The DMV has dozens of American Camp Association (ACA)-accredited camps to meet your children’s needs. One type of camp to consider is a school-affiliated summer program. With year-round school infrastructure and resources already in place, these such camps are a great fit for many local families. Washington Family spoke with Kaytelyn Lanciano, the camp and auxiliary programs director for Green Acres School & Camp in Bethesda about why a school-affiliated program might work for your kids.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
What is something about school-affiliated camps that [makes] the transition from school to summer easier for children and families?
You’re going to have [school] staff involved in the programming. You’ll have teachers and para[educators] … There is a lot of support on the admin side. What’s great about the school is there’s a lot of resources from them as well.
What are some questions and things parents should look out for when picking a school-affiliated camp [as they look] for a good fit for their child and family needs?
The big thing for me is a mission. What do you want your kid to get out of the summer? I think all camps are about making friendships, but finding those specifics [such as] do you really value outdoor time? What sort of programs are you looking for? Really diving into the missions is key when picking summer camp programming … It’s more than just child care.
What advantages might there be in choosing a school-affiliated camp for the summer?
It does come back a lot to that training and the staff that we have at our disposal. I also think that every school has a different audience that they cater to and different needs they’re able to suit. I think exploring that is a great benefit. [Also], if you’re potentially looking at joining that private school, exploring the campus and a [summer] intro is an awesome experience. We’ve had a lot of students who when they’re joining us in the fall … they would come to camp and get those first steps.
How is a school-affiliated camp able to [help] children who have additional needs and require more structure to the day?
I think that every school has a different audience that they cater to and different needs that they’re able to suit. If you have a camper that struggles a lot with transitions, something I talk a lot to our parents about is, ‘How can we support on the front end?” Camp is all about making friends. It’s about building those social skills.
Katelyn Lanciano has a degree in elementary education from Nova Southeastern University in Florida. Growing up in the DMV, she began working at summer camps at 16. Lanciano has more than a decade of experience going from a junior counselor to leadership roles into program and assistant camp directors. Lanciano joined the Green Acres School & Camp in 2023 as the director.
