The Jewish Community Center is an agency of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation and a member of the JCC Association.

Transcription

1 Family Handbook 2018 The Jewish Community Center is an agency of the Durham-Chapel Hill Jewish Federation and a member of the JCC Association. Charlotte & Dick Levin Jewish Community Center 1937 W Cornwallis Rd Durham, NC Telephone Fax

2 Contents Shalom! 3 JCC Camp Mission 3 Our Philosophy 3 Living Judaism 3 Meet Our Team 4 Communication 5 Safety and Security 6-10 Pick up and Drop off Procedures 6-7 Babysitting Policy 7 Aquatics 8 Trans Inclusion Policy 8 Field Trips 8 Health Policies 8-10 What to Wear and Bring to Camp Food Policies Kashrut Rules Behavior Policy

3 Shalom! Welcome to the Levin JCC Camp Shelanu 2018! You have entrusted us with the care of your most precious valuables your children! We take this responsibility seriously and our qualified, dedicated staff members are looking forward to 11 great weeks of safe, enriching camp experiences. JCC Camp Mission JCC Camp is committed to providing a welcoming and engaging summer day camp experience. Our mission is to enable campers to discover hidden talents and strengths; to grow confidence and self-esteem; to grow hearts that embrace Jewish values; and to develop lasting relationships with peers and adults alike. We are an inclusive camp for children of all backgrounds and faiths. Our Philosophy We work with each camper to help them grow and develop as the summer continues. We help campers relate to peers, counselors and adult figures. We teach the campers new skills and abilities, and, at the same time, to sharpen existing ones. We increase awareness and knowledge of Judaism, physical skills, and creative abilities. We strive to bring out the best in each camper, our staff, and ourselves. We begin each day of camp with the JCamps pledge, which succinctly expresses our Camp Shelanu philosophy: Today I pledge To do my best Respect myself Be kind to others To try new things And make today THE BEST DAY EVER! Living Judaism The JCC believes that sharing Jewish culture with our campers is a central part of the summer camp experience. Using song, dance, drama, and art, the cultural heritage of the Jewish people can be brought to life. This is a great opportunity for Jewish campers to learn more about their heritage and for campers of other backgrounds to learn about another culture. There is no religious instruction or discussion of theology at camp, and we make every effort to make all campers feel welcome and included. All JCC programs are open to anyone who wishes to participate, regardless of religious affiliation. 3

4 Meet our Team Camp Manager: Jillian Lea Contact: / Jillian is a native North Carolinian who spent many summers as a camper and counselor before growing up to become a Camp Manager! This is her 3rd summer at Camp Shelanu. Jillian loves Camp because every day presents opportunities to guide kids as they move through this complicated world as they practice values such as kindness, compassion and helping others, and develop 21st-century skills like teamwork and creative problem-solving. In her free time, Jillian enjoys making things, bowling, playing ukulele, and hanging out in savasana with her cat, Devo. Contact Jillian with specific questions about your camper s experience. Assistant Camp Manager: Abbie Lowe Contact: camp@levinjcc.org / Abbie is a proud preschool teacher at The Lerner School and has taught specialty camps at Camp Shelanu for several summers. She attended Camp Shalom, Camp Barney Goodman, and Camp Interlaken J.C.C. while growing up (mostly) in the Midwest. She served as an aquatics specialist and administrator at Camp Interlaken during her college summers. She loves her kids, her dogs, swimming, indoor bike dancing, and big messy art projects! Contact Abbie with general questions and changes to registrations. Camper Care Coordinator: Nikki Michaelson Contact: inclusion@levinjcc.org Nikki is originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and recently graduated with her MSW from UNC, completing a fellowship at the Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. She serves as adviser for the Judea Reform Congregation youth group, DRTY, and works with the Arc of the Triangle. In her free time, Nikki loves to read, stand up paddleboard and hike! Inclusion Facilitator is now Camper Care Coordinator. Contact Nikki to coordinate your camper s care (Inclusion program). Program Coordinator: Kieran Roush Kieran is back for their third summer at Camp Shelanu! This summer as program coordinator, Kieran is especially excited to work on planning so many of the fun activities at camp and starting the camp day off with energy and excitement during Boker Tov. When they re not at camp, they enjoy reading, being with friends, and going on walks with their dog, Zane. 4

