FOR PARENTS & CAMPERS

THE CREATIVE ARTS CAMP 2016 HANDBOOK FOR PARENTS & CAMPERS THE NEW MEXICO JAZZ WORKSHOP 5500 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 505-255-9798 www.nmjazz.org 1

Letter from the Camp Director Dear Parents and Campers, Welcome to Creative Arts Camp! This is the 23 nd year the New Mexico Jazz Workshop has provided an educational, fun, and nurturing camp to children in the Albuquerque area. Creative Arts Camp is a summer day-camp that offers a wide range of music, art, theater activities, and learning experiences. My name is Debbie Dobson and I am the Director of Creative Arts Camp. Leanne Mennin is our On-Site Coordinator. It is our goal to help campers learn new skills, nurture their inner artist and make lasting friendships. We strive to provide a caring, inclusive, and positive environment where each camper can explore the arts through a wide range of activities. This handbook was developed to help your child have a better camp experience. We hope that you will read this handbook carefully with your child and keep it for future reference, as it provides important information about the camp program. If you have any questions about this material, please feel free to call me at the New Mexico Jazz Workshop, 505-255-9798, ext. 3. Sincerely, Debbie Dobson Creative Arts Camp Director Table of Contents Going to Camp Checklist.2 Getting Ready: Health and Medical Information 2 Directions, Please! Camp Address. 3 Camp Map 3 Camp Policies Arrival and Departure Times, Procedures and Release 4 What To Bring......4 What Not to Bring... 4 Cell Phones......4 Eating in Classrooms.4 Fighting....5 Bullying......5 Vandalism..5 Proper Communication Channels..5 Minor Illness and Injuries....5 Emergency Transportation..5 Behavior Management. 6 Explanation of Unacceptable Behavior...7 Damage or Loss to Personal Property......7 Scholarship Policy... 7 Payment Policy.... 7 Refund Policy....7 A Day At Camp. 8 End of Camp Performance..8 1

GOING TO CAMP CHECKLIST Before the first day of camp, please make sure that you have completed and returned ALL the following forms THE FRIDAY BEFORE CAMP STARTS (June 3rd). Mail to: NM Jazz Workshop, 5500 Lomas Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110, attn: Debbie Dobson. A signed Code of Conduct Form A signed Camper Information / Waiver Form A completed Electives Request Form Camp Performances are the last Friday of the session at noon. Parents and friends are urged to attend! GETTING READY: HEALTH & MEDICAL INFORMATION Health and Safety We make every effort to ensure the health and safety of your child while at Camp. In addition to camp instructors, counselors and counselors-in-training will be attending the small (up to15 campers) camp classes, breaks, and lunch periods. Medical Treatment: In the event that a camper needs medical attention while at Camp, every effort will be made to contact the parent or guardian listed on the Camp Registration Form. If they cannot be contacted and special medical attention is needed, parents are required to assume all costs of all out-of-camp medical treatment. This includes all physician, hospital, laboratory and medication costs incurred. The parents will be billed directly for medical care as it is ordered, which may or may not be covered by your insurance. Medications: If your child has medication that must be taken during the camp day, we must have a written note from you that gives us permission to administer it. The note must include your child s name, the name of the medication, the dosage, the time it is to be administered and your signature. The medication must be turned into the On-Site Coordinator with your child s name and the name of the medication clearly printed on the container. 2

DIRECTIONS, PLEASE! From Rio Grande and I-40: Go north on Rio Grande Blvd. Turn left (west) on Floral Road. Turn left on Duranes Rd. Turn right on Gabaldon and pass the large park and playground. Our parking lot will be just past this on your right Just off I-40 and Rio Grande, our school is located near Old Town in one of the oldest neighborhoods in Albuquerque. It offers a quiet and peaceful environment surrounded by a park and old cottonwoods. The school has three playgrounds for the different ages and also includes beautiful wetlands. 3

