Registration Information

Boys sitting at the pool with their feet in the water at summer camp
Fessenden Summer Camps

HOW TO REGISTER

  • Registration opens Monday, November 28th at 7:30am for Returning families, and Monday, December 12th at 7:30am for New Families.
  • Complete and submit our online Camper Application
  • We will charge your credit card for the deposit amount due at the time of registration and enroll your camper(s) in the requested sessions (based on availability)
  • An enrollment confirmation will be sent back to you by email
  • All required camper forms must be submitted by May 1
  • Final payment is due by May 1

Registration Policies

We adhere strictly to the following policies:

Deposit

A non-refundable deposit of $100 per week is required at the time of registration. The deposit will be applied towards your tuition balance. You pay the deposit amount by credit card. If we are unable to accommodate your initial program choice,  you will be placed on the waitlist. You will not be charged a deposit and we will contact you about your enrollment options.

Age Eligibility

Age eligibility for programs is based on the grade the camper will be entering in the fall following the summer. We follow state public school age requirements. This means children must be a certain age by August 31.

For the half-day program in the Day Camp, campers must be 3.5 years old by June 30 (December birth month) to be eligible.

Children must be fully toilet trained in order to attend camp.

Day Camp Enrollment

For all Day Camp programs, including Plus Camps, during the Summer Core Weeks (weeks 1-8), we require enrolling in at least one block of two consecutive weeks for each camper.

You can enroll your child in a single week for all camps in the June Sessions and Final Five Week. You can also enroll your child in a single week of Squash Camp during the Summer Core Weeks. These camps do not count towards the two consecutive weeks minimum for Day Camp.

Wait List

For more important frequently asked questions regarding our Waitlist procedures, click HERE Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Once a session has reached its maximum enrollment, a wait list is created for that specific session and program. There is no deposit needed to remain on a wait list. If an opening becomes available, families are contacted in the order in which they were added to the wait list.

Discounts and Financial Aid

The following discounts will be automatically applied at the time of registration to qualifying campers unless stated otherwise below.

  • Week 2: This week is prorated due to observing July 4th.
  • June Session 2: This week is prorated due to observing Juneteenth.
  • Multi-Week DiscountCampers attending 8 or more weeks will receive a discount on their tuition. To receive the discount campers must register for all 8 weeks of Day Camp, or a combination of Day Camp, Final Five, and any full day Plus Camps.  June Session 1 and 2 Camps are NOT included in the multi-week discount. 
  • Sibling DiscountFamilies with more than one camper, who are each attending 4 or more weeks* of camp, receive a 5% sibling discount off the tuition of the second camper, and a 10% discount off the tuition of the third camper and subsequent campers. The sibling discount is applied to the lowest priced tuition.
  • Referral DiscountFor each new camper you refer (who attends 2 or more weeks), you will receive a $50 discount towards your tuition. New families who have been referred to Fessenden Summer Camps by another family can only name one family as the referring family. This discount is applied by the Summer Camps Office. Please email summer@fessenden.org to confirm the family you referred after registration.

Fessenden Summer Camps financial assistance is limited to children referred to us through the Wildflower Foundation. Please contact the Summer Camps Office if you have a question about financial aid.

Payment Information

Final Camp Tuition is Due by May 1.

You can choose the payment method that works for you:

  • Pay at your own pace (no minimums, as often as you want, up to May 1)
  • 5 Payment Plan- automatically charged to your credit card on the first Monday of each month. January 2nd, February 6th, March 6th, April 3rd, and May 1st)
  • One full payment

We accept payment by credit card (Discover, MasterCard, Visa) or check. We cannot accept American Express cards at this time. 

Any registrations or additional options (adding a week, AM or PM Care) after May 1 will require payment in full.

Under IRS guidelines, you can send a child to a day camp as a work-related expense with a Dependent Care FSA.  The Fessenden Summer Camps may qualify as a tax deductible child care and therefore be able to be reimbursed by your flexible spending account (FSA).  Please consult your FSA plan or IRS guidelines for determination.

Please contact the Summer Camps Office with any billing or payment questions.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds

All deposits are non-refundable. For withdrawals prior to May 1, tuition paid (less deposit) can be refunded. Any request for a tuition refund must be made in writing prior to May 1. After May 1, all camp fees are non-refundable.

Required Forms

As required by Massachusetts State Law, each camper must have a current record of immunizations and physical exam completed by your child’s healthcare provider on file. Fessenden Summer Camps also requires that all campers have a Health History Form and Authorized for Pick-Up Form completed by you on file.

These forms and documents must be submitted by May 1 in order for your child to attend camp. If you enroll your child after May 1, these forms and documents must be submitted immediately after registration.

Failure to submit these forms by May 1 (or immediately after registration for enrollments after May 1) can result in removal of your child from all enrolled programs.

Please check the Guide to Camper Forms to make sure you have completed all necessary forms and documents.

Health Information

Fessenden Summer Camps Camper Application and Health History Form ask you to share personal information about your child. The information you provide lets us get to know your child better and partner with you to help your child have a safe and successful summer. It is your responsibility to bring all physical and emotional concerns about your child to the Director’s attention at or prior to the time of initial registration.

Prior to registering, feel free to call the Summer Camps office at 617-630-2373 to discuss your child’s specific needs, any concerns you may have, and to find out if our camp is an appropriate placement.

Fessenden Summer Camps is in compliance with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (105 CMR 430) and licensed by the City of Newton Department of Public Health.

Information on these regulations may be obtained at (617) 796-1420.

Health literature required by the DPH: Meningococcal Information

Camp Principles

Mission

Empowering campers and staff to form relationships, develop lifelong skills, and build confidence.

Guiding Rule

Everyone has the right to be safe and have fun.

Participation Standards

The Camp reserves the right to dismiss any camper, without refund, whom in our judgement has put his/her own safety or the safety of others at risk, has interfered with the rights of others or the smooth functioning of the group or program, or has violated the Camp’s principles of conduct.

Sufficient English communication ability is required for safe and successful participation in Fessenden Summer Camps. Campers who do not meet this requirement may be dismissed at the Camp’s discretion.

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