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Recreation: |
2008 Summer Recreation Program
January 2, 2008 Dear Parents, Believe it or not, the time has come to apply for the Summer Program 2008 Lottery. I was thrilled to realize my goal of eliminating waiting lists last year. Every child participating in the Summer 2007 Lottery was placed in their first choice session. Most children requesting additional sessions were accommodated for their sessions of choice. The relocation of the Preschool Playground Program and the expansion of both the Preschool and School-age programs made this possible and allowed for every child participating in the lottery a positive summer recreation experience. Children continued to be accepted into the programs until the last possible moment when staffing levels were determined. The Hingham Recreation Department staff have been planning for summer 2008 since before last summer ended! I hope you will be pleased with the results of our efforts to provide your children a premier summer recreation experience. The 2008 Summer Program will be staffed by a dynamic group of "Excitement Engineers". They will be assisted by an energetic group of "Leaders In Training". The registration fees will remain the same as last year. CAP (Children After Playground) was introduced last year and will again be offered as an option to extend the fun until 5PM for an additional fee. Children are invited to apply for more than one 2-week session. Theme days will feature coordinated activities, performances and crafts. Fun will surely come second only to safety next summer! The goal of the summer program is to provide your children with an opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, enjoy old friends, learn new activities, improve their social skills and offer a sense of belonging. Children will be encouraged to participate in new learning experiences. We will also strive to create an atmosphere that is friendly and inviting. Our staff share a passion for working with children. Activities planned include sports, field games, swimming, arts and crafts and field trips. Entertainers are being scheduled to perform for the children. Safety is our first priority. Parents are invited to visit at any time. We want parents to feel comfortable leaving their children in our care. The Playground Program for children 6 (or completed kindergarten) through 12 years of age will consist of four 2-week sessions beginning June 23rd and ending August 15th. The fee per session is $205. The child to staff ratio will not exceed 1 to 5 for children 6 years and under and will not exceed 1 to 10 for children 7 years and older. The program runs Monday - Friday from 9AM until 3PM. CAP (Children After Playground) is an extended day option until 5PM for and additional fee of $80 per session. Session 1 fee is $184.50 and $72 for CAP prorated for the July 4th holiday. The Preschool Program is for children 4 and 5 years of age. A certified birth certificate is required for all 4 year old children with the lottery application for age verification. The fee for the Morning program is $140 per session and $220 per session for the Lunch Bunch. The child to staff ratio will not exceed 1 to 5. The Preschool Program is scheduled for three 2-week sessions beginning June 23rd and will be held at an elementary school to be determined by the School Department. The Morning program will run from 8:45 AM until 11:45 AM. The Lunch Bunch Program will run from 8:45 AM until 2:45 PM. This staggered time allows for drop off and pick up of siblings attending both the Playground and Preschool programs. There is no extended day option for the Preschool Program. Session 1 fees are $126 for Mornings and $198 for the Lunch Bunch prorated for the July 4th holiday. These programs are for Hingham residents only (residency may be verified). All registrations will be determined by a lottery to be held the first week in February. All applications must be submitted via mail, postmarked between January 2nd and January 31st . Please indicate "Summer Program Lottery" on the exterior of the envelope. Applications must include all requested information and full payment. If your first choice is unavailable, your child will automatically be registered for your second choice, etc. Please submit a separate check for each child, program and session payable to "Hingham Recreation". Checks will only be deposited for all children, programs and sessions in which they are accepted. All remaining checks will be held in the office. Applications within the immediate family must be sent together and must be in the same envelope. Siblings will be accommodated whenever possible. Lottery results will be posted in the Recreation Center as soon as possible. Lottery results are final. Lottery waiting lists will be maintained and implemented. Applications that are incomplete, submitted outside the prescribed dates or without full payment for each child, program and session will be disqualified from the lottery. Returned checks will result in removal from the lottery. All requests for refunds must be in writing and received prior to March 31, 2008. Please call if you have any questions, concerns or comments. Thank you for your continued support of the Recreation Department. It is with great anticipation and excitement that we look forward to seeing your children next summer. Sincerely, Kathleen A. Clarkeson
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