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Summer Arts Camps Handbook

COCA camper in purple shirt in circus camp

Welcome to COCA Summer Arts Camps! This information guide will help you plan for your camp experience at COCA and answer many of your questions.

COCA camper and teaching artist in legomation

Camp Orientation

COCA offers evening orientation for families to tour the camp facility, meet the camp manager, and learn and ask questions about camp policies and procedures.

Camp orientation is an optional resource for camp families and not required for camp participation.

Camp Registration

Camp Registration Information & Policies

Camp Schedule

Before Care

7:30–9:30AM

Morning Camps

9:00–11:45AM | Ages 3–10

9:15AM–12:00PM | Ages 11+

Afternoon Camps

12:15–3:00PM | Ages 4–10

12:30–3:15PM | Ages 11–18

Full Day Camps

9:00AM–3:00PM | Ages 6–10

9:15AM–3:15PM | Ages 11–18

Intensives & Production Camps

9:30AM–4:00PM

After Care

3:00–6:00PM

Camp Forms

Camp forms only should be submitted after camp registration has been completed. Required forms to be completed prior to the first day of camp.

View Camp Forms

Car Pick-Up Form U. City (Ages 8+)—To be displayed in your front windshield at pick-up for campers ages 8+ when picking your camper up in our circle drive. Form MUST include the name of the last camp of the day for each camper you are picking up. We have these printed at COCA to be picked up on Monday drop-off, if needed. This is applicable to anyone who is permitted to pick up your camper.

Behavior & Safety Form (All)

Authorization for Pick-up (Ages 3–7)

Individuals authorized to pick up campers (other than parents/guardians) must be submitted in advance and listed on your online account as emergency contacts. Refer to Online Account FAQ for instructions for how to add emergency contacts.

Authorization for Medication (Students required to take or carry medication)—Required from all campers bringing medication on campus; must be signed by physician and parent or guardian. To drop off medication on the first day of camp, park in the COCA parking garage and bring the medication to our medication drop-off table located outside our front entrance. If your camper has no applicable medical needs, this form does not need to be returned to COCA. COCA does not provide any medication. This form is only for medication that a parent/guardian provides to be administered to their camper during the day.

Camp Culminations

The last day of camp, campers have an opportunity to spotlight the work created throughout the week. Most performing camps will have in-person culminations, some will be livestreamed. Art camps will not have exhibitions of their work. Some performance camps have a separate performance culmination at a time outside of regular camp hours. Details for those camps will be communicated separately.

Camp culminations will occur 20 minutes before camp ends on Friday.

AM Camps | 11:25AM

PM & Full-Day Camps | 2:40PM

There are no in-person culminations for video, recorded songwriting, early childhood, culinary, or visual arts camps.

Directions, Parking, & Drop-off & Pick-up

COCA is located at 6880 Washington Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63130. View directions to COCA’s campus. Information for parking and drop-off and pick-up procedures are detailed below.

If you are dropping off or picking up multiple campers, defer to the procedure for the youngest camper.

Arrive no earlier than 5 minutes before the scheduled camp start or end time.

Free parking for all COCA camp families and visitors is available in the shared COCA/ Washington University garage located across from COCA on Washington Avenue. The arms at the entrance and exit work on a sensor to keep a count of the cars in the garage. You do not need to pull a ticket, nor will you be charged to exit.

If you are dropping off or picking up multiple campers, defer to the procedure for the youngest camper.

Drop-off and Pick-up for Campers Ages 3–7

Those dropping off and picking up campers ages 3–7 should park in the garage and escort their campers directly to/from their classroom.

Parents/Guardians will go directly to their camper’s classroom to sign them out. Parents/Guardians authorized to pick up campers must be submitted in advance and show their ID for pick-up.

Use Kingsland southbound to Washington westbound to access the parking garage. You are permitted to turn right onto Washington in order to enter the parking garage. When leaving, you may use Trinity as an exit only. Refer to the map above.

Drop-off and Pick-up for Campers Ages 8+

Campers ages 8+ should be dropped off and picked up in the circle drive in front of COCA’s main entrance (on Edward Jones Drive). Do not turn onto Washington from Kingsland. Refer to the map above.

Enter via Kingsland
Remain straight on Kingsland and pass COCA
Turn right at Kingsbury (driving behind COCA)
Turn right on to Trinity (the next intersection)
Turn right onto Washington at COCA and enter our circle drive where your camper will be dropped off
You will the exit via Kingsland (the way you came in)

Complete, print, and display the Camper Pick-Up Form in the front windshield of your vehicle. The form MUST include the name of the last camp of the day for each camper you are picking up. If you need to have multiple forms to include all children, that is ok. We have these forms printed at COCA to be picked up at Monday drop off, if needed. Campers will not be released to vehicles that are not displaying the correct camper identification. Make sure anyone who may be picking up your camper has a form for their vehicle.

