Summer Enrichment

Basketball Open Gym
(open to rising 5th through 8th graders)
In this camp, which is open to girls and boys of all abilities, players will work on individual skill development in passing, shooting, and ball-handling for 30 minutes, followed by an hour of full-court scrimmaging. Purchase a package for all eight sessions for the best deal. Or, choose a package of four sessions to fit your travel plans.
Instructor: Coach John Gillum
Dates/Times: Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., June 14 through August 2
Location: Carrington Field House gymnasium
Cost: $70 for all 8 sessions or $45 for 4 sessions - BUY

(open to rising 1st through 3rd graders)

This is the perfect half-day adventure for your young explorer! Each day, we will set out on a mini-bus to explore the outdoors. Adventures include picking berries at Morris Orchard, a nature scavenger hunt followed by sprayground play at Riverside Park, learning about baking bread at Great Day Gardens, and two days of creek play at the Blue Ridge Parkway as well as Claytor Nature Center. Our two creek days require more driving time, so campers will pack a lunch, and we’ll return at 1:00 p.m.   

Instructors: Coach John Gillum, Mrs. Tasha Gillum

Dates/Times: July 10-14. 9:00 to 12:00 or 1:00 p.m. depending on the day's activities
Cost: $180 This camp is FULL. Please select another.

(open to rising 1st through 5th graders)
Join Mrs. Heishman and Mrs. Wright on a creative engineering adventure. Each day, students will be presented with a new STEAM challenge that will require students to work creatively and collaboratively. 

Consider adding this enrichment program with Rainforest Adventures and Supervised Lunch/Recess for a full day (9:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.) of engagement at James River. Students will need to bring their own lunch.

Instructors: Mrs. Gessi Wright and Mrs. Jeannie Heishman

Dates/Times: July 10-14. 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Cost: $150 - BUY

Supervised Lunch/Recess (July 10-14)
(open to students signed up for both Summer STEAM Challenges and Rainforest Adventures)
This hour of lunch and recess will link Summer STEAM Challenges in the morning with Rainforest Adventures in the afternoon. Add this item with Summer STEAM Challenges and Rainforest Adventures for your child to spend a full, fun-filled day at James River each day during the week of July 10-14.
Instructor: Mrs. Gessi Wright
Dates/Times: July 10-14, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Cost: $25 - BUY

(open to rising 1st through 5th graders)

Did you know that it can take ten minutes for a falling raindrop to travel from a rainforest's thick canopy to its floor? Join Mrs. Wright for a week of rainforest-themed activities. We will dive through this diverse ecosystem as we explore the animals, creatures, and unique environment of the rainforest! Conduct experiments and create crafts focused on life in and below the canopy of the rainforest. Add this camp to Summer STEAM Challenges and Supervised Lunch/Recess for a full day of fun at James River! 

Instructor: Mrs. Gessi Wright and Mrs. Hollyday Marks

Dates/Times: July 10-14, 12:30-2:30 p.m.
Cost: $150 This camp is FULL. Please select another.

(open to rising 4th through 8th graders)

Avoid the summer slump and prepare for your fall math class with this hands-on math camp! Each week students will enjoy a customized at-camp curriculum based on grade/ability level and an optional take-home assignment to work on throughout the week. Each session will include a new skill and a review skill along with fun math games. Students can attend all 4 sessions or individual sessions with advanced registration. Prorated tuition is available if you cannot attend all 4 sessions. 

Instructors: Mrs. Ashley Cecchetti and Mrs. Brooke Stanley

Dates/Times: Wednesdays, 12:30 to 3:00 p.m. (July 12, 19, 26, and August 2)
Cost: $200 ($50/session drop-in rate) - BUY

(open to rising 6th through 8th graders)

Join experienced outdoor leaders Mr. and Mrs. Gillum on an unforgettable journey. During these four adventure-filled days, our base camp will be ACE Adventure Resort, adjacent to New River Gorge National Park in West Virginia. This mountainous area is known for the deep gorge carved by the New River. The cornerstone activities of this trip are whitewater kayaking, rock climbing, rappelling, and a high-ropes course. These activities will be led by the guides at ACE. No previous experience is necessary and the challenge level is appropriate for middle school.

