Frequently Asked Questions
If you are thinking about registering your son or daughter at the Academy by the Sea / Camp Pacific this summer we can hopefully help answer some questions you might have. If some of your questions are not addresses below, please do not hesitate to either drop us a line via e-mail us or give us a call. We are always here to help you and to provide the best possible summer experience for your child!
- What are your 2008 rates?
- The five-week academic session is $4,795. The three-week recreational camp session is $2,495. The three, one-week surf and bodyboard camp sessions are $895 each.
- What expenses do your rates include?
- Our rates include room and board, meals, linens, weekend excursions, (classes for academic session) and athletic and social activities. Additional costs include an incidental account for our academic and recreational sessions. The surf camp does not require an incidental account. Click here for more details about the incidental account. Additional fees may include optional airport transportation, optional ESL classes for Camp Pacific, in-between session fees, and temporary medical insurance for international students and campers.
- Can we combine sessions to provide a longer summer experience?
- Our campers and students combine sessions quite frequently. One of our goals at The Academy by the Sea and Camp Pacific is to provide each family with personalized attention in order to plan the best possible summer experience. A camper who is attending Camp Pacific may wish to extend his or her stay at our campus by adding a surf and bodyboarding session. The combination choice is up to you and your family! An extra fee is charged for the days between the sessions.
- How many campers and students attend each of your sessions?
- The academic session enrolls approximately 180 boarding students. The recreational camp and surf and bodyboard camps each have approximately 75 boarding campers.
- Are you an accredited camp?
- Yes, The Academy by the Sea and Camp Pacific are accredited by the American Camping Association (ACA). The ACA covers over 300 standards in areas such as staff selection, safety rules, program, and health, sanitation, and administration. Standards are evaluated and updated yearly. We are also a member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) and the Surfrider Foundation.
- How do you select your staff?
- Our teachers, camp counselors, program directors and staff are carefully selected young men and women who are dedicated to working with children and have the ability to serve as outstanding role models. Experienced teachers and camp counselors provide classroom and recreational activity instruction, overall supervision of dormitories, and an interactive campus life environment. We hire energetic teachers from local school districts, recent college graduates, and teachers from our academic year school. Camp counselors are hired through international placement agencies and local universities. All faculty, staff, and counselors undergo a comprehensive interview process including a background check, reference checks, and drug screening. Teachers and counselors attend an intense orientation which emphasizes counseling/teaching skills, group dynamics, safety procedures, and activity/classroom management skills.
- What is the weather like in Carlsbad?
- Carlsbad has a typical mild and fair-weathered coastal climate. The average summer temperature is 73 degrees with hot afternoons and cooler evenings.
- What is the surf like in Carlsbad?
- We are specifically designed for beginner to intermediate surfers and body-boarders. Our beach is a perfect beach to learn to surf or bodyboard because it is gentle but with good surf. Our program is not designed for advanced surfers and body-boarders as the surf is usually not challenging enough for that level. The average wave height is 2-4 feet, and the average water temperature is 66-70 degrees in Carlsbad.
- How are roommates paired together? Can I request a specific roommate?
- Students and campers can request to room with a friend. We will try to honor most requests, but we cannot make any guarantees. Please note that the request must be mutual and the ages of the participants must be within one year of age. We use the camper/student profile forms for room placement. Campers and students are then paired with roommates of similar hobbies, interests, and age. Generally, dorm placements work out very well and the roommates become fast friends.
- How can I contact my child at camp this summer? Will my child have access to phones or computers with email?
- All campers and students have access to our pay phones during designated times. Except in emergency situations, campers may not make phone calls during activity periods. Students may not make phone calls during classes, activities, or study hall. It is recommended that parents send their child with a phone card. This procedure is the easiest way for our campers and students to make outgoing calls. Incoming calls are received by our camp office 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All incoming calls are given to campers and students once a day in the form of written messages. All campers and students are also given the opportunity to use the Internet for email purposes each weekday afternoon.
- What if my child gets homesick?
- Missing home and family is natural for children. Our staff is trained in working with children and helping them to deal with homesickness. It’s common that the first letters or phone calls you receive may indicate some sadness. Many students/ campers experience a short adjustment period during their first day or two of being away from home. As soon as students/campers get caught up in the excitement of new friends and activities their anxieties soon fade. Your support of our normal schedule is critical to your student's/camper's success. Please try to encourage and be proud of your child’s independence before they leave for camp. It's also helpful to send upbeat, cheerful letters from home that focus on camp and the fun times they are having.
- What is an incidental account? Is my child required to have one?
