FAQ

AM Care offered 8:30-9:30 Monday-Friday and PM Care offered 3:30-5:30 Monday-Thursday. Please note that all campers must be picked up on Friday by 3:30 pm as we do not offer PM Care on Friday afternoons. Drop-in care is available if space allows, payable by Venmo, cash or check.

You will need to register your camper for the grade she will be going into in the Fall of 2024. For example, if your child is currently in 4th grade, she will enter camp as a 5th grader.

• Purple Level: Going into 1st or 2nd grade (currently in kindergarten or first grade)
  
  
• Pink Level: Going into 2nd or 3rd grade (currently in first or second grade)
  
  

• Green Level: Going into 3rd, 4th or 5th grade (currently in second, third or fourth grade)
  
  
• Blue Level: Going into 4th, 5th or 6th grade (currently in third, fourth or fifth grade)
  
  

Girls Rock Math is intentionally a screen-free summer camp. We know that when math is taught through hands-on activities and projects, it helps children develop a deeper conceptual understanding than traditional paper and pencil math activities, or even those taught through videos or online programs. Being an active participant in real-world learning helps children make sense of math ideas through discovery. Our camp curriculum is designed so that campers are exploring math through investigations and projects. They make art, play board games, card games and physical games, as well as use math manipulatives to help build concrete examples of the math concepts we cover.

Girls Rock Math does not offer camps for children about to enter Kindergarten, even if they attended preschool or are advanced in math for their age. If you child is currently a kindergartener, she is eligible for our Purple Level, first and second grade camps. We follow the state guideline for school entry so kindergarteners need have turned 5 on or before August 31 of this school year in order for you to enroll her in camp. If your child will not be six by the time the camp session starts because she has a late summer birthday or entered kindergarten early, please reach out to us so that we can help you register her for camp.

You can change to a different program or session at any time for no fee, except for the difference in program cost. Changes are subject to program or session availability. Please contact camp@girlsrockmath.org to request a change.

If your child attended camp in a previous summer, the activities for camp this year will be different because she is in a new grade level and you can choose a camp with a different theme. Each theme has, for the most part, unique activities and projects.

That being said, there are some activities that all campers experience because we feel they are just that important! These include our non-math activities which focus on confidence building, friendship building and problem-solving, as well as activities around gender stereotypes and STEM careers. We rotate this curriculum weekly and it varies by grade level, so it is unlikely your child will do the exact same activities as last summer.

We are a nut-free camp and ask that all campers bring their own nut-free lunches and snacks. Please inform us when you register for camp of any allergies or medical needs.

If your child needs an EpiPen, Benadryl or any other medication at camp, you will need to complete the Medication Authorization Form and bring all of her medication, labeled with her name and dosage instructions, to camp on the first day and give it to one of the Site Directors at drop off. Please expect to spend an extra 10-15 minutes on the first day after our drop-off time to debrief and discuss your child's health needs with our staff.

While our camp staff are not medical professionals, we will monitor all campers' lunches for nuts and notify you if food will be provided at camp so that you can send a replacement if needed. If your child needs to have extra monitoring (ie: extra hydration, limited sun exposure, limited physical activity, frequent rest, extra bathroom breaks, etc.) for other medical conditions please let us know when completing the form so that we can be sure to notify the camp staff during her week.

For childcare reimbursement use the EIN 46-0825888

Our 501(c)(3) nonprofit fiscal sponsor is Institute for Education, Research, and Scholarships (IFERS). Use the EIN 72-1585854 and please indicate Girls Rock Math in your donation.

If the statement provided with your registration is not detailed enough for your employer, please contact us at camp@girlsrockmath.org. We will send you an updated receipt that is typically accepted for FSA reimbursement.

All camps have a 5:1 camper/counselor ratio and are led by our highly trained staff consisting of a teacher for each group and two Site Directors who are present at all times assisting the groups. Our campers also work with a counselor who is part of our Teen Leadership Program, under the supervision of our adult staff members. Each site has staff members trained in CPR and First Aid all employees have passed state and national background checks.

We will be selling t-shirts at camp this summer on Thursdays and Fridays at most of our locations. 100% of proceeds from these sales go to our scholarship fund. This summer each child will get a new backpack on Friday so she can bring home all of her awesome camp projects!

We want any family who is interested in attending Girls Rock Math to be able to. You can find more information here.

Our program is great for gifted, or advanced students. We offer opportunities to explore mathematics beyond arithmetic and computational skills. The math activities we do in camp are not those found in most textbooks, workbooks or school curriculum. As an enrichment program, we are providing additional math experiences for your child. Strong math students enjoy working with numbers and shapes in new ways- observing and testing different applications for math work than they have probably experienced at school. Our program does focus on grade-level math but we approach problems critically with an eye for creative problem-solving techniques. Gifted students find pleasure in the various ways in which we explore mathematics, even if they have already mastered the "basics." If you have questions or concerns about placing your child in their age-group, please contact the camp director to begin a discussion about the best ways Girls Rock Math can serve your child.

Advanced 2nd grader: Choose Pink Grade 2-3
Advanced 3rd grader: Choose Green Grades 3-5
Advanced 4th/5th grader: Choose Blue Grades 4-6

If you are looking for camps for gifted students specifically, check out WISE and The Robinson Center summer programs.

