Licensed by the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)

1st-6th Grade Outback Summer Program
Kindergarten Outback Program

Outback Registration for summer 2013 is now open!

1st-6th Grade Outback Summer Program
Outback 2013 begins July 1st and runs for eight weeks. We offer a daily variety of engaging visual arts, drama, dance, music, and sports activities for children entering kindergarten through sixth grades in September. Licensed by the EEC for 110 children, Outback provides a small, safe, neighborhood atmosphere. Outbackers participate in cooperative games, have the opportunity to deepen their appreciation for the arts, and are part of a community with a long history of making every child feel welcome.  Outback celebrates and honors the diversity of interests, curiosities and talents that children bring with them to our program by offering a diverse array of activities presented by a diverse staff. At Outback, children have the opportunity to be themselves and let their inspiration guide them!

Our Staff
At Agassiz Baldwin Community (ABC) we have been educating and entertaining children for over three decades. Our staff is a diverse group of artists, athletes, and childcare specialists with skills in everything from printmaking to cartooning to soccer. Many summer teachers are recruited from our afterschool program. Morning specialists, who are professionals in their fields, will guide students in deepening their appreciation and skill level in dance, sports, drama, and visual arts. The staff is trained in both first aid and CPR. The staff is assisted by youth from the Counselor-in-Training (CIT) Program and the Cambridge Mayor’s Youth Program.

Our Space
Outback takes place in the tree-shaded backyard of the historic ABC building. We are located at 20 Sacramento Street, off Mass. Ave. between Harvard and Porter Squares. Outback also has access to Sacramento Field (across the street), Alden Park (Tot Lot) and the Maria L. Baldwin School, which is just down the street. Outback uses the Maria L. Baldwin location during rainy or hot weather, where we have use of the community room (includes a kitchen), gym, music and Spanish rooms, and cafeteria.

This summer, Outback will continue the use of the 3D studio in the brand new Maud Morgan Arts Center. Our backyard includes a sandbox with water component, children’s garden, play structure, and bocce ball court. For our sports lovers, the backyard offers an adjustable basketball hoop, cement four-square court and a dedicated wall ball board. Let the games begin!

Choices, Choices, Choices!
Outback is a choice-based program allowing children to create their own daily schedules based on their interests. Teachers present their activities, called “choices” during community meetings and children can then decide which choice most inspires them. Some choices are based on weekly themes that present art and physical activities within a multicultural context. Participating in these stimulating activities helps children set the stage for learning in the fall, while exercising their minds and bodies. Children also get to choose one “Club” for the week that meets daily after lunch and allows more time for teachers and Outbackers to delve deeper into the chosen focus.  Families are invited to join us on Friday for lunch while some Outbackers perform their dance and drama routines and we give out the famous “Wally and Beaver Cleaver awards.”

Weekly choices include:

• Plenty of arts, crafts, and games
• Free swim at War Memorial Pool*
• Cooking with local fruits and vegetables
• Ceramics at the Maud Morgan Art Center
• Club Choice

* Free swim is a choice and due to popularity does fill up. Outback does our very best to give each child an opportunity to swim at least once per week, and twice if at all possible. We follow the schedule of the pool if the pool is closed we will not have the swimming option.

Specialist choices (9:00 am-12:00 pm):

• Drama: character development, improv, play writing, performances
• Visual Arts: cartooning, drawing, painting, sculpture, installation, ceramics
• Dance: creative modern, jazz, hip hop, international
• Science: experiments, nature exploration, inventions
• Sports (full day): Baseball, Soccer, Basketball, Capture the flag, Four Square, Wall ball, Cooperative games, and many more
• Individual piano or cello lessons (additional cost)

Maud Morgan Art Classes

Outbackers who are entering 5th and 6th grade in the fall of 2013 will have the opportunity to attend Outback Summer Program for a half day (8:30 am-1:00 pm) and then leave Outback to attend intensive, high quality art classes at the Maud Morgan Art Center located right in our very own backyard. These art classes will give older children an opportunity to use and experience the beautiful studios and be taught by professional artists. This option will be available Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, allowing students to attend the Thursday beach trip with Outback. These classes will consist of printmaking, painting, drawing, alternative photography. Students will still have a break for snack and pick-up time is 5:30 pm. Those interested in this should simply choose this option on their registration form, and they will then be signed up for the Maud Morgan classes. Separate registration is not required. For more information please visit maudmorgan.com.

Outback 2013 Theme: Exploration!
Activities are planned to engage a sense of wonder about the world we live in through science, art, cooking, sports, drama and dance. This summer, our 2013 theme “Exploration!” will have Outbackers using their imagination and creativity to explore new worlds, new ideas, new activities and more!

Outback 2013 Schedule and Weekly Themes

Outback starts July 1st and runs Monday-Friday 8:30 am-3:00 pm for eight weeks, with the option for extended day enrollment. We are closed July 4th.