5 Communication As the summer progresses, we welcome your thoughts and suggestions at any time. We are always looking to improve our camp programs and find your feedback extremely valuable. Please feel free to contact us at with any comments, suggestions or concerns. Please check your regularly, as this is the primary way we communicate about activities, field trips, news, and other critical information. Urgent Issues If you have an issue that needs to be addressed right away (emergency, early pick up, forgotten lunch), call or text the Manager on Duty phone: You will be connected immediately with the Camp Manager, Assistant Camp Manager, Program Coordinator or Aftercare Coordinator. In order for us to give the best attention to campers, please do not use this number for registration questions or non-urgent issues. s and Texts You will also receive an the week before each session with important information about trips, electives, dress up days, special materials to bring from home, and other reminders. Add to your contacts to ensure these messages make it into your Inbox. Please read these s carefully so your camper does not miss out on anything! We are utilizing text reminders again this summer. Each week your camper is registered, you will receive a text invitation to opt in to this service. You can expect texts 2-3 times a week to remind you about camp activities such as field trips and dress up days. Emergency communications: Each parent/guardian whose cell is listed on our health form will have their cell phone numbers and s added, and will receive a voice call, a text, and an in case of emergency. This is separate from the optional reminder s and you will not be invited to opt out. Facebook Group Camp Shelanu maintains a private Facebook group, open only to camp families, where we post updates and photos throughout the week. This is a great way to keep up with what s happening at camp! Look out for invitation to join, or visit the For Campers section of our website and request to join there. General Our Assistant Camp Manager, Abbie, is ready to help you with general questions and changes to your camp registrations. Contact her at camp@levinjcc.org or For specific questions or concerns about your camper s experience, please contact Jillian Lea, Camp Manager, at jlea@levinjcc.org or Manager on Duty phone (urgent issues only, please):

6 Safety and Security Training & Emergency Procedures Our staff are fully trained in safety and emergency procedures including but not limited to pool safety, fire alarms, evacuations, tornado/hurricanes, child sexual abuse prevention, lock-downs, and invasions. Each staff member has passed background and reference checks and is certified in CPR and First Aid. If you have questions about staff security trainings, please contact We have recently updated lockdown and evacuation procedures in coordination with law enforcement. Best practice Pick up and drop off Drop off is 8:30-9:00 am at the Lerner School on the Jewish campus. Any child arriving before 8:25 am will be considered to be attending the Before care program and you will be charged accordingly. Programming will begin promptly at 9:00 am. If you need to drop your child off after 9:00 am, you must go in to the JCC and wait at the Welcome Center until a camp staff member collects them. You may not leave children unattended at the JCC. To join the carline, please drive into turn lane coming up the driveway and into the Lerner parking lot. A staff member will come to your car to help your child out and escort them to the correct camp group. Please stay in your car. If you are coming to the JCC after you drop off your child, please go through carline, then park and go inside. This will allow us to start our morning as smoothly as possible. If you do need to get out to escort your child in, please pull up and park first. Pick up is 3:30-3:45 pm at the Lerner School on the Jewish campus. At 3:45 pm, we will consider any remaining children as participants in Aftercare and parent will be charged accordingly. If you are going to pick up your camper early please notify the camp staff so your child is ready for pick up. For early pickup, please go to the JCC Welcome Center. A Welcome Center staff person will call for Camp staff, who will come to help you sign out your camper, whose counselor will bring them to you. We will try to have campers ready to go if we are given notice that you will arrive early, and we appreciate your understanding that this is not always possible because campers may not be in the same location as their belongings. There will be no early pickups between 2:45 and 3:15 pm. If you need to pick up early, please plan to do so at the JCC before 2:45. If arriving at 3:15 or later, please join carline. This ensures that all of our staff are available to make our end-ofday transitions as safe and efficient as possible. At your camper s first afternoon pick-up, you will receive 2 car signs. The sign should be placed in the windshield of the car with your child s name visible to staff in car line. As your car pulls up, a staff member will radio for your child to be brought to the car. You will be asked to initial our sign-out sheet. 6

