Frequently Asked Questions about PRISMagical Academy

By Iris Imaginoria (aka Zebrine Iris Gray, Creative Director)

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 incorporate different learning styles, using STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, & Music... no wait, that's Sorcery, Transfiguration, Enchantment, Alchemy, Mysticism, and Magic) 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. The PRISM stands for Protection from the -isms, things like homophobia, transphobia, sexism, racism, and war. We practice age-appropriate techniques of:
  • Protection
  • Reflection
  • Inspiration
  • Sensation &
  • Meditation

What about Harry Potter? You used to teach a lot of Harry Potter-related content, right?

We were deeply saddened and angered by author J.K. Rowling’s transphobic statements and most recent novel. While Harry Potter was once the source of the majority of our programs, her stance on transgender issues runs contrary to our mission of providing a creative safe space for all students. 

As such, we affirm: Transgender women are women. Transgender men are men. Nonbinary persons are exactly who they say they are as well. Gender cannot be assigned at birth or by another person. We cannot abide by the comments made. It would be disrespectful, irresponsible, and complicit to continue as if nothing has happened. We have made the difficult decision to  remove references to the Harry Potter books from our camp programming for the foreseeable future.  

​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 Creative Director of PRISMagical Portals, LLC. 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 mundane 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 I earned teaching certification in both theatre and English in both Rhode Island and Massachusetts. I work closely with other qualified teachers for our various programs.

What would a typical day be like?
A typical day at PRISMagical 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. 
  • 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. 
  • They will have more classes in the afternoon.
  • One day per week the whole school will assemble 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?
We will welcome as many as 40 students and teens could join us as junior staff members.

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. 

I see on the website that background checks are done. Are they completed before the program starts or are they in progress?
They are absolutely completed before program begins. (As we are Rhode Island based, we have done RI background checks, but we are moving to a National Background check this year.)

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 PRISMagical Portals, LLC. 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.

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. The spaces are all managed well during the summer heat. 

Do students need to bring anything with them each day?

Students are expected to bring their own lunch each day to the day camp (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's 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: