Summer camp registration an adventure
By Joann Groff joann@theacorn.com

JOANN GROFF/Acorn Newspapers TENT CITY GOES UP IN T.O.- Dozens of tents dot the grassy areas of Conejo Valley Unified School District offices along Janss Road. The canvas community sprung up early last Saturday morning as parents camped out overnight to get reservations for summer camp for their kids. Some parents had lined up as early as Friday afternoon to register at 8 a.m. Saturday morning.

Faith Mori said it's been quite a while since she was willing to camp out overnight- in fact, it was back in the day when Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones were in town and concert tickets were the prize.

But things change when you become a mom, she said.

The parent of a secondgrader and a fourth-grader at Meadows Elementary, Mori now lines up every year at this time at Conejo Valley Unified School District offices for summer camp registration. Dozens of tents dotted the grassy areas of the district's Janss Road property last Friday and Saturday as more than 200 parents camped out in an effort to secure a spot in the summer camp of their choice.

On the first registration day, reserved for children already enrolled in an after-school program, families line up hoping to get a summer camp spot at the same site and with the same instructors as their after-school program.

"We plan all year long to camp out this night," Mori said. "It's cold and it's dark and it rains on us sometimes. We are a very quiet, controlled crowd, but it's ridiculous we are out there. It's just another indication of how poor our school board is."

Many parents complained that there "has to be a better way" to register. By dawn on Saturday the line had curled through the district offices and down the sidewalk of Janss Road.

Groups had barbecues and portable heaters set up and had packed meals and hot drinks. Tables were assembled as parents played cards and discussed what camps to sign up for.

The group first in line said they'd arrived at 2 p.m. Friday afternoon to secure their spot. Despite being there the longest time, they seemed to have the most positive attitude about the camping trip.

"It's just one night out of the year and our kids are set for the summer," said Mike Archer, a parent of an 8- and a 10-year-old. He's been camping out for four or five years. "You really want the camp of your choice. It's a tradition. . . . Wouldn't have it any other way."

That was not the consensus of many in the group, however, who complained about the archaic process.

"Every other camp you register online," Mori said. "Why they are still doing it this way I do not understand."

Others told stories of waking up to crunchy, icy grass and trying to sleep through some of the colder years. They did have nice things to say about custodian Chuck Rhoades, who opens the bathrooms and "goes above and beyond" for the campers.

Despite the complaints, parents said that as long as this is the way the district runs registration, they will be there. Assuring their children get into the right camp is that important.

Tuition for one three-week session is $400 for the first child and $370 for each additional child, assuming siblings are attending the same session. There is also a $50 processing fee per child per session.

"It's a continuation of the afterschool programs- the summer version, so it's all day long," said Mori, whose children go to Lang Ranch camp because it's usually where their regular instructor goes. "It's a very desirable camp. And for my kids it means they have the same counselor, it's familiar faces- it's a really nice camp."

Kindergarten through fifthgrade camps are held at Lang Ranch, Madrona, Manzanita, Maple and Westlake Hills elementary schools, and a pre-K to second-grade camp is at Glenwood. Each camp location holds three three-week sessions that run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The district refused to comment about the registration process and would not provide any other information.