Prospective Families Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in the tuition?

Relax, it's your summer too! You'll be glad to know that at Crestwood we take care of everything. We offer an all-inclusive tuition, which includes door-to-door transportation, lunch, snacks, camp t-shirt, towel service, all activities, equipment, and all trips.

What are the camp hours?

For those enrolled in our Full Day program, buses generally arrive at Crestwood between 8:50 AM and 9:10 AM. Afternoon buses depart at 4:00 PM. We have a Mini Day (9:00 AM to 1:00 PM) for 2-3 year olds or a Junior Day (9:00 AM to 2:30 PM) for 3 and 4 year olds. Campers who are 2 1/2 years of age and older are eligible for our full day program.

What happens if it rains?

The fun never stops at Crestwood, even when it rains. For children entering Kindergarten thru sixth grade, a rainy day brings the excitement of a half day trip. We contract with local venues including bowlmor, LI Sports Hub and Tiger Schulmann's to have exclusive use for our campers on rainy days. Parents can check our website every morning (usually by 7:30 AM) to see where campers will be going on a rainy day. In addition, Crestwood has an indoor air-conditioned gymnasium and an abundance of indoor facilities. Each of our five large school buildings house numerous air-conditioned classrooms which can be used for a variety of fun specialist-led and group-led activities. Many of our other activities including all crafts, nature and dance take place under covered shelters.

What type of first aid is available?

Crestwood has three nurses on staff every day of the summer. In addition, our entire Administrative staff and all Trip leaders are certified in Level 3 First Aid and CPR. All of our Administrators and Bus Counselors are epipen certified. Our entire staff is trained on how to respond to injuries, illnesses or emergencies. Our nurses are available to speak to you at any time during the day and have their own direct phone number. Our nurses will call you if your child visits the nurse’s office for any significant reason. We are able to store and administer most if not all medication with a doctor’s prescription. Feel free to call us to discuss your child’s specific medical needs with one of our Directors or nurses.

What do I send to camp with my child?

At Crestwood, we try to make it as easy as possible by taking care of as much as possible. Prior to the start of camp, we host a Saturday Clothing and Family Fun Day. All are invited. Parents can set up their children’s cubby that day with the following items: three bathing suits, one sweatshirt, one extra t-shirt, one pair of shorts, one pair of jeans/sweatpants, one pair of socks and underwear, sunscreen and an inexpensive raincoat. Softball gloves are welcome, but optional. Pre-schoolers - diapers for those not toilet trained. At the end of each week, we will send home all bathing suits for you to wash. Please send your child to camp on Monday with a clean set of bathing suits for the week. Other clothes or items will be sent home as needed.

How do you screen your staff?

The number one reason that parents choose Crestwood over other summer programs is our staff, but many parents are unaware of why our staff is so exceptional.

• We only hire college students as counselors – no CIT’s, no Jr. Counselors.
• Our Group Leaders must be college graduates and most are certified teachers.
• We have a screening and hiring process that is more thorough than most Fortune 500 companies. Each applicant receives a thorough face-to-face interview with one of our owners/directors or top administrators. An extensive reference and background check is done on every applicant which includes phone calls to previous employers, teachers, professors, coaches, community leaders and even other Crestwood families and staff who may know the applicant. Criminal background checks are done on all hires. We check both a national criminal database and the local or state courthouse records. We personally review all of the department of motor vehicles records on all drivers prior to each summer and all drivers participate in a drug screening program. Our Crestwood owners and directors Mark H., Mark T., and Jeff make all final hiring decisions.
• We offer one of the most sophisticated and extensive staff training programs in the industry. Most positions require a minimum of 16 hours of on-site training with our directors, administrators and professional speakers and trainers. Many positions require more time. In addition, all of our staff are required to participate in our e-learning program which contains original Crestwood training content. Most staff spend at least 4 additional hours in our e-learning courses and many are required to do more.