CAMP February Break Camp INFO Packet

FEBRUARY BREAK CAMP INFO PACKET Campus and Facilities.................................................... 14 At Keystone Science School, we believe that every child deserves camp. We foster personal relationships, independence, and an appreciation for the outdoors through life-changing experiences. Keystone Science School Camp programs are high energy, achieving a strong sense of community through Science. Adventure. Fun! Science. We make extensive use of the multiple ecosystems around us to nurture scientific inquiry and cultivate sensitivity to the natural world. Campers are split into age-specific trail groups so they can engage in programming tailored for their developmental stage. Adventure. Children come to us during a stage of life known as “construction of self.” Their experiences are the building blocks that will shape them as the amazing individuals they will become. Fun! We are devoted to creating fun, supportive and enriching experiences that provide campers with opportunities to grow, not just intellectually, but personally and socially as they develop healthy friendships and create treasured memories. As a first camp option for younger campers, our February Break Camp program serves as a stepping stone into our other camp programs. AGES 5-10 At KSS, your child can transform into an inventor, a creator, or an explorer—complete with costumes, hands-on educational opportunities, outdoor adventures, and fun! We incorporate creative activities, teambuilding, and investigative learning into each day. AGES 11-17 Counselor Assistants (CAPs) will have the opportunity to work with our younger Day Campers. Each CAP will be given a counselor-mentor, time to work on new leadership skills, and personalized feedback. Resume-writing help and a reference letter from our Camp Director are also available to 17-year old CAPs upon request. What is February Break Camp? ............................... 3 Missing Home..................................................................... February Break Camp 13 10 6 9 What is February Break Camp? 9 5 February Break Camp CAP Info Packet Signature Sheet...................................... Personal Items.................................................................... Table of Contents Health and Safety............................................................ Travel and Meals.............................................................. 12 Communication and Child Abuse............................. 8 7 Camp Drop Off and Pick Up....................................... Sample Schedule.............................................................. Activities................................................................................ Registration........................................................................ Camper Rules and Expectations............................... 4 Camp overview 11 We begin every camp day at our Launch Pad and Activity Field in the heart of campus. This large space also provides plenty of room for group games, outdoor activities and free play time. Rives Hall, situated next to the Launch Pad, serves a dual purpose as our dining hall and also as a meeting space for activities and indoor presentations. The yurt (a cozy, free-standing round classroom), tipi and other historic buildings provide additional teaching, playing and arts and crafts space. An outdoor "Campitheater" provides a stage for talent shows, campfires and skits. We fill the rest of our beautiful 23-acre campus with games, adventures and science activities. What to Expect at Pick Up Drop Off and Pick Up Times Campus Facilities Drop-off time: 8:00am-8:30am Pick-up: 4:30pm-5:00pm Locations: KSS Campus, Dillon Valley Elementary School, Summit High School at Farmer's Korner Late Pick-up and Drop-off Campers should not arrive earlier than 8:00am. Campers who arrive at Farmer's Corner after 8:30am may miss the shuttle and will need to be dropped off at KSS. Campers arriving after 9:30am will be turned away if their group has already left campus. Please be on time to pick up your camper, no later than 5:00pm. An additional fee of $15 per camper will be assessed for all pickups after 5:10pm. If you will be running late or have any trouble finding us, please call the Camp Office at (970) 455-4228. Please abide by these time restrictions, as it is extremely difficult for staff to accommodate your child outside of these times. Drop-off begins at 8:00am. Give yourself extra time, especially on Mondays. We appreciate your patience on particularly busy days! Please remain in your vehicle and look for KSS staff to direct you. You will be approached by a staff member holding an iPad. They will sign in your camper(s). On your first day, you will receive your weekly newsletter, be asked to check your approved pick-up list, and we will double check your paperwork. If you are carpooling with other families or will have a friend or family member dropping off or picking up your child, please make sure you have added their names to your approved pick-up/drop-off list. If you have unsigned paperwork or payment due, you will be asked to park and speak with the Camp Coordinator, who will be located at a table in the parking area. Once your paperwork is complete, you will be directed to the drop-off area. Again, please remain in your vehicle. A staff member will greet you and your camper and help your camper out of the car. We ask that you stay in your vehicle throughout the drop-off process. Pick-up begins at 4:30pm. We appreciate your patience on particularly busy days! All campers will be waiting at the pick-up area. The first time that you pick up your camper, you will be asked for photo ID. If you would like to designate someone other than an immediate family member to pick up your child, please be sure to add them to your approved pick-up list during registration, or call the Camp Office to add them. They will be asked for photo ID. What to Expect at Drop Off February Break Camp Drop off and Pick Up Keystone Science School Campus and Facilities Mellow Meadow: With full days of activity, it’s important that campers and counselors take a little time for low-energy activities. We provide various mellow stations, such as story time, gardening, making lanyards or the ever-popular chipmunk village. Snack Chat: Every afternoon, our campers gather around a healthy snack to decompress from their day and talk about different topics. Discussions might include the day’s highlights, heroes in our lives, and what success means. No one is forced to speak, but we ask that all campers be active listeners Camp Beads: Throughout the session, campers will collect various colored beads that represent the different activities and experiences they’ve participated in at camp. By the end of the session, campers will be able to tell the story of their camp using the different colored beads that they’ve earned. Camper Choice Periods: This is a popular program block where campers are given traditional camp activities to choose from, all incorporating Science. Adventure. Fun! Popular choices include sports, arts and crafts, archery, fishing, tie-dyeing, field games, hiking and much more. Group Games: Every week, we get the whole Day Camp together for all-camp games. Camp Chaos, Campocalypse and Space Invaders are all staples of the Day Camp experience. Community Day: Each week, we host a local visitor, or travel to a local location to learn more about the topic of our week. Visitors have included pilots, avalanche dogs, pharmacists, professional athletes and we have visited locations like the community gardens, local historic sites and the sheriff's office. Adventure Day: Each session, we offer an on-campus or nearby field trip for campers. We might go ice skating, swimming, visit a local historical site or a local adventure park. Some sessions, we also offer a far-away option. Far-away options can include a trip to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a trip to Dino Ridge or a visit to the Denver Zoo. During registration, if there are multiple options, you will be able choose a nearby or far-away Adventure Day activity. Station Rotation: We explore our weekly theme in small groups at activity stations around campus. Activities may include science experiments, arts and crafts, games or fun challenges. For example, we might shoot off rockets or make paper airplanes for the Physics of Flight, or we might learn knots and practice Leave No Trace skills during Survivor Week. Free Play: We believe that with all our structured activities, it's great for kids to cut loose too! Free Play is like recess at camp. Campers can play sports, participate in group games, socialize and make new friends. TV/Videos: We believe in keeping the campers outside, active and hands-on as much as possible. Occasionally, however, we find an educational film or documentary to complement our curriculum for the week that we will show the campers, especially during inclement weather. Videos are all educational in nature. We also watch a G-rated movie during our optional Wednesday sleepover. Hiking Information Keystone Science School operates under a US Forest Service special use permit in the White River National Forest, allowing us access to over 60 trails throughout Summit County. This permit is a great privilege, without which we could not run our programs. Please be aware that there are restrictions to this permit. Some trails can only be accessed during certain times of the season, and we only have an allotted amount of days on each of our permitted trails. We must comply with all of the Forest Service rules and regulations, which often vary year-to-year. In the event of an emergency, we have a complete risk management and evacuation plan for both our campus and our hikes and field trips. Our staff have been trained to handle any emergency that might arise. We will notify parents in writing or by phone in the event of an emergency. THURSDAY FRIDAY February Break Camp Activities Sample February Break Camp Schedule Camper Choice 8-8:30 AM: Camper Drop-off 9:00 AM: Free Play 10:00 AM: Camper Choice 12:00 PM: Lunch 1:00 PM: Camper Choice 2:30 PM: Snack in Trail Groups Snack chat Beads 3:00 PM: Mellow Meadow 4:30-5 PM: Camper Pick-up MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY Discovery Hikes: Discovery Hikes are a major science education component of Stellar Day Camp. We choose trails and field sites that best suit the needs of the curriculum. Hikes range from one to three miles in length and are enhanced with loads of activities, games, investigations, and discoveries. Discovery Day 8-8:30 AM: Camper Drop-off 9:00 AM: Free Play 10:00 AM: Welcome to Day Camp! Songs Galore PONY Talk 10:30 AM: Break! Water, Sunscreen and Restrooms. 