Hear ye
hear ye! We have now embarked on The Fabled and
Legendarie Jitterbugse Sumer Programme of the year of our Lord
two-thousand and sixteen, and yea there is much to relay to you!
We have already been told of a great scaly beast named Ned, and there be rumoures of all manner of other magickal creatures near the theatre kingdomme, so we are gladde of
the brave youthes who have now arrived to guard our lande against invasions and
intrusions!
It is with
great excitement and anticipation that I welcome you to the Stage 2
Jitterbugs Performing Arts Program! We have been buzzing around
making preparations for our new and returning Jitterbugs. We are so happy to have your little ones with us for this session. We have an amazing lineup of highly qualified instructors
who are dedicated to sharing their passion for the arts with your
Jitterbug!
My
name is Ben Bowen
and I'm back for my fifth summer as Program Coordinator with
Jitterbugs. We've been working really hard to get ready for all the
adventures we'll have together this summer – we're so excited to
see you!
Stay tuned to this blog for updates and posts about our day-to-day activities, and for important news and reminders about stuff coming up.
PROGRAMMING
INFORMATION
To review, our
little Jitterbugs have been divided into three groups. Each group will
experience dancing, singing, acting and crafting, resulting in their
very own theatre production. The productions are always on the last
FRIDAY of camp at 5:00 pm
located on-site in the theatre.
Camp will be held at our permanent location – The Old
Firehall Arts Center at 334 Wilson Street. Because it is also home
to a municipal parking lot, we would ask that all parents be
extremely careful when dropping off and picking up their children as
the parking lot can get quite full. (Additional parking can be found
on the street, and the closest side street, Church Street.)
To
ensure that all our little Jitterbugs have a fun and safe time at
camp, there are a few things we would like to bring to your
attention:
Please
take a few extra minutes to register your child’s attendance in
the lobby downstairs on DAY ONE only
If
there is an absence, change in pick-up arrangements or anything we
should be aware of, please phone (905)
304-TUNE (8863) before 8:45am. We also
check messages at the end of camp (3:30pm)
During camp we
will use a sign-in procedure for all campers. This is to ensure
that all children arrive and leave safely with their appropriate
caregiver. Please be sure that a staff member greets you and
records your child’s name. The camp arrival time is 9:00 am and
departure is 3:30pm. The room will be open only 15 minutes prior to
start time (8:45 am). We ask that all parents pick up their children
promptly by 3:45pm.
A contract for
babysitting was mailed to you with your registration. Should you
require care outside of these hours, please fill this out and return
it on the first day of camp. We may not be able to accommodate last
minute requests.
Please
send enough food each day for our two nutrition breaks. Since many
of our campers have severe peanut allergies, please do
not pack any
peanut or nut products.
Please
remember to apply sunblock on your child before he or she arrives
each day, and to pack sun
block and sun hats.
We
ask that all campers wear loose and comfortable clothing that you
wouldn’t mind getting a little mucked up (please no jeans). The
building is air-conditioned and therefore you will probably want to
send campers in layered clothing.
Our
goal is to provide a complete theatre experience in singing, acting,
dancing, and prop development. We will divide our campers into three
small groups who will rotate through the day to classes in music,
drama, and dance, as well as various group activities led by our
dedicated instructors. There is also some collective time where the
entire group participates in an activity as well as creative
exploration playtime, where they can explore activities that have
sparked their interest.
Here
is a sample schedule so that you get a sense of what an average day
at camp will look like.
9:00 –
9:30am
|
|
Arrival
and opening circle
|
9:30 – 10:15
|
|
Class 1
|
10:15 – 11:15
|
|
Group Acivity 1 ~
OUTSIDE
|
11:15 – 12:00
|
|
Snack Break 1
|
12:00 – 12:45
|
|
Class 2
|
12:45 – 1:30
|
|
Group Activity 2
|
1:30 – 2:15
|
|
Snack Break 2
|
2:15 – 3:00
|
|
Class 3
|
3:00 –
3:30
|
|
Free Play
/ Home time
|
On
the second
Wednesday of
camp — provided it's not pouring with rain — our Jitterbugs get a
fun break from working hard on rehearsing their show with a walk up
to the plash pad behind the Ancaster Public Library to play in the
water and on the playground. On this day, please send your child
already
dressed in their bathing suit,
with a hat and sunscreen already
applied with
your camper. Please
note: we
will not be changing your children out of their swimsuits,
but instead will send try to make sure we get back from the splash
pad at the same time as you are arriving to pick them up. Our staff
will remind you about Wild Water Wednesdays the day before during
Drop-Off and Pick-Up times.
On behalf
of the Stage 2 summer staff, we thank you for enrolling your child
into the Jitterbug program and we are looking forward to dancing,
singing, acting, and crafting with your children...!
Sincerely,
Ben Bowen
Program Director, Jitterbugs
