Camp Sunshine 2025

Park West will once again be offering summer camp, Camp Sunshine,  for 3 weeks in June. Camp is held 4 half-day mornings a week (Monday-Thursday) for every age group. At least one Park West staff member will be with each group. This year we are excited to design camp experiences with outdoor play, field trips, bus rides, and special camp experiences!

Schedule

June 9 - 26, 2025
Monday-Tuesday 9am-12pm
Wednesday 9am-1pm*
Thursday 9am-12pm
*extended day for field trips

Things to Know

There will be a camp orientation meeting for parents in the Spring to answer all questions and be sure that you know everything you need to be prepared for camp: what to wear, what to pack, and how to prepare your child. More details to come.

• Byl Adam will be the Park West Camp Sunshine Director this year. Byl is teaching JK this year and has been a Park West teacher and camp counselor for many years. All questions about camp can be directed to camp@parkwestcoop.org.

• Camp is only open to current Park West Co-op students (including JK kids who are rising Kindergarteners), not newly enrolled students or the general public. Current Tots families are not eligible for camp this year. 

• Unlike our regular program, we do require that children are potty trained to attend camp. Please let your teachers or Byl know if you would like to discuss your child’s specific place in the toileting process and whether they’ll be ready for camp by June.

  • Given the nature of camp only children who are potty trained may attend camp. While we know that not all preschool children are potty trained and we understand that this is an individual process, the nature of our summer program does not allow for the necessary care for children who are in diapers. Neighborhood walks, field trips, and the camp daily schedule are not conducive to these children’s needs. Please reach out to Byl if you have any questions about potty training ahead of camp and know that we will refund your tuition if you enroll but are unable to attend for this reason. 

• Each week of camp will be its own session so families will be able to register their children for one, two or three weeks of camp. 

  • Week 1: June 9-12

  • Week 2: June 16-19

  • Week 3: June 23-26

• Each camp group will be led by Park West teachers as well as several camp counselors. Camp counselors are chosen based on their ability to relate to children, previous experience and maturity. Many camp counselors are previous Park West students! 

Camp tuition includes one Park West T-shirt. We ask that children wear a camp t-shirt each day that they attend camp, so consider ordering 1-2 extras ($20 each).

Enrollment Requirements

If you are interested in enrolling your child in Camp Sunshine, please fill out the application and payment information by March 21st. Please note this is a 2 step process. You must complete a sign-up form and then a payment option.

All applicants are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until classes are filled. You will be notified if your child is in a class or on a waitlist. In the event that there is not a space for your child, your tuition will be returned.

Your child’s medical form from this school year will suffice for our camp program.

NOTE: All children must be toilet trained to participate in Camp Sunshine.

Step 1: Complete a SIGN-UP Form

Step 2: Complete your PAYMENT online or via personal check

Option A: Pay electronically from your bank account using Zelle. Simply enter our email address (parkwest@parkwestcoop.org) when submitting your donation.

Option B: Pay via check by dropping a check in our mailbox or mailing the check to: Park West Cooperative Nursery School, 2214 N. Bissell St, Chicago, IL 60614.

Option C: Pay via PayPal or Venmo using one of the methods below. Please note that PayPal and Venmo do charge a fee so a portion of your payment will not go directly to Park West.

• Scan one of the QR codes below with your phone’s camera app

• Please include your child’s name and “Camp Sunshine” in the payment memo