CAMP POLICIES Arrival/Departure Times, Procedures and Release Creative Arts Camp runs Monday-Friday from 9:00 am 2:45 pm. Campers may be dropped off as early as 8:45 am and picked up NO LATER than 3:15 pm. Please be on time to pick up your child. Campers who are picked up late will be charged for after care for that day. We will not be responsible for campers dropped off before 8:45am. Campers should be dropped off and picked up at the main school entrance. Campers will be released only to people listed on the pick-up authorization form. If someone other than the parent or guardian is to pick your child up, please notify the On-Site Coordinator as soon as possible. What To Bring Sack lunch with drink, marked with the camper s name Water bottle with child s name on it. Sunscreen (or apply before arrival) What to Wear Please send your child to camp in hard use play clothing as campers may get a little dirty or messy. Soft-soled, closed toe shoes are also recommended. Flip flops are not recommended. What NOT to Bring or Wear The following attire is not appropriate for Camp: cut-off shorts and clothing with inappropriate advertising or messages on it. Money Any potentially dangerous weapons including pocket knives, folding knives, any type of gun, etc Hand-held video games Personal stereos (MP3s, ipods, earbuds, etc) Cell phones Chewing gum Cell Phones: cell phones and mobile hand-held devices have no place at camp! If for any reason parents or guardians need to contact their camper during the day, they are asked to contact Leanne, the On-Site Coordinator at 505-241-9840. These items will be taken away from campers and given to parents. 4

Eating in Classrooms: Campers are not allowed to eat inside classrooms, only in designated areas. Fighting & Bullying Creative Arts Camp does not tolerate campers who harm other campers, instructors, counselors, or counselors-in-training whether it is physical or verbal fighting, or bullying. Any camper involved in these activities is subject to discipline and may be sent home. In this case, the Camp Director will contact the parent/guardian and it will be their responsibility to make immediate arrangements to pick up the camper. Vandalism Campers involved in vandalism or malicious mischief either against camp or school property, or against another camper or staff member will be disciplined immediately. Payment to repair damage incurred as a result of the vandalism is the responsibility of the camper s parent or guardian. Proper Communication Channels Parents are encouraged to get to know the instructors, counselors and counselors-in-training who are charged with the care of their child. It is our goal to establish a strong bond between your family and our staff. If the need arises for you to address a concern that involves a staff member, please be sure to go through the On-Site Coordinator to do so. Please do not directly confront a staff member in the unlikely event that a grievance arises. It is also necessary to go through the On-Site Coordinator to address any concern you have about a camper who is not your child, or if you have a dispute with another camp parent. Please do not confront campers or camp parents with a grievance. Doing so is considered grounds for immediate, nonrefundable nullification of your camp registration. These policies exist for your own protection so that we may ensure that disputes are witnessed, mediated, properly documented and resolved. Minor Illnesses and Injuries In the event of your child s illness, we will contact you at the numbers provided. We must have verbal consent from you before administering any medication such as Tylenol, Pepto-Bismol, Benadryl, etc. If your child suffers frequent headaches or has other minor chronic ailments, you may keep a signed note on file with instructions for treatment so that we do not have to contact you each time. Emergency Transportation In the event of an injury, we will provide first aid at camp. If the injury consists of anything other than minor scrapes, cuts or bruises, we will contact you for further instruction. In a severe emergency, we will call 911 first, then contact the emergency contact listed on the medical form. For anything other than the most minor of injuries or illnesses, we will have a completed incident form for you to view and sign and a copy of the same for you to take with you. 5

Behavior Management Our approach to discipline is to employ non-corporal punishment methods that include but are not limited to, in order of severity: counseling, time-out, essay-writing and chores. Parents are kept informed of all but the most trivial infractions, and are provided with a copy of any essays written and incident reports filed. We consider the process of camper discipline to be a partnership between the parents and our staff, and we appreciate parents who communicate to their children that the camp staff members are authority figures while they are at camp. Making this point in advance is often very helpful in preventing discipline issues before they occur. All children will likely commit some infraction from time to time, by simple virtue of the fact that they are children. Habitual infractions that present a hazard to other campers or have the potential to create a breakdown in camp operation present a more serious concern. We reserve the right to determine the suitability of such a child in our camp environment. In such cases, this is not an act of judgment, but a determination that Creative Arts Camp may not be a good fit for the child. The criterion by which we must consider disallowing further admittance to Camp is as follows: 1. If a child habitually refuses to acknowledge the authority of camp staff. 2. If the actions of the camper present a hazard to other campers or significantly disrupt camp operations. 3. If the parents of the child refuse to acknowledge a pattern of documented serious problems, or refuse to partner with camp staff in administering discipline. In a case where the camper in question has subjected the camp to hazard through his or her actions, camp management may disallow the camper from the premises after the first infraction. In all other cases, three such infractions are necessary before expulsion is considered. Camp management reserves the right to make determinations regarding the seriousness of any infraction and the level of threat it presents to the camp as a whole. Camp management accepts the responsibility to sufficiently document such infractions, and views any action taken on our part without proper documentation to be irresponsible and arbitrary. Please know that we make every effort to work with all campers entrusted to us. 6