To keep campers safe, the use of cell phones and other electronic devices in the pick-up and drop-off lane is highly discouraged.

Those who would like to request pick-up directly from the camper’s classroom due to special concerns, contact the Registration Office.

Before & After Care

Campers waiting before and after camp are NOT supervised by staff or faculty. Unattended campers will be placed in Before or After Care, and tuition will be charged.

Before & After Care are offered for daily registration and available for ages 5+. Full-week discounts are applied at the time of registration.

Before Care: 7:30–9:15AM | Daily cost: $18; full week: $50

After Care: 3:00–6:00PM | Daily cost: $24; full week: $90

COCA’s Before Care & After Care program is popular and fills quickly. If this is a service you need, we encourage you to register for this program at the same time you register for camp.

Separate registration required. Payment may be made online or through the Registration Office.

What to Wear

Campers should wear comfortable clothing in which they can paint, move, and play, and closed-toe shoes. Campers in circus camps should either wear shorts or shorts under a dress or skirt. Special dancewear requirements, when needed, will be included in the camp description. Culinary campers should have their hair pulled back.

Lunch/Snack

Full-Day Campers: Whether attending one full-day camp, or two half-day camps, students should bring a sack lunch, drink, and two snacks. A supervised lunch will take place on campus between camps.

Half-Day Campers: Bring a drink and one snack.

COCA camps have a nut-free policy. All snacks and lunches must be entirely nut free.

Weather permitting, COCA will have an outdoor space available for lunches. Allergy-free lunch table available. Soda/juice machines and water bottle filling stations available. Refrigerator and microwave NOT provided.

Cell Phones/Electronics Policy

The use of cell phones is prohibited during camp hours. We ask all campers to leave electronic tablets and games at home. COCA is not liable for the loss or damage of personal cell phones or other electronic devices at camp.

Lost & Found

Found items are stored in lost & found bins at the front desk. Lost items are taken to Goodwill.

Emergency Communications Protocols

The safety of our students, employees, and patrons is our highest priority. Every effort is made to mitigate emergency situations; however, emergencies may still occur. With timely response, proactive communication, and properly trained employees, COCA’s goal is to always protect the safety of everyone on our campus, especially during emergency situations.

For communication purposes, COCA has two categories of emergencies: Evacuation Emergencies and Non-Evacuation Emergencies.

Evacuation Emergencies

Evacuation Emergencies can include Fire Emergency, Earthquake Emergency, and Active Shooter.

During Fire Emergencies, building occupants will evacuate using the nearest, safe exit. Once outside, everyone will gather at the muster point in front of Washington University’s 560 Music Center building, located across Washington Avenue. No one is allowed to leave the scene until the “All Clear” is given by U. City Fire/Police Department.

After the evacuation is complete and everyone is accounted for, COCA will send email* and text** communication to families, notifying them of the emergency. Email and text communication will also contain instructions for pick-up and/or drop-off, as needed.

In the event of an Evacuation Emergency, all calls to COCA’s main number, 314.725.6555 ext. 0, will be forwarded to COCA’s mobile emergency phone so that parents, guardians, and students can remain in contact with COCA for real-time updates.

Non-Evacuation Emergencies

Non-Evacuation Emergencies can include Facility Emergencies such as a power outage, Severe Weather Emergencies (Lockdown), and “Code Yellow” (Precautionary Lockdown).

During Non-Evacuation Emergencies, building occupants will be notified of the emergency using COCA’s paging system, and directed to action accordingly. Actions could include moving to a designated shelter location within the building or remaining in their studio until the emergency is lifted. If the building has been placed on lockdown, the doors will be locked, and access to the building will be restricted during this time. Until the lockdown is lifted, patrons should proceed to the parking garage to take shelter.

In the event of a Non-Evacuation Emergency, COCA will send email* and text** communication to families notifying them of the emergency. Email and text communication will also contain instructions for pick-up and/or drop-off, as needed. COCA’s phone lines will remain active, and parents, guardians, and students can call for real-time updates. COCA will send a follow-up communication to inform families when a lockdown is lifted, and they can access the building.

*Email notifications will be sent to the email address associated with your registration account. To verify that COCA has the correct email address on file, contact COCA’s Registration Office at 314.725.6555 ext. 1130 or email at registration@cocastl.org.

**Text notifications will be sent to users who have subscribed to receive text messages from COCA. You must have a cell phone number saved to your household account and choose to opt-in. For information on enrolling in SMS messaging through your online account, refer to our Online Account FAQ.