School Holiday Days Out Camp at the JCC Indianapolis

Youth in Grades K-5 can count on the JCC Indianapolis for a fun day away any time school is out of session, e.g., fall, winter, or spring break, Presidents Day, etc. It is all-day programming filled with games, swimming, crafts, sports, and more.

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School Age Programs at the JCC

School Age programming at the J is home base for Camp JCC, After School Care (ASC), School’s Out Days, and more! We help shape the minds and bodies of our youth using the entire 40-acre campus. Arts, education, sports, and games are all parts of our building process.

Benefits of After-School Care at the JCC

Our School’s Out camp days include activities such as art projects, playing indoors and out, organized group games, mitzvahs (good deeds), and athletic activities that help stimulate the social, emotional, and physical development of your child. The goals of our after-school program include all areas of development:

  • Social: To help children feel comfortable, trust their environment, make friends, and feel they are part of the group.
  • Emotional: To cultivate in our children self-confidence, independence, self-control, and a positive attitude towards life.
  • Physical: To help children feel confident about what their bodies can do.
  • Cognitive: To encourage children to become independent learners through opportunities to complete homework assignments, provide quiet reading time, and promote problem-solving and curiosity through special planned activities including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math).

Our After School Care staff plan and manage all of our School’s Out Days. Although it is not like a day of camp at Camp JCC, many people refer to our School’s Out Days as fall break day camp, winter break day camp, and spring break day camp. They strive to make all children feel welcome and comfortable. Staff focuses on the individual needs of each child, their interests and talents, and encourages curiosity, creativity, and positive communication.

Our staff is well-trained (and retrained each year) in the areas of child development and health and safety standards. The JCC is also a Darkness to Light Partner in Prevention committed to the time and effort necessary to be educated on how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse.

Our entire facility is available for youth in our programs. We play sports and games in our gymnasiums, and all children play outdoors around the 40-acre campus to benefit from the fresh air and cultivate social skills. Youth also have access to our indoor pool and outdoor water park.

While we recognize that many children in our program are not Jewish, the values we teach apply to all equally. In addition to kindness, respect, and responsibility, we focus on “tzedakah,” the Hebrew word for doing good deeds and sharing with those less fortunate. Our children participate all year long in activities to perform acts of kindness not only for their classmates and teachers but for others in the community through partnerships with other not-for-profit agencies (e.g., Gleaners Food Bank).

What to Expect

Myranda Tetzlaff
Director of Camp JCC and Youth Programs
317-715-9246
mtetzlaff@JCCindy.org

Hamilton Hensel
Assistant Director of Camp JCC and Youth Programs
317-715-9254
hhensel@JCCindy.org

8 am–6 pm.
Drop off is between 8 and 9:30 am and pickup is between 4:30 and 6 pm outside the Kraft Youth Wing.

During the school year, while school is in session, we offer after school care. See the After School Care page for details and pricing. With one of the options, all School’s Out Days are included. When school is out for summer, we offer Camp JCC for K-7th grade. For schools with different schedules, we offer pre- and post-camp days before and after camp.

The day is 8 am-6 pm. Click here to see a typical school break schedule example.

Click here for the current Youth Calendar.

Youth should have packed every day:

  • A lunch
  • A swimsuit and towel
  • A water bottle

The JCC provides youth with a healthy snack in the morning and in the afternoon. Because of our commitment to creating an environment of inclusiveness so that children coming from kosher homes will be able to partake in snacks with classmates, all our snacks are kosher.

In order to provide a place where all children can feel safe and happy, both physically and emotionally, we take a proactive approach to bullying and have an Anti-Bullying Policy, using guidelines set forth by the American Camping Association (ACA). Bullying is when one or more people exclude, tease, taunt, gossip, hit, kick, or put down another person with the intent to hurt that person. Our staff is trained to prevent bullying and raise awareness by using different techniques and tools to help avoid such behavior.

The JCC is committed to programs that are inclusive. A child’s special needs should be communicated and included with your enrollment documentation. ASC may request a meeting with parents prior to the child’s start date and/or ask parents to observe our program in advance to determine if it is a good fit for their family. If your child has a Behavior Intervention Plan, a meeting with the program director to go over the plan will be required prior to the child’s first day of attendance at ASC. This plan must be submitted along with your child’s ASC Registration and Health & Medical forms.

For details about all the J’s policies for its after-school program, including School’s Out Days, e.g., data privacy and confidentiality, behavior and discipline, cell phone policy, personal items, child abuse reporting, etc. download our Parent Handbook.

Enrollment

Participation in School’s Out Days is open to all youth ages K-5, members and non-members.

The cost to participate in School’s Out Days is $85 per child. JCC members receive a discount as a benefit of membership and pay only $65/day. View our Membership page to become a member and receive discount pricing.

Youth enrolled in the JCC’s 5+ rate plan for After School Care have School’s Out Days included in their monthly rate.

Any pickups after 6 pm will be charged a late pick-up fee of $5 per minute, per child.

The JCC offers need-based scholarships and financial aid to enable qualified individuals and families to take advantage of JCC membership and some youth-based programs, including After School Care.

The following forms must be completed prior to your child’s participation in the J’s after school care program:

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