10:45 AM: Discovery Hikes Break into Trail Groups Lunch on the trail 2:30 PM: Snack back at Camp Snack chat Discovery Beads 3:00 PM: Mellow Meadow Stations 4:30-5 PM: Camper Pick-up Station Exploration 8-8:30 AM: Camper Drop-off 9:00 AM: Free Play 9:30 AM: Station Exploration Avy Boards, Cloud in a Bottle, Molecules in a Box, Snowflake Slime 12:00 PM: Lunch 1:15 PM: Large Group Game 2:30 PM: Snack back at Camp Snack chat Adventure Beads 3:00 PM: Mellow Meadow Stations 4:30-5 PM: Camper Pick-up Station Exploration 8-8:30 AM: Camper Drop-off 9:00 AM: Free Play 9:30 AM: Station Exploration Avy Boards, Cloud in a Bottle, Molecules in a Box, Snowflake Slime 12:00 PM: Lunch 1:15 PM: Large Group Game 2:30 PM: Snack back at Camp Snack chat Adventure Beads 3:00 PM: Mellow Meadow Stations 4:30-5 PM: Camper Pick-up Camper Choice 8-8:30 AM: Camper Drop-off 9:00 AM: Free Play 9:30 AM: Break! Water, Sunscreen and Restrooms. 10:00 AM: Camper Choice Sledding, Snow Castle Building, Cross-Country Skiing, Archery 12:00 PM: Lunch 1:00 PM: Large Group Game 2:30 PM: Snack in Trail Groups Snack chat PONY Beads 3:00 PM: Mellow Meadow 4:30-5 PM: Camper Pick-up Personal Items Communication with Camp Child Abuse At Keystone Science School, we believe in fostering positive and respectful relationships between campers and with staff members. Our staff have been trained in positive, inclusive instruction methods as well as in identifying bullying and other negative behaviors. We always do our best to make the camp experience a positive one for all campers and we work to correct and communicate and behavioral issues with campers and parents. Our staff will communicate with campers about behavior expectations. We promote positive behaviors using our bead necklaces and awarding beads like the "Respect the PONY" bead. We address inappropriate behavior with a 3-strike policy. Strike one is a verbal warning, strike two is a written agreement with Camp staff and strike three is exclusion from the activity and a phone call home. As a last resort, KSS reserves the right to dismiss a camper from the program if the camper behaves in a way that is considered by KSS staff to be detrimental to the quality and best interest of the program or other campers. Behavior such as, but not limited to, the use of drugs or alcohol, fighting, refusal to cooperate, or endangering the health and safety, emotional or physical well being of any person involved in the KSS program, including themselves, may result in immediate dismissal from their KSS program. When a child is dismissed from the program, parents or guardians of the child will be contacted by the Camp Director and asked to pick up their child and remove him/her from the program. No refund of program fees will be provided for students dismissed from the program for inappropriate conduct. Return to future KSS programs will be at the discretion of the Camp Director. What NOT to bring to camp: Knives Fire-starting materials Nuts - KSS is a nut-free campus. We ask that you please send your camper’s lunch free of any nut products. This includes peanut or almond butter, trail mix and granola bars with nuts. Electronic Devices - Including: radios, iPods and other music players, expensive smart watches, laser pointers, electronic games, cell phones, laptops, eReaders, tablets, and camcorders or other recording devices. This policy is in our liability form and campers will be reminded at the beginning of their camp session. Any electronic devices found after that time will be confiscated for the duration of the camp session. Disposable and digital cameras are permitted during camp activities. Cameras will be held for safekeeping by KSS staff. Spending Money - It is not necessary for campers to bring spending money. Pets - All pets must be left at home. We also discourage campers from acquiring pets while at camp. Prohibited Items Camper Rules and Expectations Personal Items Please pack personal items such as water bottles, lunches and rain gear in a backpack labeled with your campers' name, so they stay separate from other campers' personal items. Your camper will keep this bag with them throughout each day. Lost and Found At the family slide show we will have a Lost & Found table. We will hold all unclaimed items for two weeks after the program has ended. Anything not claimed will either be donated to our gear shed or to a local thrift shop. If your camper is missing a personal item, please call (970) 455-4228 and we will look for it. To avoid losing personal items, please write your camper’s name on everything that they bring to camp. Items can be picked up in person or shipped to you for a $12 charge. Parent/Camper Communication The Camp Team will keep you informed of session information and reminders throughout the year via email. During your camper’s session, parents needing to contact KSS Staff should call