Wolf and GAW: How many children in your neighborhood are sitting home this summer , not going to either a day camp or sleepaway camp, with both parents working???
1: We have a “low cost” day camp (I think it runs about 75$ a week) run by a local institution.
2: I think you have hit the heart of the matter. School with tuition discount is viewed as discounted babysitting, and people expect the same from camp.
Might I suggest if you and your school feel that camp is critical, ask them to fit the bill. I have a relative that did exactly that, and the school paid for the teen to go to camp.
How old is the child in question, and what do you do erev Yom Tov when the same problem pops up (no school, but parents are working)? Some additional info might help with a real solution.