7 You must present the car sign and/or a valid ID to pick up your child. If you or your authorized pick-up person do not have the car sign, be prepared to present ID to our staff. This also applies to walk-ups if you are parking and walking up to sign your child out, you must either present the car sign or a valid ID. Unauthorized persons will not be allowed to pick up your child without your advance written consent. You should list anyone who may be authorized to pick up your child on the health form before starting camp. For additions, camp@levinjcc.org. When picking up your child, please stay in your car! Camp staff will escort your child safely to the car and help them get in and situated. For everyone s safety, please consider moving your camper s car seat to the right-hand side of your vehicle. All campers will be asked to exit on the right-hand side of the car. If you need to get out of your car, please pull into a parking space before doing so. If you are a JCC member and are planning to stay there after pick-up (e.g. to swim), you may park at the JCC and walk up to retrieve your child. You will still need to sign in with a designated camp staff person. Before care drop off is at Lerner. Please park your vehicle and walk your child to the gazebo, where you can sign them in with a staff member. Do not drop off your child without signing them in! Aftercare pick up is at the JCC. Park and come in the front doors only, where you may be asked to sign in at the Welcome Desk before walking to the Community Hall to sign out your camper with the Aftercare Coordinator. Campers who are enrolled in afternoon Enrichment classes during the summer will be taken to-and-from classes by aftercare staff. If you are interested in enrolling your camper in Enrichment classes at the JCC, contact Madeline Seltman at mseltman@levinjcc.org or You can check out our list of Enrichment classes here: children/kids-enrichment-classes/ Babysitting Policy Our policy is that camp staff may not babysit for any families met through the JCC/ Camp Shelanu. Please do not ask camp staff to babysit for your campers. If you already have a babysitting arrangement with a staff member, you are grandfathered in, but you must have an Unsanctioned Childcare Waiver on file. Contact camp@levinjcc.org for a copy of this form. If a staff member already babysits for your family, please avoid having him or her babysit during the time your camper is at camp. Industry best practices show that restricting outside contact between children and staff discourages sexual predators from seeking jobs with that organization and ultimately helps to protect children from sexual abuse. Additionally, babysitting arrangements carry the risk of favoritism and disruption to group dynamics. We are happy to speak more with you about this policy if you have questions or concerns. 7

8 Aquatics At Camp Shelanu, everybody swims every day! Campers enrolled in Traditional camp will have three 30-minute lessons per-week with campers of similar swimming ability (weather permitting). Lessons are taught by swim instructors with counselor support when needed. Campers enrolled in specialty camps will have free swim daily (weather permitting). Each camper will be required to take a swim test to assess their swimming ability. Non-swimmers will stay in the Family Fun pool (depth up to 2 feet). The JCC will make life vests available to those who need to wear one. You can find full pool policies, including swim test procedures, at For non-camp swim lessons, swim team, and aquatics questions, contact Aquatics Manager, Katie Alexander, at kalexander@levinjcc.org or Trans Inclusion Policy We welcome trans campers and campers of all genders! We are happy to support your camper in whatever way they need. Families can choose how much information they d like to disclose to staff and to whom, whether that s to administrative staff, counselors, or no one at all. All information shared will be treated with sensitivity. Counselors also receive training on Changing: Our campers may use the restroom that matches their gender identity. Campers typically change for pool time in large or small same-sex groups but can choose to change by themselves if they prefer. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help support your camper. We make a strong effort to not separate campers by gender or sex at camp in every other situation. Camp Sabra and LITs have an overnight at camp. In general, staff and campers all sleep in a large open room not separated by gender. If your camper is not comfortable with this arrangement, let us know and we will come up with a plan. Field Trips A permission slip for all field trips will be sent out the week prior to the trip with details and instructions. All costs are included. Trip timing may impact swim lessons, free swim, or both. The permission slip will indicate whether or not campers will swim. Campers will be transported by licensed bus drivers in school buses for all trips. On field trip days, we ask that your camper: Wears the 2018 Camp Shelanu t-shirt. Each camper will be provided one camp t-shirt. If your child needs a new tshirt, we will charge $ Brings a lunch (following guidelines below), 2 snacks, and a large bottle of water (campers will not be able to purchase food at the destination). Arrives at camp on time! We leave promptly often at 9:00 a.m., so if you are late you may miss the trip. We may schedule a late pickup for further destinations. 8

