Camp Guide – Cathedral Heights, NW DC (St. Albans & NCS)

Getting Ready for Camp

What to Wear

In the morning, dress your camper in:

• Sunscreen (please apply before arriving!)
• Sneakers or closed-back shoes (no flip-flops or sandals)
• Bathing suit (under their clothes is perfect)

What to Pack

Please send your camper with:

• Lunch (more on that below)
• Water bottle (labeled, and no sharing please!)
• Towel
• Change of clothes
• Sunscreen (especially if you prefer a specific brand—just label it and pack it in a Ziploc)

And please leave these items at home: cell phones, toys, electronics, trading cards, stuffed animals, and anything valuable or irreplaceable.

Drop-Off & Pick-Up

To ensure a safe and smooth arrival and dismissal each day, campers must be dropped off and picked up at the Zone where their program takes place.

If you have campers in multiple programs, please drop off and pick up at each of their respective Zones. We’ll do our best onsite to keep the carpool process quick and friendly!

Morning Carpool (All Zones)

• 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

Afternoon Carpool (All Zones)

• 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Zone Locations & Details

Zone A – Day & Jr. Day Camp

• Enter Cathedral campus via either:
  • Massachusetts Ave & Pilgrim Rd, NW (map link here)
  • Wisconsin Ave & South Rd, NW (map link here)
• Drop-off/pick-up: Senior Circle via Pilgrim Rd.
• Follow “Zone A” Headfirst signage and staff to the Zone A carpool area.

Zone B – Multi-Sport Camp

• Enter Cathedral campus via either:
  • Massachusetts Ave & Pilgrim Rd, NW (map link here)
  • Wisconsin Ave & South Rd, NW (map link here)
• Drop-off/pick-up: Bottom of Pilgrim Road at Grant Meadow across from the St. Albans Baseball fields
• Follow “Zone B” Headfirst signage and staff to the Zone B carpool area.

Zone C – Innovators, Inc. & Sprouting Scientists

• National Cathedral School Whitby Hall (map link here)
• Drop-off/pick-up: 36th Street via Lowell St only
• Follow “Zone C” Headfirst signage and staff to the Zone C carpool area on 36th St between Lowell and Woodley

Carpool Guidelines

To keep things running smoothly and safely:

• Stay in your car during both drop-off and pick-up
• Place your Pick-Up Placard on the passenger dashboard
• Make sure all pick-up people are listed as Authorized Grown-Ups in your Parent Dashboard
• If you don’t have your Pick-Up Placard, you’ll need to show photo ID matching an Authorized Driver which may add to your wait time.

Early Pick-Ups & Late Drop-Offs

We understand that sometimes schedules get tight. If you need to pick up early or drop off late:

• Email us at customercare@headfirstcamps.com
• On arrival, stay in your car and call 202-625-1921 with your zone-specific extension as outlined above
• A staff member will come out to assist you and your camper

Lunch & Snacks

We are a 100% nut-free camp—no peanuts or tree nuts, please!

• Pack lunch in a labeled lunchbox (with utensils and a cold pack)
• One snack is provided daily (Goldfish crackers), but feel free to send your own if preferred—especially for dietary needs or allergies
• No fridge or microwave on-site, so please plan accordingly
• If you’re bringing sun butter, please label it as such

Swim Time!

• Campers in Multi-Sport I (Rising K – 1st), Jr. Day Camp, and Day Camp participate in daily instructional swim lessons.
• Campers in Multi-Sport II+ (Rising 2nd – 7th) participate in recreational free swim three times a week and waterplay inflatable games twice a week.
• Campers in Innovators, Inc. & Sprouting Scientists (Rising 1^st – 3^rd) will participate in daily waterplay activities, featuring fun sprinkler-based games to cool off and our inflatable water slide!
• The pool is fully supervised with certified lifeguards, swim instructors, and counselors—we uphold a 3:1 swimmer-to-staff ratio for lessons!

For campers participating in instructional swim, we’ll send home swim progress reports so you can cheer on your camper’s aquatic achievements at the end of each week.

Lost & Found

Label everything—seriously, it really helps!

• Labeled items will be returned as efficiently as possible.
• Unlabeled items are posted on the Campanion app every Thursday to be claimed. Reach out to us if you recognize a lost item!

Health, Medication & Allergies

Allergies

We’re nut-free and vigilant about food safety:

• No food sharing allowed
• Tables are wiped and hands are washed after eating
• Red allergy wristbands will be provided at check-in for campers with allergies to ensure all staff are vigilant on monitoring allergy support

If your camper has other allergies or medical needs, let us know via your forms. Our team will reach out with any questions prior to your camp week as needed.

Medication

If your camper is bringing medication to camp:

1. Label everything with their full name
2. Upload the Medication Authorization Form (signed by a doctor) to your Parent Dashboard
3. Fill out the Medication & Allergy Action Plan online
4. Bring medication in a labeled gallon Ziploc bag on Monday

A few notes on medication at Headfirst:

• EpiPens and inhalers stay with counselors at all times in fanny packs. Other medications are kept by our Safety Coordinator and supervised during administration.
• While Headfirst staff supervise medication use, they do not administer it—except in emergencies involving EpiPens or inhalers brought from home.
• All medication is returned at week’s end. If your camper is with us for multiple weeks, please bring it back each Monday.
• If your camper needs additional medical support, reach out—we’re happy to discuss your camper’s individual needs.

Stay Connected with Campanion

We use the Campanion app for everything from forms to photos to updates.

Don’t have Campanion yet? Download it here to view photos, fill out forms, and stay in the loop. Just log in with the same info you used to register.

Extended Day Program

We offer weekly Extended Day options both before and after the camp day.

• Morning drop-off starts as early as 7:30 a.m.
• Afternoon pick-up is available any time before 6:00 p.m.

Campers enjoy games, crafts, snack and sports—plenty to keep them engaged and happy until you’re ready to pick them up!

Tuition (Per Week)

• AM Extended Day: $90/week
• PM Extended Day: $200/week

How to Enroll

Extended Day is available by the week only. Add it to your camper’s application through your Parent Dashboard, or give us a call!

Sample Extended Day Schedule

(please note, exact activities and times vary by day and group)

Dress-Up Days

Wednesdays are for fun themes and team spirit! Thursdays are Camp T-Shirt Day. Your camper will receive their camp t-shirt prior to the Thursday on their first week of camp.

Participation is optional, but always encouraged.

Buddy Requests

Want your camper placed with a friend? We do our best to make it happen!
Submit your Buddy Request via the “Buddy Requests” form in your Parent Portal by June 1st.

We thoughtfully create balanced camp groups to support social growth and connection. Here’s what we can guarantee:

• Day Camp & Jr. Day Camp: 2 buddy requests guaranteed
• Innovators, Inc. & Multi-Sport: 1 buddy request guaranteed

Whether your child is coming with friends or flying solo, our counselors work hard to help every camper feel welcomed and part of the group.