Explanation of Unacceptable Behavior All campers, parents and staff at Creative Arts Camp are expected to refrain from foul language, physical violence or force, or any threat thereof, smoking, consumption of alcohol, use of illegal drugs, inappropriate displays of affection, carrying firearms or other weapons, wearing clothing with slogans that are considered lewd or in bad taste. Damage or Loss to Personal Property Creative Arts Camp is not responsible for damage to, or loss of, any personal property brought to camp. There is a lost and found at the Jazz Workshop at the end of camp. Unclaimed items will be donated at the beginning of August. Scholarship Policy In order for a student to qualify for a scholarship to Creative Arts Camp, he/she should: Show a high interest and aptitude for art, music or dance Have filled out a scholarship application form Have transportation to and from camp each day Must attend the whole session of Creative Arts Camp To qualify for a Creative Arts Camp scholarship, a scholarship application must be completed and returned to the New Mexico Jazz Workshop office by April 15, 2016. Priority will be given to campers who have not yet received a scholarship in the past. Due to the high demand for scholarships, late application forms will not be considered. If a scholarship camper does not attend Camp regularly (without a note explaining absences), the scholarship may be taken back and given to another eligible child who has been wait-listed. There is a limit of one scholarship per family, or two for families with four or more children attending camp. Payment Policy All registration fees must be paid in full one week PRIOR to the start of camp. Late enrollment is possible if space is available. Refund Policy All cancellation requests must be made three weeks prior to camp beginning. Requests made three weeks prior to camp beginning will result in any camp payments made returned less a 15% administrative fee per child. All requests fewer than three weeks prior to camp will result in a 50% refund per child. No refunds after the first day of camp. A refund will be granted in cases of serious illness, injury or a death in the immediate family. A camper who does not arrive, arrives late, leaves 7

early or attends only a part of the camp session will not receive a refund. If a camper is sent home because of a behavior problem, no refund will be granted. A DAY AT CREATIVE ARTS CAMP Format: Camp is set up in two 2-week sessions during the summer. Hours of Operation: Monday-Friday, 9:00 am 2:45 pm Enrollment Capacity: 60 children per camp session maximum, divided into groups by age, based on the birthday given on the registration form. Class groups are divided as equally as possible, with approximately 12 children each. Age Range of Campers: 6-12 years A Typical Day at Camp: We strive to deliver an enriching, interesting camp experience. The morning classes are assigned by age group; with the afternoons dedicated to electives chosen by campers. The following schedule outlines a typical day at Creative Arts Camp. Morning: 9:00 9:15: Opening Circle (Large Group Activity) 9:15 10:00 : Assigned Class by Age Group 10:00 10:15: Snack 10:15 11:00: Assigned Class by Age Group 11:00 11:15: Break 11:15 12:00: Assigned class by age group Afternoon: 12:00 1:00: Brown bag lunch & play time 1:00 1:45: Afternoon elective class 1:45 2:00: Snack 2:00 2:45: Afternoon elective class 2:45 3:15: Sign-out by parents END OF CAMP PERFORMANCE On the last day of camp, there will be a performance by campers to highlight what they learned at Creative Arts Camp. The performance takes place at the host school and begins at noon. Parents and friends are invited to attend! ALL CAMPERS WILL BE SENT HOME WITH A CREATIVE ARTS CAMP T-SHIRT ON THURSDAY, TO WEAR ON FRIDAY THE FINAL DAY OF CAMP. 8