9 Medications Campers that require medication during the day will need to have an authorization to dispense on file (including those with allergies). This is a part of the Health Form. Medication must be brought to camp in the original container, and handed to the Camp Manager. The medication will be dispensed by a senior staff member, and handed back to the family at the end of the day or week, depending on instructions. For children with allergies, medication such as Epipens and Benadryl can be left at camp for the duration of the time the child is attending. Epipens may either stay with the Camp Manager or with the camper whichever camper does at school. Illness and Emergencies If your child exhibits any of the following, please keep your camper at home. If any camper develops these conditions during the camp day, family will be notified. Family must then make arrangements for their child s prompt return home. Fever of 101 degrees or above in the last 24 hours Uncontrolled diarrhea Vomiting illness (two or more episodes of vomiting in the previous 24 hours) An acute change in behavior including lethargy, irritability, difficulty breathing, or other signs or symptoms of illness until medical evaluation indicates return to camp. Abdominal pain that continues for more than two hours or intermittent pain associated with fever or other signs or symptoms of illness. Rash with fever or behavior change, until a health care provider determines that these symptoms do not indicate a communicable disease. Purulent conjunctivitis (pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge), until 24 hours after treatment has been initiated. Untreated scabies, head lice, or other infestation. Campers with a case of head lice may not attend camp until they are nit free. Known contagious diseases while still in the communicable stage (chicken pox, streptococcal pharyngitis, rubella, pertussis, mumps, measles, hepatitis A). If a child is diagnosed with a communicable disease, please contact the JCC Camp Manager as soon as possible. In case of emergency, family is notified immediately. If it is not possible to reach the family, the child will be taken to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment. Continuing attempts will be made to reach the family or emergency contact listed on Health and Information Form. 9

10 Heat & Sun Protection Our staff takes great care to ensure campers health and safety. The camp day is balanced with activity and rest to avoid fatigue. Under extreme heat conditions our outdoor activities will be closely monitored and limited as appropriate. We will adhere to all weather advisories. We make sure that your child drinks lots of water during the camp day. You can help by providing a large water bottle for your child. In addition, we take sun protection seriously at Camp Shelanu. To protect your child from painful sun damage, please apply sunscreen prior to arriving at camp. Camp staff will assist children with re-application before swimming and other outdoor activities. If your child is sensitive to certain chemicals or if you prefer a specific type of sunscreen, you can supply a bottle for your camper. Please label it clearly with your child s name. Many parents also choose to supply sunhats and other protective gear in addition to sunscreen. Health and Information Form and Behavior Agreement You must fill out the online Health and Information form, found at camp-shelanu/camp-forms, before your child attends camp. If you do not have a digital form on file at the start of camp, you will be asked to fill out a paper form at drop -off Monday morning. You must fill out a new form each summer, and you may use that form for any School s Out Camps the following school year. It does not need a doctor s signature. At the end of the form, you will be asked to confirm that you have read and understand our Behavior Agreement, found at the end of this Handbook. Please read it carefully to understand what behaviors are not accepted at Camp Shelanu and the progressive consequences for inappropriate behavior. What to Wear and Bring to Camp Please clearly mark each item with your child s name! Your camper will be participating in many different activities throughout the day, including messy indoor activities (Art!), active outdoor activities (Sports!), and everything in between. Set them up for success by providing appropriate clothing and materials for the camp day. Campers should wear: Comfortable, loose clothing. Shorts or pants are preferred since we get very active! Closed-toed and heeled shoes (sneakers or Keens) daily to fully participate in camp programming. Campers who do not have appropriate footwear may be asked to sit out of programming such as bouldering, low-ropes, and sports activities. 10