Week 1 (July 1-5, closed July 4th) From the Backyard to Beantown (exploring our Cambridge community past, present and future)

Week 2 (July 8-12): Around the World in 5 Days (exploring food, dance, art, sports, traditions and more from around the world)

Week 3 (July 15-19): Action Reaction (exploring movement art, chemical reactions, our bodies and sports and dance, changes through cooking, gardening and growth)

Week 4 (July 22-26): Outback Originals (exploring inventions, new ideas, how things are made, where things come from)

Week 5 (July 29-Aug 2): Space, Land, Sea (exploring new worlds on this planet and beyond through art, sports, science, drama, dance, literature and more)

Week 6 (Aug 5-9): Zoom In (taking a closer look at the world around us)

Week 7 (Aug 12-16): Imagination Station (exploring our imaginations, mythical creatures, fantasy literature, surrealist art)

Week 8 (Aug 20-24): Outback Remixed (join us our last week as we explore ways to keep things fresh and fun at the end of the summer)

Field trips

Each Thursday (except for Week 1), several buses of Outbackers, teachers, parents chaperones and CITs wearing bright tie dyed t-shirts, travel to a different local beach to spend the day swimming, building sandcastles, playing soccer, sea shell hunting, going on nature walks and simply enjoying the sun and the sand. These trips are highly organized to ensure safety and fun for everyone and are a favorite part of Outback for many!

Outbackers may also have the opportunity to go to local Farmer’s Markets, the Cambridge Public Library, The Harvard Natural History Museum, the Harvard Yard Sprinklers, the War Memorial Pool and other destinations within walking distance of Outback. The 9-11 year old groups also has several special trips throughout the summer.

Tuition:
Weekly tuition rates for the Outback 2013 Summer Program are as follows:

•   Regular Day – 8:30 am-3:00 pm
Tuition: $330/week

•   Extended Day – 8:30 am-5:30 pm
Tuition: $395/week

•   Outback 8:30am-1pm/Maud Morgan Art Classes 1-5:30pm (Only available for children entering 5th and 6th grade)

Tuition: $495/week                                                                      

•    Families may sign up for individual weeks or for the full eight-week program.

Registration
To register, please submit a completed registration form (4 pages) accompanied by a $100 non-refundable deposit per week per child. Balance of payment for all registered weeks is due by April 30th, 2013. The Tuition and Refund Policy 2013, will be forthcoming with slight changes being made to the 2012 Policy available above. Outback registration fills quickly on a first-come-first-served basis, so we encourage families to send in their registration forms and deposits as soon as possible. Outback accepts registrations throughout the entire summer. We maintain a wait list for each week and will inform families if a space opens for them.

Financial Assistance

Scholarships are available for the Outback Summer Program.  Please download the application & guidelines at Agassiz.org. Scholarship applications are due by April 15th and awards will be finalized by April 30th,  2013. Please see the Scholarship page for more details on guidelines and how to apply.

Vouchers for families receiving financial assistance through the Child Care Choices of Boston (CCCB) must complete an application, along with proof of a summer voucher (when available). A one-week deposit will be due when your summer voucher rate is approved.

Contact the Outback Summer Program
Questions?  Contact Maria Laine, Director of Children’s Programs, at (617) 349-6287 x11 or mlaine@agassiz.org.

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Kindergarten (K) Outback Summer Program
Kindergarten students are part of the larger Outback Program but have a dedicated staff and age-appropriate activities. Students must be four years and nine months old by the first day of Outback and be entering K1 or K2 in the fall to take part in the program. Our staff is sensitive to the fact that this may be your child’s first summer program experience. Activity times are age-appropriate and rest time is built into the day to allow children a comfortable daily schedule. Our priority is to make all incoming children feel welcome in this new setting by grouping children into smaller cohorts and minimizing transitions throughout the day.

Our Staff
The K Program is led by our Early Education Site-Director in collaboration with Outback teaching staff and Mayor’s Youth. Our staff is a group of creative, caring, and engaging educators, many of whom are recruited from our Kindergarten Afterschool program. Each staff member is certified in first aid and CPR and exceeds the qualifications of an EEC verified teacher.

Our Space
The K Program takes place in the tree-shaded backyard of the historic ABC building. We are located at 20 Sacramento Street, off Mass. Ave. between Harvard and Porter Squares. In addition, the K Outback Program also uses a dedicated space at the Maria L. Baldwin School with access to the gym, cafeteria, and kitchen.  Daily activities may also be held at Alden Park (the tot lot) and Sacramento Field.

Choices, Choices, Choices!
Daily choices include creative movement, dance, drama, music, and the visual arts. The Kindergarten Outback Program will follow the weekly themes as seen above. The programming is focused on creative self-expression, with opportunities for cooking, cooperative games, nature discovery, and water play on hot days.

Field trips
We will go on outings around the neighborhood and take local field trips each week.

Field trips may include:
•    Thursday trips to different local beaches (with the exception of Week 1)
•    Porter Square Books
•    Harvard Yard sprinklers
•    The Harvard Farmer’s Market

Schedule & Registration
Please see the registration process for the 1st-6th Grade Outback Program above.

Contact the Kindergarten Outback Summer Program

Questions? Contact Kim Baldasaro, Early Education Site-Director, at (617) 349-6287 x14 or kbaldasaro@agassiz.org.