SOMERSET HILLS YMCA SUMMER DAY CAMPS 2018 PARENT HANDBOOK

SOMERSET HILLS YMCA SUMMER DAY CAMPS 2018 PARENT HANDBOOK

TABLE OF CONTENTS PARENT ORIENTATION 2 HOURS OF OPERATION 2 FIRST DAY 2 CAMP CALENDAR 2 WHAT TO BRING 2 LUNCH AND SNACKS 2 PASTA AND ICE CREAM FRIDAYS 3 SNACK SHACK AT THE YMCA 3 TRIPS 3 END OF SESSION SHOWCASE 4 SWIMMING 4 LOST AND FOUND 4 BEHAVIOR 4 MEDICAL AND EMERGENCY FORMS 4 ILLNESS AND INJURY POLICY 5 MEDICATION POLICY 5 TOYS/ELECTRONICS FROM HOME 5 DROP OFF/PICK-UP PROCEDURES 5-6 EXTENDED HOURS 6-7 TUTORING 7 CAMP PHONE NUMBERS 8 SPORTS EQUIPMENT 8 POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES, WEAPONS OR ANIMALS 8 BUS SAFETY RULES 8 CAMP PAYMENTS 8 REFUND POLICY 8

LOCATIONS Summer Camp 2018 will be held at 2 locations: Bernards High School in Bernardsville and the YMCA on Mt. Airy Rd. For your convenience, each camp and its location is listed below. SOMERSET HILLS YMCA 140 MT. AIRY RD., BASKING RIDGE, NJ 07920 Adventure Camp Challenge Camp Cheerleading Camp Counselor In Training (CIT) Dance Boot Camp Explorers Camp Kinder Camp Tumbling Camp BERNARDS HIGH SCHOOL 25 OLCOTT AVE., BERNARDSVILLE, NJ Art of Gaming Camp Behind the Scenes Camp Cooking Camp Crime Busters Camp Digital Media Camp Fashion Design Camp Fine Arts Camp Games of Strategy Camp Lego Mania Camp Performing Arts Camp Rising Stars Camp Science Camp Sports Camps 1

PARENT ORIENTATION Tuesday, June 19 at 7:30pm Somerset Hills YMCA, 140 Mt. Airy Road, Basking Ridge The orientation will include a brief overview of camp, as well as a question and answer period for all camps. HOURS OF OPERATION Half Day Kinder Camp: 9:30am-12:30pm Regular Hours: 9:30am-3:30pm Extended Hours: 7:30am-6:00pm FIRST DAY Counselors: On the first day of each camp session, the campers are assigned to counselors upon check-in. We appreciate your patience with the process so that we can ensure each child is properly placed. Camp T-shirts: Children will receive their camp T-shirt during the session. Each child will receive one T-shirt for the entire summer camp as it is the same for all camps and all sessions. Children will be instructed if they need to wear their camp shirts for any special events. At a minimum all children must wear their camp shirts when participating in a camp trip. CAMP CALENDAR A Camp Calendar is created for every session of camp to communicate special events and activities. For certain camps, the calendar may include an addendum to provide details of special trips or events. Camp Calendars will be available on our website at: www.somersetcountyymca.org/ camp WHAT TO BRING A backpack with a bathing suit and towel (if swimming is a part of the camp program). A jacket or sweater for the cooler morning hours. A raincoat on rainy days. Kinder Camp children should have an extra set of clothes in a closed plastic bag clearly labeled and placed at the bottom of your child s backpack. For all campers: an extra set of clothes in the backpack is a good idea as the children often get messy or wet. Please label all of your child s belongings. Sunscreen should be applied by the parent before the camp day, and the children should bring extra so they may reapply after swim. LUNCH AND SNACKS Each camper should bring a lunch, an afternoon snack, and a drink to camp daily. Each Friday, the children have the option to enjoy PASTA FRIDAYS (details on this special day are under the section entitled Pasta and Ice Cream Fridays). Lunches should be brought in lunch boxes with a cold pack. Water is available throughout the day and children are taken to the water fountains often during any extremely hot days and after a long, active period. Children may also bring their own water bottles please be sure to label them. While our camp is not a peanut-free environment, we do offer a peanutfree lunch table for children who have food allergies and we encourage proper hand washing and cleaning protocols. Please see our Illness, Injury, and Medication Policies for further details as to how we handle allergies. 2

PASTA AND ICE CREAM FRIDAYS Each Friday at camp, we offer Pasta and Ice Cream lunch. We partner with an outside catering vendor who prepares and transports the meal for our campers. The cost of the pasta lunch is included in the camp program, no additional fee is required. Lunch includes pasta, homemade marinara sauce, vegetables, bread and a beverage, as well as a vanilla ice cream cup (peanut-free) for dessert. A list of specific ingredients for the pasta and ice cream lunch will be available at the Camp Check-In table. If preferred, children with food allergies or special dietary needs are welcome to bring a lunch on Fridays. SNACK SHACK AT THE YMCA (EXTENDED HOURS ONLY) Campers in extended hours will have an opportunity to purchase snacks and drinks in the afternoon from the Snack Shack. Prices range from $.50 to $2.00. As part of our commitment to children s health through the Healthy U initiative, we offer healthy snack options that have been approved by a dietician. Snack food options include such items as low fat string cheese, yogurt, applesauce, clementines, apples, and SmartPop popcorn. Snack Shack will only be open after 3:30pm, except on special occasions. Children who wish to purchase a snack should bring money in an envelope marked with their name and the enclosed amount. Please place the snack money envelope in a secure location in their backpacks. TRIPS Kinder Camp, Adventure Camp, all Sports Camps (Basketball, Flag Football, Soccer and Sport Mix). These camps include one field trip or special event during each 2-week session. Details can be found on-line on our Camp Calendars. Trips are generally to local venues and are included in the camp fee. Children are required to wear their camp T-shirts for the trips. All camp staff is needed to run the field trips; and, therefore, there will not be a camp alternative on the day of a trip for children who do not wish to participate. Performing Arts, Rising Stars and Behind the Scenes Camps: Campers will take a one-day trip into New York City to have lunch, and see a Broadway Play. The cost of the trip is approximately $145.00 and it is not included in the camp fee. Digital Media and Fine Arts Camps: Campers will visit a New Jersey museum and have lunch. The cost of the trip is approximately $50.00 and it is not included in the camp fee. Fashion Design Camp: Campers will take a one-day trip to New York to visit the garment district and have lunch. The cost of the trip is approximately $145.00 and is not included in the camp fee. Cooking Camp: This offering located at Bernards High School lends itself to walking trips to local grocery stores in the center of Bernardsville to purchase food items for preparing as well as meeting with the dieticians at these locations to educate the children on healthy choices. At this time we do not anticipate any additional fee for these outings. Note: For any camp that requires an additional fee to attend the trip there is the option of not participating in the camp trip and remaining at camp for that day in an alternate program. Full payment for the trip must be received prior to the day of the trip. 3

END OF SESSION SHOWCASE: Some of our camps offered at Bernards High School will be showcasing the work they have done throughout the 2 week period. All showcases will be held on the FINAL FRIDAY of each 2-week session. (July 6, July 20, August 3, August 17) The following is a listing of those camps that will have a Showcase as well as the times for each. Basketball Camp Tournament: 11:00 am Digital Media and Fine Arts Camps: 12:15 pm Fashion Design Camp: 12:15 pm Performing Arts, Behind the Scenes and Rising Stars Camps: 1:00 pm Science Camp: 2:30 pm Dance Boot Camp -(Friday of each week long session - August 24, August 31): 2:00 pm SWIMMING The following camps include swimming as part of the camp program: Adventure Camp Daily Swim Lesson and Free Swim Kinder Camp Daily Swim Lesson Tumbling Camp and Cheerleading Camp Daily Free Swim All Sports Camps Daily Free Swim Campers in all Sports Camps are transported by bus to Somerset Hills YMCA at 2:00 pm for a 2:30 daily swim, and they should be picked up at the Y, 140 Mt. Airy Road, at the end of the day. (Includes campers in regular hours and extended hours) Challenge Camp and Dance Boot Camp - Daily Free Swim LOST AND FOUND Please be sure to label everything your child brings and wears to camp. If something has been lost, within a few days please check the Lost & Found bins they are located near the Camp Check-In Desks and in the main lobby of the Y. Items that have not been reclaimed by the end of each session are donated to charity. 4 BEHAVIOR Discipline is a learning process that helps guide children in achieving behavior that is positive and acceptable. At Y camp, children are encouraged to exhibit acceptable behaviors that include: Being courteous and kind Following rules and being respectful to adults in the program as well as other participants Deviations from acceptable behavior may result in a time out from an activity. Time outs will be brief and is used to help the child regain self-control. If a situation occurs in which a child is having a difficult time acclimating to camp, our staff will work with the parents in an effort to develop a solution. However, if the situation persists and is disruptive to the camp routine, we reserve the right to cancel the child s participation in the camp program. If we must cancel a child s participation, we will refund the balance of the unused camp payment. MEDICAL AND EMERGENCY FORMS In order to participate in the camp program, each child enrolled must have completed forms for emergency contacts and medical information such as allergies or medications that may need to be administered. The health records and emergency contacts are important to our staffs ability to appropriately care for your child. To streamline the process of collecting this information, we use a web-based health record system for camps called CampDoc, which is approved by the ACA (American Camp Association). Approximately one month prior to the beginning of camp you will receive an email from CampDoc (register@ campdoc.com) that will include a login and password created specifically for you to securely complete a health record for your child. Before each camp session, you will be notified if any important information is missing. Please be sure that a valid email address is part of your child s membership record so that you receive important emails and updates about the camp program you can call the Member Services Desk at 908-766-7898 or stop by to update your records.

ILLNESS AND INJURY POLICY ILLNESS For the health and safety of all the children, we ask that you please keep your child home if he/she is ill. If your child becomes ill at camp, you will be notified to pick him/her up. If the child contracts a communicable illness (i.e. strep throat, impetigo, lice, fever over 101, etc.) he/she is not permitted to return to camp without a note from a physician. Please notify us if your child has contracted any type of serious communicable illness (i.e. strep throat). It is important that we inform the general camp population that an illness has been present in case other children were exposed. INJURY Parents/guardians will be notified immediately of any significant injury that may have occurred during the camp program. If immediate medical assistance is deemed necessary (possibly including hospitalization) we will contact the appropriate medical personnel and then contact the parent/guardian. For minor injuries such as scrapes or small cuts, we will inform you at pick up at the end of the day. MEDICATION POLICY Any child who requires medication during the day must have the medication in the original bottle or container that is labeled to include: the name of the medication the dosage amount to be taken and how often Only prescription medicine that has been prescribed specifically for the child will be administered. All medications must be brought to the Camp Health Director at the beginning of the camp session. Over-the-counter medication may be dispensed but only according to the instructions on the label in regard to recommended dosages for age, weight and days unless a physician provides other specific instructions in writing. A physician may email specific instructions to kdezutter@somersetcountyymca.org. In the subject line please put Attention: Camp Health Director 5 If a child requires medication while at camp, it must be indicated in the health records on CampDoc. We will only be able to administer medication to children for whom we have proper documentation. Our Camp Health Director is a qualified individual who is certified in First Aid and CPR for the Professional Rescuer. TOYS/ELECTRONICS FROM HOME Please encourage children to leave their toys, games and electronic devices at home as they are not allowed to use them at any time during the camp day. This will include items such as Nintendo DS, ipods, cell phones, etc. If your child brings such items to camp, the staff will not be held responsible if they are lost, stolen, or broken. DROP OFF/PICK-UP PROCEDURES MT. AIRY ROAD CAMPS AM DROP-OFF All parents must park their car and bring their child to their designated counselors. While our Mt. Airy location has a very large tent that the children congregate under during the early morning hours, it is necessary for parents to walk them in to the main desk. Please do not drop your children off by the tent where we may not see that they have arrived. GENERAL INFORMATION PM PICK-UP You will receive a Camp ID Card on the morning of the first day of camp which must be presented to the staff when picking up your child. Please complete the Camp ID cards with your child s name, the name of the camp, and the name of the person picking up your child (this information must coincide with the individuals you have listed in your child s Emergency and Medical Information). The daily use of Camp ID Cards ensures the safety of our campers. We appreciate your cooperation with this procedure. Please remember that ALL CAMPERS enrolled in Extended Hours (7:30am- 6:00pm) will be picked up at the Mt. Airy Road location.

REGULAR HOURS PICK-UP: 3:30PM At pick-up, please form two lanes of traffic for the car line across the front of the building and remain in your car. When you reach the counselors, they will ask for your Camp ID card and then they will escort your child(ren) to your car. EARLY PICK-UP If you need to pick up your child early, it must be done before 3:00pm or after 3:45pm. Between 3:00pm and 3:45pm we prepare the children for the Regular Hours pick-up process and deviations at that time tend to be disruptive to the program. EXTENDED HOURS PICK-UP: AFTER 3:45 6:00pm At pick-up, please park your car and pick up your child(ren) at the Camp Desk. You must present your Camp ID Card to the staff at the Camp Desk and then sign them out. DROP OFF/PICK-UP PROCEDURES BERNARDS HIGH SCHOOL CAMPS AM DROP-OFF The drop-off and pick-up location for the children attending these camps is behind the Performing Arts Center around the back of the school. If entering through Olcott Avenue you will make the right turn into the school and continue straight past the main entrance and the Performing Arts Center, down a slight hill and around the back. If entering from Church Street/Wesley Ave., you will make a right and continue down the slight decline and around to the back. There will be signage directing you to our location. GENERAL INFORMATION PM PICK-UP You will receive a Camp ID Card on the morning of the first day of camp which must be presented to the staff when picking up your child. Please complete the Camp ID cards with your child s name, the name of the camp your child(ren) are attending, and the name of the person picking up your child (this information must coincide with the individuals you have listed in your child s Emergency and Medical Information). The daily use of Camp ID Cards ensures the safety of our campers. We appreciate your cooperation with this procedure. Please remember that ALL CAMPERS enrolled in Extended Hours (7:30am- 6:00pm) will be picked up at the Mt. Airy Road location. REGULAR HOURS PICK-UP: 3:30PM At pick-up, please follow the signs that will lead you to the back area and remain in your car. When you reach the counselors, they will ask for your Camp ID card and then they will escort your child(ren) to your car. EXTENDED HOURS PICK-UP: BETWEEN 4:00 6:00pm Pick up is located at the Mt. Airy Road location. Children enrolled in extended hours, who participate in camps at the Bernards High School location, will be transported via bus at 3:45pm to the Mt. Airy location for extended hours activities. At pick-up, please park your car and pick up your child(ren) at the Camp Desk. You must present your Camp ID Card to the staff at the Camp Desk and then sign them out. Special Notes: If you have multiple children that may be attending both camp locations during a session, we recommend that you pick up the child who is attending camp at Bernards High School first and then come over to the Mt. Airy Rd. location. Picking up in this order will be fine and staff is aware of the fact that this is the procedure. EXTENDED HOURS Children enrolled in extended hours must be signed in at drop-off and signed out at pick-up. Please ensure to do this on a daily basis at the Camp Desk for each camp. During extended hours the children will be involved in a variety of group activities. The following is a basic schedule for both the Morning and Afternoon Activities. 6

EXTENDED HOURS MORNING ACTIVITIES MT. AIRY ROAD LOCATION 7:30-9:30am Parents sign their child in at the Camp Desk. Parents escort their child to the appropriate counselor. Children choose one of the following activities 1. 4 Square 2. Quiet Games 3. Field Games 4. Playground At 9:15am children will reassemble under the Tent and prepare for Opening Circle. BERNARDS HIGH SCHOOL LOCATION 7:30-9:30am Parents sign their child in at the Camp Desk. Children assemble in the high school cafeteria and will choose one of the following activity stations: 1. Arts & Crafts 2. Board Games/Cards/Table Activities 3. Gym Activities (8:30-9:15) 4. Brain Gain/Silent Reading (8:30-9:15) At 9:15am children will reassemble in the cafeteria to begin their designated camp. EXTENDED HOURS AFTERNOON ACTIVITIES MT. AIRY ROAD LOCATION 3:30-4:00pm Children assemble under the tent with their Extended Hours Counselor Snack Time Children may eat their snack they brought from home or purchase a snack from our Snack Shack. 4:00-5:15pm Campers participate in their selected afternoon activity 1. Swimming Children must be 6 years of age or older to participate in this activity in the afternoon* *Children who are 6 & 7 years of age must be swim tested and achieve the Green Band level. Green Band level requires that the children be able to do all of the following: swim 25 yds. with their face in the water, swim 15-20 yds. on their back, tread water for at least one minute. Swim tests will be conducted on the first Monday of every session. If your child intends to swim at all during the extended hours and needs to be tested, they must do so on the first Monday of the session. Decisions made regarding the swim capabilities of a child are solely at the discretion of the aquatics staff. 2. Tent Arts & Crafts/4 Square/Board Games/Tutoring 3. Sports & Games 4. Basketball on our outdoor courts 5:15-5:30pm Campers return from activity and reassemble under the tent for camp clean-up 5:30-6:00pm CATCH* activities TUTORING In an effort to help prevent learning loss over the summer or to merely sharpen your child s skills, we will be offering Brain Gain during the AM Hours at BHS between 8:30 and 9:15 and during the PM Hours at Mt. Airy between the hours of 4:15 and 5:15. Brain Gain is our camper-friendly name for involving your children in some academic enrichment over the summer. We have employed a number of Education Majors who will be able to assist the children in practicing some skills. If you are interested in this option for your child, you will be asked to complete an Information Sheet that will outline the area or areas that we should be focusing on. While we will have a set of resources to work with, we encourage children to bring any summer learning packets that they may have received from their school district that need to be completed over the summer. Brain Gain Information Sheets will be available at each camp desk. CATCH (COORDINATED APPROACH TO CHILD HEALTH) CATCH is an evidence based program designed to promote physical activity and healthy food choices. CATCH games are non-elimination focused and provide opportunities for children to remain physically active. 7

CAMP PHONE NUMBERS The following phone numbers can be used to communicate with each of our camp sites during the day. One of our camp staff members will be carrying this phone during regular operating hours. Please feel free to leave a message on these phones if your child is going to be absent from camp on any particular day. Y Camps at the Mt. Airy Road location: (732) 496-0514 Y Camps at the Bernards High School location: (732) 236-9517 Explorers Camp: (908) 482-0046 SPORTS EQUIPMENT Children who are enrolled in Sports Camp may bring personal sports items such as baseball gloves or bats to camp. These items must be used appropriately during the camp day and safely stored when not in use. Please clearly label all sports equipment that is brought from home. We can not be responsible for any lost items. POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES, WEAPONS OR ANIMALS To ensure the safety of all camp participants, Somerset Hills YMCA reserves the right to inspect the bag of any camper if there is reasonable suspicion that it contains banned substances or weapons. Possession of illegal substances or weapons, by either a camper or a staff member, is strictly prohibited and will result in immediate dismissal from our camp program. Additionally, children are not allowed to bring pets to camp. BUS SAFETY RULES School buses, which are used to transport campers on trips and to the Y from Bernards High School, satisfy all safety regulations of the NJ Division of Motor Vehicles and comply with Somerset County YMCA s Transportation Policy. Campers have drills in emergency evacuation and our staff is trained in vehicle breakdown and evacuation procedures. CAMP PAYMENTS Summer Camp payments are due for each camp session - (A-E) on the following dates: Session A - May 26, 2018 Session B - June 9, 2018 Session C - June 23, 2018 Session D - July 7, 2018 Session E - July 21, 2018 Payments for camp sessions will be automatically charged to the credit card provided to make the initial deposit at camp registration. The payments for each session will be charged on the dates above and will appear on your credit card statement; therefore, invoices will not be sent. REFUND POLICY Cancellation requests received by May 1, 2018 will qualify for full refunds. After May 1, 2018 but before one month prior to the camp session start date, a full refund will be given if the child s spot can be filled by another child. Cancellation requests received less than one month prior to the camp session start date, do not qualify for a refund of the deposit or balances that have been paid.* * An exception to the refund policy is cancellation due to medical reasons verified by a doctor. 8

FOR ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS regarding camp registration please contact our Camp Registrar Karen DiGiovanni at kdigiovanni@somersetcountyymca.org or 908 722 4567 x151. 9

CAMPS AT A GLANCE CAMPS AT A GLANCE BY SESSION AND LOCATION SESSION A SESSION B SESSION C SESSION D SESSION E June 25 July 6 July 9 July 20 July 23 Aug 3 Aug 6 Aug 17 Aug 20 Aug 31 BERNARDS HIGH SCHOOL CAMPS ART OF GAMING BEHIND THE SCENES COOKING CRIME BUSTERS DIGITAL MEDIA FASHION DESIGN FINE ARTS GAMES OF STRATEGY LEGO MANIA PERFORMING ARTS RISING STARS SCIENCE SPORTS MT. AIRY ROAD CAMPS ADVENTURE CHALLENGE CHEERLEADING CIT DANCE BOOT EXPLORERS KINDER SPECIAL NEEDS (INCLUSION OPPORTUNITIES) TUMBLING BY GRADE PRESCHOOL K 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH 7TH 8TH 9TH 10TH ADVENTURE ART OF GAMING BEHIND THE SCENES CHALLENGE CHEERLEADING CIT COOKING CRIME BUSTERS DANCE BOOT DIGITAL MEDIA EXPLORERS FASHION DESIGN FINE ARTS GAMES OF STRATEGY KINDER LEGO MANIA PERFORMING ARTS RISING STARS SCIENCE SPECIAL NEEDS SPORTS TUMBLING Grades children will be entering in September 2018 Somerset Hills YMCA Day Camp 2 somersetcountyymca.org/camp SOMERSET HILLS YMCA A branch of Somerset County YMCA 140 Mount Airy Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 665 Martinsville Road Basking Ridge, NJ 07920 www.somersetcountyymca.org (P) 908 766 7898 Facebook.com/SomersetHillsYMCA Twitter.com/shymca The Y is the nation s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening the community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. At Somerset County YMCA, we believe everyone, regardless of age, income or background, should have the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. For information about Somerset County YMCA and financial assistance, visit us at www.somersetcountyymca.org.