- Most of the cost of the summer experience is included in the tuition. The Academy strongly recommends that parents/guardians place money in an incidental account prior to the beginning of the session. This account covers expenses such as weekly allowance, course books (for academic students only), laundry, personal needs in the camp and school store such as phone cards, weekend excursion spending money, and includes a damage deposit. **This is not a pool of money whereby students and campers can draw from whenever they want funds. Our incidental account is setup like an allowance. Students and campers are allotted a certain amount of money per account. You will receive a billing statement at the end of the summer detailing where or how the money was spent. Your son or daughter's remaining balance will be mailed to you after the summer session. We recommmend that students/campers do not have cash in their rooms or on them. We are not responsible for lost or stolen money or valuables.
- We'd like to visit your campus. How do we arrange a campus tour?
- For families who are seriously considering our academic, recreational, surf and bodyboarding sessions, we strongly recommend visiting our campus. The two options we offer are either weekly individual tours or our monthly open house. Individual tours are given Monday through Friday throughout the year. Friends and family are also welcome to attend our monthly open house which is held from March through June of each year. Open houses usually take place on Saturday afternoons. With either our individual tour or open house, you’ll have the opportunity to spend the morning or afternoon with us while touring the campus and learning more about our extensive summer offerings. Please call our office to make a reservation for one of our monthly open houses or to schedule an appointment for a campus tour during the week. You must have a reservation. If you are planning a business trip or family vacation to Southern California, give us a call and we will be glad to help you plan your stay!
- How do we get to The Academy by the Sea/Camp Pacific?
- Click here to be transferred to our directions page which details specific driving directions and includes a map. Please feel free to call our offices for further clarification before driving to The Academy. We are always happy to assist you in planning your trip with accommodations, restaurants, or popular attraction suggestions! If your child is arriving or departing by airplane, you will need to fill out our travel form that is included in your enrollment forms. All arrivals and departures must be confirmed with our office at least one week prior to the date of travel. Students/campers must travel on the opening and closing days of their session. We recommend that you fly into San Diego International Airport. If this is not possible you may alternatively fly into Los Angeles International Airport, Carlsbad Airport or if coming by train, the Amtrak Train Station in Oceanside. We will have a chaperone from our camp meet your child at the terminal and shuttle them back to camp. There is a nominal fee for our shuttle service. If your child is under the age of 14 and is flying to camp without an adult, many airlines require them to fly as an unaccompanied minor. There may be a fee for this from the airline, as well as a form you may need to complete for the flights to and from camp. The fee must be prepaid for a roundtrip unaccompanied minor traveling alone. This form may ask for the name of the chaperone picking your child up at the gate. Please call our office one week prior to the flight to receive the name of the chaperone we will be sending to meet your child. All students and campers traveling by plane must have photo identification with them. Please do not schedule any departures after 7:00 p.m.
Academic Students Only
- How do we choose my son's/daughter's academic courses?
- Our parents generally take two different philosophies; a student going into 8th grade will either be taking 7th grade courses (to fine-tune their basics) or 8th grade courses (to get a head start on their next academic year.) Most parents find that discussing which courses to take with their child’s present teachers is very advantageous. Our Academic Dean is also available for further guidance and clarification when needed. Credit courses are given for make-up purposes only. Click here to see courses offered.
- How much academic attention will my child receive at your program?
- Our average class size is 7-15 students which provides close attention for our students. Most teachers live on campus with the students. This provides students with the opportunity to interact both in and out of the classroom with teachers, which enhances their in-class relationships. Evening study hall is proctored by teachers. As a result, students are getting the assistance they need with homework each evening rather than having to wait until class the following day. We have several checks and balances. For example, students who are not doing well in their classes, who are repeatedly turning in homework late or unfinished, or who are doing poorly on tests are required to attend afternoon study hall. In a sense, afternoon activities are "earned" by our students. Students who have done well in their classes and who don’t need the extra attention of an afternoon study hall are able to participate in afternoon activities everyday. Students who are in afternoon study hall are free to participate in activities once their work is completed.
- Can my child receive academic credit for his or her courses this summer?
- Students entering 10th and 11th grade can earn up to two high school semesters of course credit at The Academy. Credit students must take a double period of instruction in order to meet the 60 hours of class credit required by the State of California. Credit courses are offered for students needing to make up a previous year’s coursework and may not be taken to advance a future year’s courses. Students who are planning on making up a deficiency while at The Academy need to discuss the allowances that will be made for work completed over the summer with their academic-year school prior to attending The Academy. Arrangements for make-up credit must be made in advance with The Academy. We are more than happy to forward a transcript and course description to a student’s school when requested.
- Do you accept day students into your academic program?
- Our academic session welcomes day participants. We do strongly recommend the boarding option, even for local residents, as this is an integral facet of our academic program. Day students are expected to maintain the full five-week commitment with their six-days a week morning class schedule. All weekday afternoon activities, weekend excursions, and weekday evening study halls are available for boarding students only.
