Dear Summer Families,
As stated in the video message, it is with great disappointment I share the news that due to the unforeseen situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic,
we are cancelling all on-site Summer Adventures in Learning programs at Science & Arts Academy for the summer 2020 season
. If you are a currently enrolled family who has made a payment for this summer, please
click here for instructions on requesting a credit or refund.
Nearly six weeks ago we began closely monitoring the pandemic to understand how it might impact our ability to operate this summer, and from the get-go we have made it clear that our most important commitment was to the
health and safety of our community
. SAA’s leadership team spent countless hours evaluating potential health guidelines, collaborating with other schools and camp programs, and reviewing input from enrolled families and summer staff. We deliberated scenario after scenario and mapped out several contingency plans. We wanted so badly to figure out a way to offer
anything
representing a normal summer at SAA, but we soon discovered that the impending roadblocks would be insurmountable to overcome while maintaining a high standard of care, top-notch program quality, and fiscal responsibility. At the end of the day, we have made this painful decision with complete confidence in order to protect the well-being of our campers, families, staff, and the greater community.
The fact that the decision to cancel on-site programming this summer is the right thing to do, does not necessarily make it any easier to digest. Summer Adventures in Learning, in some form or fashion, has served SAA students and the community for over two decades. This summer we expected to welcome 450 campers into our building, and our team of over 50 teachers, counselors, and program partners were so looking forward to working again with those familiar faces and getting to know new campers. Summer after summer hundreds of families put their ultimate trust in us to take care of their children and provide a safe, nurturing, and meaningful experience while they are at work or fulfilling other obligations, and we are sad that this just will not be possible this summer.
Even though we will not be gathering together this summer at Science & Arts Academy, our leadership and staff will soon be evaluating ways in which alternative summer programming may be offered in a virtual environment. Should this become a viable option, we will communicate any opportunities to our community. Beyond this summer, we assure you that we will work tirelessly to reimagine what Summer 2021 will look like in this new reality in order to continue serving the campers, families and staff who call Science & Arts Academy their summer home.
We have never been more committed to our mission and to our community as we are today, and we are beyond appreciative of your ongoing partnership and loyalty. We know that this community will continue to rally around each other for support and comfort during these challenging times. On behalf of the Science & Arts Academy leadership and our super talented and dedicated summer staff, thank you for trusting us to make this incredibly difficult decision, and for sticking with us as we rise to the known and unknown challenges ahead of us.
We have done our best to anticipate questions that our community may have regarding this decision and so we invite you to visit our newly created
FAQ Summer 2020
. If you have further questions, please feel free to
email
or call 847-827-7880.
Sending everyone best wishes for good health and many happy summer memories - we hope to see you soon!
Sincerely,
