbers may be reduced, cleaning procedures will be increased, and more stringent health policies and procedures will be in place. We will form our policies and procedures based on guidelines from both state and federal levels. The only reason we would not run camps is if the state/local government would mandate summer camp closures. Should this happen, we would revise our cancellation policy to ensure that never lose the price you paid for camp.
As you know, we changed our cancellation policy deadline to May 1st. In light of the way things are progressing, we are keeping the May 1st deadline. From May 2nd-May 31st a 75% refund (minus the $25 fee per camp) will be given. At any point, you may switch weeks during the summer or take a 100% credit for the following summer without paying a per camp cancellation fee. Remember, you will not lose the amount you paid for camp, even in the worst-case scenario that camps can’t run.
Because camp class sizes may be limited and the demand of needing camps will most likely be greater because some camps will not be running camps as scheduled, we expect our available spots to fill quickly. If you are currently registered, we encourage you to remain registered.
If you are not currently registered, we encourage you to do so sooner rather than later so you can secure your place. We are offering a $25 discount per week of camp for all new camp registration. (Code: CSK25)
As a small business, this time has been very uncertain and trying. We are encouraged by your support and understanding and cannot thank you enough. Every decision we make is through the lens of you as a parent, our customer. You are the most important piece of our business.
We look forward to seeing you all again soon and having another fun summer full of science and technology.
Matt & Andrea