11 Campers should bring: A backpack A bathing suit and towel for swim every day. Flip flops or crocs may be worn at the pool. A large plastic bag for wet items Water bottle Sunscreen. Consider a hat and swim shirt if your child burns easily. Lunch and 2 snacks (see food guidelines below) or 3 snacks if child is in Aftercare! NO CELL PHONES, ELECTRONICS OR HAND HELD GAMES ARE PERMITTED AT CAMP. Please note that the JCC is not responsible for these items if they should be brought to camp and are damaged, lost or stolen. We reserve the right to hold any of these items in the office until the end of the day if they are causing a distraction. Lost & Found A lost and found area will be kept for clothing and personal items. We invite families to search lost and found any time. We also post items in the Facebook group every Friday. Items unclaimed after August 29 will be donated. Food from Home Please pack a lunch and 2-3 snacks each day. Camp lunches must follow the kashrut guidelines below. Lunches will not be heated or refrigerated, but will be kept in air conditioning. Feel free to include an ice pack in your child s lunch box. Mark lunch bags with your child s name. Sharing food with other campers other than siblings is not permitted. Send your child with two separate snacks, one for morning and one for afternoon. Please send an additional snack for children in Aftercare. Please remember to send a water bottle with your child. Do not send soda or other drinks which can be dehydrating! Campers are encouraged to eat as much as they can, but are never forced to eat. Food Allergies: As a camp, we are NOT peanut-free. However, in the event there are campers with food allergies campers in certain groups may be asked not to bring peanuts in order to help keep campers safe. The 2 Big Rules of Lunch at Camp Shelanu: 1. Do not send pork or shellfish. 2. Do not mix meat and dairy in the same dish. For example, you may send a cheese sandwich or a turkey sandwich, but not a turkey and cheese sandwich. You may send a turkey sandwich and a yogurt in the same lunchbox. 11

12 Meat Parve (OK w/ either meat or dairy) Dairy "Treif (do not bring) Pastrami Fruit Milk Bacon Chicken soup Vegetables Cheese Hotdogs that are not all-beef Chicken Sunbutter Yogurt Ham Roast Beef Eggs Mac& Cheese Non-all-beef salami Turkey Pasta Pudding Cups Pepperoni All-beef Salami Crackers Cottage cheese Sausage Beef Hotdog Bread/Bagels Cream cheese Shrimp, scallops, clams, shellfish Tuna/Fish Veggie burger/soy products Cheese pizza Anything labeled Parve 1. Do not mix meat and milk. This means no meat (beef or chicken) can be served with any dairy (milk, cheese, etc.). It is traditional to wait a few hours between eating meat and milk, but we do not require this in the Levin JCC. 2. Only certain meat is allowed. Mammals allowed include: cattle, deer, goat and sheep. Those not allowed include pig and pig products (like lard) as well as rabbit, camel, and others. 3. Permitted poultry include chicken, duck, goose, turkey, and pigeon. Those forbidden include wild birds or birds of prey, like eagle, ostrich, and vulture. 4. Fish must have both fins and scales that are removable without damaging the fish s skin. Those forbidden include: catfish, eel, shark, and swordfish; all shellfish and mollusks including clam, lobster, octopus, oyster, scallop, shrimp, snail and squid. Fish, however, can be served with dairy. 5. Also forbidden are all reptiles, invertebrates and amphibians (snake, frog, etc). Kosher foods are divided into three categories: A. Dairy: milk and all products (cheese, yogurt, butter, etc) B. Meat, including poultry: from permitted animals which have been slaughtered under the supervision of a rabbi. C. Neutral (pareve): foods that are neither dairy nor meat. Everything that grows in the ground is pareve - all plants, herbs, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, roots, seeds and nuts, as well as products made from them, such as sugar, tea, flour, coffee, spices, salt, oils and most condiments. Eggs from kosher birds and fish with fins and scales are considered pareve. If you have questions about these guidelines please do not hesitate to contact us! Snack bar, J Café, and Vending machines 4 th and 5 th grade campers and Camp Sabra have the privilege of buying items from the poolside Concession stand. At afternoon snack time, these campers will have the option to either bring a snack or purchase a snack (popsicles, chips, ice cream bars, etc.) Most items are $1-$2. Campers will 12

