Frequently Asked Questions about The Imaginorium

By Iris Imaginoria  (aka Jessica Gray, Artistic & Education Director)

Are you having camp in person this summer (2021)?

We had one small, masked in-person camp in summer 2021. We hope to do more in-person events as safety allows. We are looking toward a possible hybrid model, combining virtual and masked in-person events.  But we will continue to offer quality virtual programming.

What do you teach at Wizarding Academy?
All of our classes are based on statewide and national educational standards, with our greatest focus on national theatre standards and social emotional learning standards. We have many trained and certified teachers on staff. We love to incorporate different learning styles, using STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Music & Math) as a model for our curriculum development.

​Everything we teach stems from these ideas. Further we teach respect for all people, regardless of race, religion, sexuality, gender, etc. Values are a big part of what we do, but we are not affiliated with any specific religious tradition. This is an excellent opportunity for children from all faith traditions (or no faith tradition) to learn and grow together in basic human values.

​Shouldn't the word be Imaginarium, not Imaginorium?
Spell-check might have you believe that words only have one way of being, but the imagination is unlimited. The Imaginorium Academy was named after Iris Imaginoria, its founder, and represents being "neither here nor there," betwixt-and-between the worlds. 

Can you tell me more about the qualifications of the staff?
My name is Jessica Gray, and I am the Artistic and Education Director of The Imaginorium and the director of the camps. I play the character Headmistress Iris Imaginoria. Sometimes it can be a bit confusing because all of the staff have two names, their muggle names and their character names. I have been working with children for more than twenty years and have been directing fantasy-based camps since 2005. I have a PhD in theatre and teaching certification in both theatre and English in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Associate Director of The Imaginorium is Stephanie Paquette (character name Professor De La Mer), with advanced degrees in and teaching certification in math, science, and music.

What would a typical day be like?
A typical day at Wizarding Academy begins shortly before 9 am:
  • When the student is dropped off, they are signed in and then directed to their common room (with guidance).
  • House Common time - a multi-age group that works together on service projects and team-building. They have a morning snack provided by a collaboration of one of the houses. Families are requested to contribute to the sacks in whatever way they are able, but this is not required.
  • Then we have an all-school assembly
  • Students are then split into age groups for classes. They have 2-3 classes and one lunch period (during which they have some free time after they eat). The classes are rotational and based on all learning styles. So one day they may have science, drama and art, while another day they may have music, meditation, and writing. In theatre camp the classes will focus on developing theatre skills. 
  • After lunch at the theatre camp, students will rehearse for one of the plays or work on the tech team. At Magic & Fun they will have more classes in the afternoon.
  • One day per week the whole school assembles for Rainbow 8-Ball (though a quiet room is available for students who are overwhelmed by loud crowds).
  • The day closes with a closing assembly and the students are organized for pick-up at 3 pm.
Variations are the first day (which begins with the Sorting Ceremony in place of one class) and the last day (which includes a longer closing assembly) unless we have a special guest or something else going on. At the theatre camp we will be offering our three shows twice on the final Friday at 3 pm and then again at 6 pm. 

What is the capacity for number of students?
Our upper limit for our summer Wizard Academy is 52 students total. We can only accept 8 students per week in our "Magic & Fun," K-2 class, so it is our most limited. Our limit for other programs is 40.

What is the student/instructor ratio?
We have a very high ratio of adults to students. In our overnight program the ratio is 4:1. In 

I see on the website that background checks are done. Are they completed before program starts or in progress?
They are absolutely completed before program begins. (In fact, several are already completed, while the rest are underway.)

Are there any other screening processes done?
I meet and interview each potential staff member in person before offering a staff position. We require a safety training before program for all staff (including teens) and require them all to sign a Code of Ethics:
I agree to follow the safety policies of the Imaginorium. I will avoid ANY inappropriate, demeaning, derogatory, or disrespectful behavior. Each individual in the community is expected and encouraged to show respect for every other individual, their belongings, the physical space, and everything in it. I will take active precautions to prevent unsafe situations.

Alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, weapons, violence, and sexual activity will not be tolerated under any circumstances. Leaders shall refrain from engaging in sexual, seductive, or erotic behavior with children, youth and adults in the community. Neither shall they sexually harass or engage in behavior with children, youth and adults which constitutes verbal, emotional, or physical abuse.

Leaders need to be aware of the strong influence they have in the community. It is expected that their influence will be used positively. In case of violations, appropriate actions will be taken.  As an adult or youth in a leadership position, I will abide by this code of ethics.

How have I never heard of this before? Has this program been offered in Providence in the past?
We began offering The Imaginorium Academy in Providence, Rhode Island in 2018. Previously I have directed programs in conjunction with other organizations in South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Hawaii, California, Massachusetts, and other parts of Rhode Island. We currently have programs based on my original book, The Rainbow Path (the Wizarding Academy), Percy Jackson (Demigod Academy), and Star Wars (Jedi Academy) and have more in progress.

Is the program held indoors or outdoors? Is it air-conditioned?

The program is primarily indoors. We have a few classes that might go outdoors for some individual projects. A few parts of our space are not air-conditioned, but the spaces are large, and we are consciously working on the best ways to manage this. Many of the classrooms we are using are air-conditioned. 

Do students need to bring anything with them each day?

Students are expected to bring their own lunch each day (we are not licensed to make and serve meals). We also ask each family to contribute a homemade snack for the program if possible. 
We also have special costume "challenges" where we invite students to create costumes according to certain themes. This is optional, but students earn points for it. We do not give the challenges in advance because the point is to inspire creativity. I make it very clear that they are not to ask their parents to buy things for the costume challenges. We do ask that students NOT bring electronics or expensive wand replicas. We do not want to be responsible for lost or broken valuables.

Can you accommodate children with special needs?
We will do our best. We really need parents to give us as much info about how to meet your child’s needs and try to set them up for a good experience. If they usually take meds for ADHD during the school year, for example, it might be a good idea for them to take them during camp. We are doing everything in our power to make our programs as welcoming as possible for students of all needs. 

I have more than one child.  Could both children be together or would they be in separate groups?
We separate students by age for class groups, but we will make reasonable adjustments if necessary. And they can certainly be in the same house if requested (houses are multi-age). It is really important that you tell us the correct age of your child when registering and not register kids who are not of the appropriate grade level because the classes are intended to be age-appropriate.

What are your refund policies?
Deposit of 1/2 fees are due at time of registration.
Payment in full is due 1 month before program commences.

Refund Policy: We are not able to offer refunds. If we have to reschedule a program (like we did due to the recent health crisis in 2020), then we are unfortunately not able to offer refunds due to the size of our organization. We will be glad to transfer your registration to a future program or to another student, if you wish. Thank you for understanding.

Do you offer scholarships or discounts?
We really want to make our camps available for all kids and families who want to be involved, but we also need to cover our expenses and pay our staff. We have a limited number of scholarships available each year. We also partner with other organizations to offer scholarships when available. If you are interested in donating a scholarship to provide for another student to be able to attend, let me know. Discounts (10% off) are also available to returning Imaginorium students, families with three or more kids enrolled, and members of our rental venues.

If you need to apply for a partial scholarship, you may do so here: