Summer Day Camp Life in Sport and Sport in Life Parent Handbook w w w. b l u e s p r i n g s g o v. c o m / c a m p
Welcome! Dear Camp Parent, Welcome to the Blue Springs Summer Day Camp! We look forward to meeting you and your child and spending the summer getting to know you better. We are aware of the numerous choices of day camp programs within the area tow which you could enroll your child, and we are honored that you have chosen ours. Our Summer Day Camp program is designed to provide a fun-filled summer for children, while offering a valuable service to families in which parents may work. Our program offers a supportive environment with dedicated staff to help each child feel welcome and appreciated. Our mission is to help each camper discover new skills while building a community that values each child. Our number one goal is to make sure that all kids needs are met while they enjoy camp activities in a safe and nurturing environment. Activities are designed to promote social engagement and healthy risk-taking. They include leadership challenges to help each child grow as an individual and aim to build self-confidence and self-respect. Friendships at camp are based on honesty and a deep sense of caring. This guidebook is designed to give you a better understanding of what our day camp program involves, and our policies and procedures. While we strive to give you as much information regarding our program as we can, we realize there may still be questions you have that are left unanswered. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or needs for further clarification. Here s to a great summer! We look forward to spending it with you and your child! Sincerely, Nichole Cogbill Recreation Supervisor Blue Springs Parks & Recreation
Camp at a Glance Important Numbers Camp Phone (Direct) 816-666-5316 Parks & Rec Department 816-228-0137 Nichole Cogbill-Recreation Supervisor 816-228-0266 ncogbill@bluespringsgov.com Camp Location The Blue Springs Fieldhouse 425 NE Mock Ave Blue Springs, MO 64014 Camp Hours 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday* (except Memorial Day and Fourth of July) Daily Schedule 7 a.m.-8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 12:00 p.m. 12:00-12:30 p.m. 12:30-1:00 p.m. 1:00-4:00 p.m. 4:00-6:00 p.m. Before Care/Morning Drop-Off Morning Meeting and Ice Breakers Field Trip / Swimming (11 a.m.- 12:00 p.m.) Lunch Return to Fieldhouse Lesson Plans/ Group Activities After Care/ Evening Pick-Up *Schedule is subject to change pending field trip availability. It is our goal to return to the Fieldhouse by 4:00 p.m. each day. Ratio Our camp is designed for a 9 to 1 camper-to-staff ratio during scheduled activities. We frequently travel to and from activity sites by bus and fill our day with structured learning opportunities, games and large group interaction. Therefore, this camp may not be the right fit for every child. If you need help in determining whether this camp is right for your child, please contact Nichole Cogbill (816) 228-0266. Pricing $70 Reservation Fee (per child) - a one-time, non-refundable charge that includes your child s t-shirt, and a Summer Season Swim Pass to The Blue. Fee raises to $85.00 after May 1st. $120 Weekly Session Fee (per child, per week) - includes all activities and equipment, field trip admission and transportation, guest speakers, an afternoon snack and lunch on pool days and Before and After Care. The weekly fee is $120 regardless of the number of days that your child attends. (Weeks 1 and 6 have been reduced to $100 due to the shortened week.) $7.00 Extra T-shirt fee (optional)
Pricing and Registration Reservation Fees and Registration Forms are due at time of registration. Your camper cannot attend camp until all forms are turned in. You may register your child online by visiting our website: www.bluespringsgov.com/camp Or visit us at the Blue Springs Fieldhouse - 425 NE Mock Ave, Blue Springs, MO 64014 Payments Our camp program offers a flexible payment plan which allows you to pay only for the weeks that you want and not the whole summer in a lump sum. The Weekly Session Fees are due 10 days in advance of the start of each camp session. Payments can be made online using our online reservation system found on our website: www.bluespringsgov.com/camp. Payments can also be made in person at the Blue Springs Fieldhouse, 425 NE Mock Avenue. Payments must be received by the payment deadline (10 days prior to the start of each camp session). Your payment guarantees your child s spot in the camp session. If your payment is not received by the deadline, your child s spot may be forfeited for that session. Early payments are vital to the camp planning process and help ensure that we have the proper amount of transportation and staffing to keep within our required ratios, and that we have secured the right amount of tickets for field trip admissions. If capacity allows for a late enrollment into a session, late payments may be accepted following a required $20.00 late payment fee. Late payments will not be accepted past Monday the week before the start of each camp session. Refunds If needing to cancel, paid funds can be used to pay for another week of camp, following a $5.00 transfer fee. Refunds must be requested at least one week in advance (7 days) and are subject to a $7.00 cancellation fee. A refund will not be given if the refund is requested after the camp session has started. Exceptions may be made in the case of an emergency or extended illness and may require a doctor s note. Childcare Statements Statements are available online, they can be found on the Home Page after logging into your account. Our Federal Tax Number is: 44-6000139.
2018 Camp Sessions Life in Sport and Sport in Life: Week Dates Theme Payment Deadline 1 May 29 June1 Lawn Games May 18 2 June 4 8 Water Games May 25 3 June 11 15 Have a Ball June 1 4 June 18 22 Take Aim June 8 5 June 25 29 Ready to Roll June 15 6 July 2 6 Professional Sports June 22 7 July 9 13 Just Feet June 29 8 July 16 20 Innovative Games July 6 9 July 25 27 Mind Sports July 13 10 July 30 August 3 Aerial Games July 20 11 August 6 10 My Favorite Sport July 27 Each week s activities, field trips, and guest speakers will focus on the theme. Be sure to pick up your child's crafts and creations at the end of each day. Suggested field trips for 2018 include: the Steamboat Arabia, Theater for Young America, Deanna Rose Farmstead, Museum at Prairie Fire, Adventure Oasis, and the College Basketball Experience, just to name a few. A full list of field trips will be provided to you at Parent Orientation Night. Parent Orientation Friday, May 18th at 6 p.m. or Tuesday, May 22nd at 6 p.m. Attendance is mandatory. Plan on joining us for a tour of the Blue Springs Fieldhouse and an informational session about this year s camp program.
Day by Day Pick-up and Drop-off Pick-up and drop-off will take place at the East Doors of the Fieldhouse. Before Care begins at 7 a.m. and runs until 8:30 a.m. Please plan to have your child checked in at camp by 8:30 a.m. so that your child can attend the morning meeting and not miss planned activities. Children may not be dropped off prior to 7:00 a.m. After Care and evening check out begins at 4 p.m. and runs until 6 p.m. A late fee of $1.00 per minute late will be charged if your child is not picked up by 6:05 p.m. on the camp clock, and must be paid prior to the camper returning to camp. All children must be signed in and out each day. Please notify staff of any last-minute changes that may require an earlier pick-up time or a late arrival. Field trip itineraries will not be changed to accommodate individual schedule changes. If you need to pick up your child early on a Field Trip Day, please be prepared to meet us at the field trip location to sign out your child. Field Trips Field trips are typically conducted on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Campers must attend the scheduled trip if they attend camp on any of the required field trip days. Campers must wear their camp t-shirt and have a packed lunch on field trip days. Any camper that does not wear their shirt will be provided a new one at the guardian's expense. A complete list of field trips will be provided at Camp Parent Orientation. Field trips are not listed on our website for participant and staff safety. Lunch/Snacks Lunch must be packed on field trip days. We will have coolers for lunch boxes, but it it strongly recommended that you include an ice pack in your child s lunch box to keep perishable items cold. Please refrain from packing anything with nuts to avoid potential allergic reactions. On days when camp is not off on a field trip, lunch and an afternoon snack are provided by the Blue Springs School District s free lunch program. This program is available June 4th through July 27th. Parents will need to provide lunch for their child the first week of camp and each day of camp for weeks 10 & 11. If your child forgets their lunch, it is a $4 fee and they will be provided a Lunchable. A daily lunch schedule will be provided to parents at Parent Orientation. Please contact Nichole Cogbill for additional copies. If dropping your child off at 7 a.m., please pack a morning snack.
What to Wear/ What to Bring PLEASE LABEL ALL ITEMS WITH YOUR CHILD S NAME/INITIALS! Bag/Backpack Your child will need a bag in which he/she can carry and store needed items at camp each day and take home again each afternoon. Camp Day Lockers are provided, but are limited to 12x12 size. Additional storage is not available, please plan accordingly. Sunscreen Please pack sunscreen for your child and label it with your child s name. Shoes Campers are required to wear shoes that are comfortable for all-day wear. Closed-toed shoes with non-skid soles are preferred. NO FLIP FLOPS!! You may pack pool sandals for your child to wear while swimming if you wish, but please do not send them in sandals/flip-flops. Metal cleats are prohibited inside the Fieldhouse. Clothes Campers are encouraged to wear clothing that can get dirty and is comfortable enough to be worn on hot summer days. Please provide your child with a light jacket or sweater on chilly or overcast days. Swimwear/Gear Swimsuits should be worn under clothes on swim days or packed. Campers will be allowed to change at the pool. Please provide your child with a towel and any cover-up or additional sun protection, as needed. Please be sure to label each item with your child s name/initials. Please do not pack any toys or electronics as they are a distraction for our campers. Camp is not responsible for these items and our staff will take them away if they see them.
To the Pool! Campers will be swimming regularly, weather permitting. Visits to the pool will take place almost every Monday and Wednesday from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. unless we need to move a field trip. The Centennial Pool-Plex ( the Blue ) has an outdoor and indoor swim area. They maintain a 1:20 ratio of lifeguards to swimmers. Our staff will be assigned to small groups, typically six campers per staff member, around the pool to monitor swimmers and non-swimmers. A larger focus will be concentrated on those campers who may have more difficulty swimming. On the first day of camp, campers and CIT's will undergo a swim test to measure their ability. Campers will then be designated to a swim group based upon their ability and where they are allowed in the pool. Swim tests will be given every Monday for new campers. Summer Season Swim Passes will be kept at the pool until the child s last week of camp, so you can visit the pool at any time. Just let the staff at the pool know that you are with Blue Springs Parks & Recreation s Summer Day Camp and they can look up your information. These passes are good throughout the entire summer season. Life jackets are available for your child to use, however, in order for your child to be guaranteed a life jacket, you will need to provide his/her own. All life jackets must be US Coast Guard Approved. Additional information about the Blue Centennial Pool-Plex, including hours for open swim and classes, can be found on their website: http://www.funattheblue.com/
Camp Policies and Procedures Safety Camp staff maintain a daily attendance list and campers are assigned to a group leader each week based on the grade they will be going into. The staff maintain a ratio of 9:1, camper to staff. Safety rules are enforced at all times in order to provide a safe camp experience for all. Camp rules are shared with campers at the beginning of every camp session. Individuals who are designated to pick up your child from camp must be listed on your registration form. Identification is required to pick up children from camp. If you have someone picking up your child that has not been added to your form, the primary guardian will need to turn in a signed, handwritten note with those instructions. To protect your child, this policy still applies in the event of an emergency. ADA Requests Blue Springs Parks & Recreation is committed to making reasonable accommodations as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Written requests must be made two weeks or ten working days prior to the start of the program. Ratio Our camp is designed for a 9 to 1 camper-to-staff ratio during scheduled activities. We frequently travel to and from activity sites by bus and fill our day with structured learning opportunities, games and large group interaction. Therefore, this camp may not be the right fit for every child. If you need help in determining whether this camp is right for your child, please contact Camp Director Nichole Cogbill (816) 228-0266. First Aid/CPR Camp staff are trained to administer first aid for minor accidents. Camp staff are also trained to perform CPR should a camper become unconscious and stop breathing. With an accident or injury of this or a more serious nature, EMS personnel will be called. Should medical transport be necessary, parents or guardians will be notified immediately. Any follow-up medical care is the responsibility of the parent/guardian. Camp staff has each camper s emergency medical information and contact information for immediate access, including while on field trips and at the pool.
Camp Policies and Procedures Health If a child becomes ill during the day or just isn t feeling well at camp, the parent/guardian will be contacted and requested to take their child home. Until the child is picked up, he/she may be isolated from other campers and attended to by a camp staff member in order to protect against the potential spread of illness. When there are questions of illness, please use these guidelines: Do not bring your child to camp if he/she has a fever or if the child has had a fever that was relieved by medication. Campers may return to camp after they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours, without medication. l Do not bring your child if he/she is vomiting or has vomited in the last 4-5 hours. l If your child has had any loose stool within 48 hours of a scheduled swim day, your child will not be allowed to enter the pool upon request of pool staff. Please notify us if your child has had any stomach or digestive distress at morning drop-off so that staff may plan accordingly. Medicines Any required medication will be administered by Camp Management staff. All prescriptions and non-prescriptions, including bugspray and sunscreen, must have the child s name clearly listed. Medications will be securely stored and administered at the time listed on the camper s health history on their registration forms. Visiting If interested, you are welcome to visit campgrounds and see how much fun your child is having first-hand. Please call Nichole at (816)228-0266 to schedule the specific time of your visit so that she may notify staff and escort you to camp. For child safety, all visits must be pre-scheduled.
Camp Policies and Procedures Discipline All discipline is handled with kindness, consistency and understanding. Attention is given to the specific needs of each individual child while also providing encouragement for them to be part of the group and participate. We believe children in a group setting want to conform to rules as soon as they know what is expected of them, and all camp rules are reviewed at the start of each weekly camp session. Rules apply to both inside and outside play. Camp staff discuss camp rules thoroughly with all campers and fully explain that the rules are in place for safety and for the respect of other campers, staff, and personal property. When unacceptable behavior occurs, staff talks to the camper and explains why their behavior is unacceptable. If this behavior reoccurs, the child may be separated from the group to give them time to think about their behavior. This action encourages the child to think about and understand the importance of acceptable behavior patterns and hopefully results in a quick return to camp activities. Typically the child decides when he/she is ready to return to the group. If necessary, campers may be asked to call and share the incident with their parent. In order to help each camper succeed in camp, we will use the following steps: 1. OBSERVE and LISTEN to prevent conflict by anticipating any unacceptable or unsafe behavior 2. REDIRECT the child to another activity 3. TALK to the child individually 4. SEPARATE the child from his/her group to give time to reflect 5. DISCUSS the situation with the child 6. NOTIFY the parent of the situation and discuss further action. A. If the child s behavior continues to be disruptive and problematic, the parent/guardian are advised by way of a discipline slip that must be signed by the parent/guardian. B. If problems continue or the reported behavior reoccurs despite steps toward resolution, a camper may be suspended from program activities, including field trips. C. In the event that a child should have three discipline slips/written reports, a meeting will be required between Camp Management, the child s parent/guardian and Nichole Cogbill, Recreation Supervisor 7. Campers with continued misbehavior may be dismissed from the program. Chronic behavioral patterns may prevent Bullying behaviors and/or behaviors resulting in the physical harm of a camper s self or another camper are grounds for removal from camp for a day on the first instance. A meeting with Camp Management and the Recreation Supervisor will be required before the child may return to camp. Any repetition of the same behaviors may be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program for the summer. This will be the case regardless of who is the aggressor. The Recreation Supervisor reserves the right to amend, revoke, waive or make individual adjustments to these rules for just cause. Code of Conduct Campers and their parents will be required to sign a Code of Conduct prior to the start of camp (found on the last page of this document).
Camp Policies and Procedures Emergency Procedures (taken directly from staff manual) In Case of Fire Clear all campers away from area. A. If at the Fieldhouse, campers should be directed to exit the building and head to the far side of the south parking lot. A quick head count should be taken at the rendezvous point alongside Mock Avenue. B. If at the Baumgardner Park Shelter, campers should be immediately escorted across the street to the Calvary Baptist Church parking lot. A headcount should be taken. C. If at the pool, staff should follow directions from members of the pool staff and once outside, gather campers and headcount. All campers should remain with camp staff until a proper pick-up site can be established. Management will not release any campers until checking pick-up forms and identification. In Case of Tornado/Bad Weather The office staff will stay up to date on surrounding area weather. In the event that a storm threatens the immediate work/ event area, the following are procedures that will be used. Be familiar with warning signs for the Blue Springs area. A. If a Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the Blue Springs area, the supervisor/employees should continue to monitor the situation and be aware of any changes in the weather. B. In the case of a Severe Thunderstorm Warning, supervisor/employees should be alert for lightning, hail, or heavy rains and seek shelter. When lightning has been detected within 0-6 miles, camp will head indoors if at an outdoor location and continue to monitor for lightning for the next 30 minutes. C. In the event of a Tornado Watch, the supervisor should inform other staff and all participants that the area is in a tornado watch. If outdoors, camp will move indoors - either the Blue Springs Fieldhouse or the Blue Centennial Pool-Plex. The supervisor will continue to monitor the weather for changes. D. If a Tornado Warning has been issued for the Blue Springs area, the supervisor should immediately make an announcement and have all staff and participants seek immediate shelter. 1. If at Baumgardner Park Shelter - move campers to the Centennial Pool-Plex immediately and await further instruction from the pool staff. 2. If at the Pool, campers will be escorted into the bathrooms and instructed to sit down and keep their heads covered. Camp will remain until the all-clear has been given. 3. If at the Blue Springs Fieldhouse, the supervisor will direct campers and staff to seek shelter in the locker rooms located on the lower level of the building. Campers will be instructed to sit down and keep their heads covered at all times. Camp will remain until the all-clear has been given.
See you Soon! Please let us know if you have any questions regarding our camp program. We look forward to meeting you and spending the summer with your child(ren). See you soon!
Code of Conduct I will show respect to all participants of Blue Springs Summer Day Camp. This includes all campers, counselors, and any Parks & Recreation staff. I will respect all living things and the natural environment. I will always stay with my counselor and my group. I will listen to my camp counselors and follow their directions. I will respect the Fieldhouse and the members and guests who are visiting. I will be careful with camp equipment and supplies, and I will help put things away when we are done with them. I will use the Buddy System when on hikes, field trips, or when traveling to and from the restroom. I will keep track of where my buddy is and always let my buddy know where I am. I will tell a Counselor if I lose my buddy. I will be careful not to hurt anyone or anyone s feelings. I will not call anyone names or say things to make anyone feel bad. If another camper is bothering me, I will tell a Counselor. Fighting is not allowed and will get me sent home. I will tell a Counselor if I see another camper being bullied. I will wear athletic shoes every day (never sandals or flip flops) and clothes that can get dirty. I will keep my belongings in my backpack and check lost and found for any missing items. I will not bring electronics to camp (CD, DVD, MP3 players, hand-held games, cell phones, etc.) I will not bring toys/cards/or personal craft materials to camp. I will stay seated on the bus. I will not take things that do not belong to me. I will not waste my time at camp (or everyone else s) by being grumpy or whiny. I will participate in all activities planned for my group. I will have fun this summer! AGREEMENT I have read and understand this Code of Conduct. It is out of respect for myself and others, that I agree to abide by this code. I understand if I violate this code, I may be denied the privilege of participating in camp activities and that misconduct may result in my being asked to leave the Blue Springs Parks and Recreation Summer Day Camp. Camper s Full Name PRINTED Camper s Signature 1st Child 2nd Child 3rd Child Parent/Guardian Name PRINTED Parent/Guardian NAME Signature Please submit this form to Nichole Cogbill via email ncogbill@bluespringsgov.com or fax (816) 622-4345 or bring with your child on the first day that he/she attends camp.