After-School, Camps and Classes for Children Ages Pre-K to 5th Grade

Our Mission & Philosophy

Mission of First Camp

First Camp is a ministry of First Baptist Church Decatur. It is Christian in origin and accepting of all. First School is licensed by the State of Georgia “Bright from the Start” program. At First Camp, we believe children learn best through play and we introduce the core concepts of learning. The goal of First Camp is to provide students with a safe, nurturing environment in which they can learn and grow. We meet each child wherever they are developmentally, and help them grow cognitively, physically, emotionally, socially, and spiritually.

Philosophy of First Camp

We believe that there are five essential elements that are conducive to learning.

  1. The teacher’s role is to act as a guide.

  2. Students must have access to hands-on activities.

  3. Students should be able to have choices and let their curiosity direct their learning.

  4. Students need the opportunity to practice skills in a safe environment.

  5. Creative activities must be incorporated into the school day.

Background 

At First Camp, we believe a child’s self-confidence builds social competence. Guided by this belief, our approach to learning embraces the whole child. We encourage each child to develop a sense of self and mature their social skills. At all age levels, we are intentional about engaging, supporting, and challenging our children as they learn about themselves and explore the world. We believe that children learn best through play, and we incorporate this philosophy into our curriculum. We emphasize developmentally appropriate practices for students Pre-K to 5th grades to address the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive growth of each child. At First Camp we encourage our children to have fun learning and relating to others, and we prepare them to be confident and competent in their larger world.

Our Racial Equity Stand 

First Camp is an organization that embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion with clear intentional actions to dismantle systemic racism and bias. We commit to proactively listen, learn and act to promote equitable outcomes and to cultivate a culture where everyone feels valued and welcomed. We accept this responsibility and pledge to hold ourselves accountable for our actions.

Counselors

Our program operates with the state child to staff ratio.  First Camp Counselors are hired based on the number of children enrolled at each program site.  Counselors are provided ongoing professional development opportunities to add to their knowledge of the afterschool field. All staff members complete intensive training covering topics such as: behavior management, how to work with different age groups, specific activity training, prevention of child abuse, first aid/CPR, supervision and much more. Counselors’ names and photos are posted on the front office bulletin board.  Please get to know our staff as they want to get to know you!

Enrollment

It is the policy of First Camp to enroll children without bias toward sex, religion, race, or physical disability.  Every reasonable effort is made to accommodate the special needs of children.  Our program provides supervisory care and not medical or nursing care. Should your child require special care, please contact us to arrange a consultation between the parents, teacher and/or the school social worker.

Part-Time Enrollment

First Camp accepts children on a part-time basis, 3 or 5 days per week. Days of attendance will remain the same throughout the semester.  Part-Time enrollment is subject to availability.

Registration

Families must enroll children into the program by: 

  • Completing registration forms  

  • Paying the fees due before children can participate. Minors cannot enroll or participate in the program without consent from a parent or legal guardian.

First Camp Photo Gallery