Ultimately, our mission is to ensure that those who are the furthest from STEM equity have access to an empowering space where we focus on building confidence and enjoyment around math and STEM. Our curriculum is based on current research on the gender equity gap in STEM and best educational practices, specifically for girls or for those who experience inequity in STEM, such as those on the spectrum of gender including those who identify as transgender, agender, non-binary, or are questioning their gender. If your child is a cis-gender boy, meaning he was assigned male at birth and identifies as male, Girls Rock Math is not really appropriate for him. For co-ed STEM camps, we recommend Destination Science, Challenge Island, Math for Love, and DigiPen Summer Workshops.

Diversity and equity are core values of Girls Rock Math. Girls Rock Math welcomes campers of every race, ethnicity, income level, sexual orientation, ability, gender identity, religion, or geographic location to join us. Campers who are on the spectrum of gender including those who identify as transgender, agender, non-binary, or are questioning their gender are welcome to join us at Girls Rock Math. We suggest you look over the website with your child, checking out our themes and topics to decide together if Girls Rock Math seems like a fit for your camper.

Many of our math activities focus on critical thinking and problem solving, and don't require a child to have memorized her math facts or know how to tackle every kind of problem. We encourage girls to use what they already know in order to find solutions- we do not require everyone to use a specific method. Girls learn from one another, and we focus on strategy sharing. There are many ways to find a solution, and creative thinking is encouraged. Girls who have grade-level skills or have a reluctance toward math but no major learning disabilities do quite well. Campers who understand concepts but have not memorized facts also do great at camp, since memorization is not our focus. It should be noted that we move at a fast pace and cover a multitude of topics in a week. This can be challenging for some campers, despite the fact that we encourage all children to take their time. In our experience, reluctant math learners have had a blast at Girls Rock Math. For the best experience, please register your camper as follows:

2nd grade: Choose Purple Grades 1-2
3rd grade: Choose Pink Grades 2-3
4th or 5th grade: Choose Green Grades 3-5

Children who are quite behind may struggle in our program, as we are using grade-level standards as our basis. If you are looking for specific skill development over the summer beyond enrichment, check out the summer programs offered by The Hamlin-Robinson School and Morningside Academy.

Girls come to our camp with a range of abilities and school programs. Our goal is to provide an enriching experience that will help girls see themselves as competent, capable and able to take on challenges. We provide math experiences that help girls think about numbers and shapes in new ways- exploring the fascinating, playful and creative aspects of mathematics. Testimonials from our families have demonstrated that their daughters are entering school in the fall more excited about math, willing to take on challenge, and are more confident when it comes to sharing ideas and participating in class. That being said, it's unlikely that a week of camp will provide your child with enough math practice to boost her above grade level if she isn't already there.

We won't offer a pro-rated price for missing a day and do encourage campers to attend the full week when possible. We know however that sometimes travel or other plans get in the way of completing the week. Friday afternoons are quite different from the rest of the week. Partially this is because often we have a smaller group, but mostly it’s because we find it is a special way to close out a great week of camp. The end of our week focuses on fun, friendship and play. Campers may participate in field day games, water play, or a scavenger hunt in the afternoon. All camps have a special ceremony honoring the campers and counselors at the end of the week and have popsicles or another allergy friendly treat. Some parents have wondered why we change up the day so much on Fridays, especially since this is math camp. We love and value play, just as much as we love and value math! Childhood is short, we only have so many days of warm weather a year, and after all, this is CAMP! If you won’t be at camp on Friday, let the staff know early so they can prepare to give your child her projects and anything else when she leaves on Thursday.

That's a long story! The short version is that at Girls Rock Math we saw a need for more math enrichment created especially for girls. Using current research about girls and learning, we found that by integrating math into subject matter that's appealing to many girls, we could help enthuse more girls about their math learning at school. As a classroom teacher, the founder of Girls Rock Math had seen much evidence of the passion for learning that comes from this kind of approach, and she sought out ways to bring these experiences to more children. Girls Rock Math was founded in 2011 and we had our first summer camp season in 2012 with one classroom in West Seattle.

Our staff can work with children with mild to moderate support needs but everyone does better when we know in advance. If your child receives extra support in school or you believe they should have extra support during camp, please detail any requests for accommodations in their Learning Profile during the registration process. Our Director of Learning or our Inclusion Support Specialist will reach out to you in May/June in order to create a plan of action which may include:

• Notifying the teaching staff of your child’s support needs and accommodations
• Adjusting or modifying some aspects of our curriculum
• Allowing your child to bring support tools to camp such as noise canceling headphones, fidget toys, a wiggle seat, etc.
• More frequent breaks and/or snacks
• An extra teen counselor provided by GRM, or an aide or trusted adult provided by the family to work with your child throughout the day

If your child is enrolled in Girls Rock Math without any accommodations or additional support requested in the Learning Profile, it is assumed that they are:

• able to meet their own personal care needs (with age appropriate reminders)
• able to regulate their emotions and sensory needs well enough to interact with peers and staff safely and cooperatively

Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information about serving campers with additional support needs.

Below is a sample schedule for a typical day at Girls Rock Math:

Full Day Camps
8:30-9:30 Extended Day for those who sign up
9:30-9:45 Drop off and Check In
9:45-10:30 First Math Activity of the day
10:30-11:15 Snack/Recess/Counselor Circle-up
11:15-12:15 Second Math Activity of the day
12:15-1:15 Lunch and Outside Play/Recess
1:15-2:30 Third Math Activity of the day
2:30-3:15 Project time/Recess
3:15-3:30 Wrap-Up/Songs Dismissal and Pick Up
3:30-5:30 PM Extended Day for those who sign up

PM Extended Day includes recess, snack, stories, games and STEM activities