13 not be allowed to purchase sodas or other drinks which may be dehydrating. Campers in k-3 rd grade should not bring cash to camp and will not be able to purchase snacks during the camp day. No campers may use the vending machines or J Café during camp. Looking for more information? Check out our website: levinjcc.org/camp for information about a typical camp day and week, our payment and cancellation policies, dress-up days, field trips, our staff, and more! Contact camp@levinjcc.org with general questions, and jlea@levinjcc.org for specific questions and concerns. 13

14 Levin JCC Camp Shelanu Behavior Agreement The Levin Jewish Community Center is open to the entire community. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, origin, age, veteran status, disability, family structure, or sexual orientation. We are committed to providing an environment where all are welcome. While every camper brings with them unique qualities and needs, they will be required to interact and behave appropriately with both the staff and other campers. Every camper and staff member should be able to have fun while feeling valued, safe, and comfortable while at Camp Shelanu. Campers must 1. Be respectful of campers and staff. This means following directions and refraining from physical or emotional harm towards others, including hitting, kicking, biting, threats, intimidation, swearing, lying, and refusing to listen to staff. 2. Be respectful of the grounds, facilities, and the belongings of others. No littering, vandalism, theft, or destruction. 3. Be safe. This means staying with the group or a staff member and avoiding behaviors that could be dangerous, such as running away, climbing where not permitted, self-harm, etc. We will use positive behavior techniques that are developmentally appropriate to make sure that campers are following the rules of the program and the directions of the camp staff, including: 1. Visual and verbal reminders of the rules at camp 2. Compliments, encouragement, and praise for appropriate behavior 3. Redirection or personal time or use of a quiet space. This can be in the same room as other campers or in another room based on what their specific needs are at that time. 4. Discussion with camper about their behavior 5. Problem solving with camper 6. Separating campers 7. Staff offering appropriate choices to help camper make good decisions Staff will NOT use, or threaten to use, any physical contact or restraint, unless the child presents a clear and present danger to themselves or to others. If with the use of these positive behavior management techniques, campers are unable to follow rules and behaving safely towards self and others, the following steps will occur. Other consequences may be implemented at the discretion of the Camp Manager. First occurrence of inappropriate or unsafe behavior 1. Staff will ask camper to stop the behavior 2. Staff will use verbal or written communication to parent/guardian regarding child s behavior 14

15 3. Staff may remove camper from situation (take to quiet space or safe space) 4. Camper may lose privileges (e.g., pool time, purchasing snack bar items, field trips) 5. Staff may create an individual behavior/action improvement plan. For serious infractions as determined by staff, staff may recommend or require parents to pick the camper up early and/or one or more days suspension with no refund Second occurrence of inappropriate or unsafe behavior 1. Staff will ask camper to stop the behavior 2. Staff will remove camper from situation 3. Camper will lose privileges (e.g., pool time, purchasing snack bar items, field trips) 4. Staff will discuss concerns with parent/guardian and create an individual behavior/ action improvement plan. 5. Parent/guardian will be asked to pick the camper up early, and camper may have one or more days suspension with no refund For serious infractions as determined by staff, camper may be asked to leave the program with no refund Third occurrence of inappropriate or unsafe behavior 1. Parent/guardian will be asked to pick the camper up early 2. Camper will have one or more days suspension with no refund or be asked to leave the program with no refund. 15