 

Students will be rafting the upper section of the New River (class I-III) on inflatable, sit-on-top kayaks called duckies. This is a perfect introduction to whitewater. Other activities include a lake waterpark and hiking. All meals are included, most of which will be at ACE’s onsight restaurants. Transportation to and from New River Gorge is included. The accommodations for three nights will be wood-framed cabin tents with a covered porch and beds. It’s “roughing it” that’s not so rough. Cabin tents will be separated by gender and a new bathhouse is located nearby. This camp includes an official National Parks Passport, which will get stamped at the visitor center.  A detailed itinerary and packing list will be emailed home prior to camp. Phones are not permitted, but the instructors will be available via text and will share the occasional epic photo. Additional photos will be shared after we return. 

Instructors: Coach John Gillum and Mrs. Tasha Gillum

Dates/Times: 9:00 a.m. on July 18 to 5:00 p.m. on July 21 
Cost: $675 (includes 3 nights accommodations, meals, National Parks Passport, and all guided activities at ACE)
This camp is FULL. Please select another.

(open to rising 3rd through 5th graders)

It's time to unplug and get outside with nature enthusiasts Grace Aguilera and John Gillum. Campers will embark on a different adventure each day: hiking the Appalachian Trail, playing in creeks, picking blackberries on a 100-year-old farm, adventuring in Lynchburg's parks, and climbing at Rise Up, are just a sampling of the activities we have planned. This is the way summer should be! All transportation is provided on a mini-bus as we ramble on from one adventure to another. Drop off and pick up will be at James River Day School. Parents will receive an email with details one week prior to the start of the camp. This camp is a proven winner with kids. Don't delay. It will sell out!

Instructors: Mrs. Grace Aguilera and Coach John Gillum

(open to rising 5th through 8th graders)

Get a jump start on the competition with a week of conditioning for soccer, volleyball, and cross-country athletes. Sessions are designed to enhance the athlete's overall athletic ability. Strength, endurance, speed, flexibility, agility, power, reaction time, and balance will be developed through the use of body-weight exercises as well as medicine balls, TRX straps, bands, reaction balls, agility ladders, and other equipment. Each session will contain a fast-paced mix of functional training exercises and games that elicit fun and fitness. We will primarily be outside. Coach Gillum has training as a Performance Enhancement Specialist with the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Space is limited! 

Instructor: Coach John Gillum

Dates/Times: August 7-11, 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.
Cost: $95 - BUY

(open to rising James River kindergarteners only)

Let us help ease your incoming kindergartener into the school life experiences they will have at JRDS! We will start our day getting comfortable with the carpool drop-off routine and ending it with pick-up the same way. We will read books, sing songs, and add to students' readiness skills (writing, counting, etc.) by using hands-on and whole-body movements through yoga, climbing, and exploring our on-campus nature trail. Your child will familiarize themselves with each part of our building for a comfortable transition. They will begin to build friendships with their classmates while creating nature sculptures and art around the school using techniques they will learn from artists such as Andy Goldsworthy. Please choose either the morning or afternoon session. Both sessions will have lunch and each student will need to bring lunch each day as we learn to sit at the lunch tables and practice opening and closing containers. Our days will end with creative free play on both of our playgrounds with our new friends! Hurry and register so your child does not miss this fun opportunity to be fully engaged academically and in play!

Instructors: Mrs. Erica Lemasters and Mrs. Carly Lawrence

Dates: August 7-11
Time: Two sessions are available. Choose either the morning time slot, 8:30 to 11:30 a.m., or the afternoon time slot, 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. Students need to bring their lunch each day.
Cost: $200 - BUY

(open to rising 4th through 8th graders)

Players will work on individual skill development in serving, passing, setting, and spiking. They will learn court rotations and defensive skills, and they will have scrimmage time each day in this fun camp! Open to girls of all abilities. 

Instructors: Mrs. Brooke Stanley and Mrs. Erica Lemasters

Dates/Time: August 7-11, 4:30  to 6:30 p.m.
Cost: $115 - BUY

(open to James River students going into 1st through 8th grades)

One of the most popular and long-running programs at James River Day School, our iconic One-Room Schoolhouse offers students unique and specialized instruction in math, grammar, and world language, with a strong focus on organization and study skills. Designed to ease the transition into the upcoming school year, the program furnishes students with an academic jump-start by providing them with individualized lessons and differentiated instruction in the school's core curriculum areas, plus extra assistance for students who need a little help getting it all together. Students get all set up and ready to go -- from their cubbies and lockers to their new schedules. Help your student transition smoothly into a new school year by signing up for this program with its proven track record!

Instructors: A talented team of James River Day School’s expert educators

Dates/Time: Monday through Wednesday, August 14-16, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Cost: $185 for returning students and FREE to NEW James River students - BUY / Reserve Your Place