Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, almost all County Day summer programs have been canceled. Biology (June 8-July 10) and pre-calculus honors (June 29-July 31) classes will be held online.

Among the dozens of summer programs normally offered throughout the summer are art, baking and robotics.

“Despite the expected loosening of some COVID-19 restrictions in the retail sector as early as this week,” head of school Lee Thomsen wrote to Country Day families in a May 7 email, “physical distancing requirements continue to be of the utmost importance yet pose a significant challenge for unique programs such as Country Day Summer.”

Country Day traditionally holds a summer camp for kindergartners to fifth graders, Camp Cavalier, from late June to early August. 

Camp Cavalier normally offers multiple weekly field trips to locations such as  BounceU and Arden Park pool, with an excursion at the end of the summer to Sunsplash in Roseville or Raging Waters. 

While the cancellations might not trouble middle school and high school students, parents of lower school students rely on Camp Cavalier to entertain and occupy their kids while working.

The camp also serves as a marketing event to attract new students to Country Day, especially the lower school.

Breakthrough Sacramento shifted to remote teaching for a shortened four-week summer session, according to a June 3 email from advisory board member Laura Steele Monahan to the faculty and staff.

Breakthrough provides support for rising seventh and eighth graders from under-resourced schools and gives teaching interns an opportunity to gain skills as educators.

Breakthrough also will offer online seminars for rising ninth graders through seniors, as well as for graduates heading to college in the fall, Steele Monahan added.

—By Emily Asperger