the Camp Office at (970) 455-4228. Please notify the Camp Team in advance if your camper is to be picked up by a parent or guardian at any time during the session or if a family emergency occurs. Campers will not be able to make phone calls during their session, but our staff can relay any important messages to campers. Please do not attempt to execute a “surprise” visit for your camper. Personal visits by family and friends are limited to drop-off and pick-up. We do not allow visitors on campus during a session, unless they are part of our planned session activities. Visits from parents and loved ones disrupt the camp experience and increase the potential for other children to feel homesick. We have a strict no-phone-home policy. Keystone Science School has found that phone calls home disrupt the overall camp experience, which is focused on independence and positive separation from home. They also tend to enhance homesickness and stress from separation. Prior to sending your child to camp, please avoid saying things like “Call us if you have any problems” or “We’re only a phone call away!” If a family emergency arises in which you must contact your child prior to the end of the camp session, please call the Camp Office at (970) 455-4228. Reporting of Child Abuse All staff members have been trained on child abuse and neglect and as mandated reporters, it is our staff responsibility to report all incidents of child abuse or neglect according to state law. If suspected child abuse occurs at KSS the report of suspected child abuse must be made to the county department of social services, police department or other law enforcement agency in which the child care facility is located. If the suspected abuse did not happen at the facility the report of abuse must be made to the county department in which the child resides. Behavior Our number one concern is to ensure the health and safety of each camper. Our staff has a Basic First Aid and CPR certification at a minimum. Many of our staff hold a current Wilderness Frist Aid (WFA) or Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification and our senior staff hold a medication administrator license and/or WFR. Our staff uniforms include first aid kits that are carried at all times. Several medical clinics are located within a 5-10 minute drive of Keystone Science School and helicopter service to larger hospitals is available. Partnering With Parents For Student Care Please fill out all the supplemental medical paperwork completely, have it signed, and scan it to your online account promptly. These forms include the KSS Liability Form (signed online), KSS Medical History Form, Immunization Record (CDPHE Approved), and the Allergy/Asthma Action Plan (if camper carries Epi-Pen and/or inhaler and is signed by the doctor). It is essential that we receive this information so we can effectively assist campers in the event of sudden illness or injury. In an effort to keep your camper healthy and safe, we provide Rocky Mountain Sunscreen: Broad Spectrum SPF (fragrance free, greaseless, moisturizing). Missing Home Missing home and overcoming it is a normal process that helps children develop independence and self-confidence. Homesickness Going to camp can be both an exciting and anxious time for a child, especially if this is his or her first time in a camp environment. It is very important to support and encourage your child from the time of registration to the time they return home to you every evening. You can assist us in providing a positive and rewarding experience for your child by helping them believe that they are ready to leave home! Camp will give them the opportunity to discover and explore new things about the natural world, meet new friends, and have lots of stories about their new experiences to tell you upon returning home. Resist using phrases like “I’ll miss you” and try saying “I’m proud of you” instead. We pride ourselves on how we handle missing home, but how you prepare your camper leading up to their departure can make an amazing difference in their camp experience. During drop-off we sometime see kids that aren’t ready to say goodbye. This is normal. We encourage parents to say goodbye lovingly but firmly. Our staff is ready and trained to handle this type of separation anxiety. Please ask a counselor if you’d like a call after a tearful drop-off, to see how your child has adapted. Here are some more tips for getting your camper ready for this new adventure: Walking/hiking is a big part of Day Camp. Practice going on some day hikes or short walks throughout the year and getting your camper used to being outside for longer periods of time. Allow your child to be a part of the daily packing process. This will allow he or she to know exactly what types of clothing they have and how much is being packed. It also helps minimize lost and found. Write notes to put in their child’s lunch. This is a great way to give your child that mid-day boost of encouragement from home. Talk about camp. Families receive a weekly newsletter, which gives a rundown of the daily schedule and suggests great questions to ask around the dinner table after each day. Camp makes for great conversation and the discussion doesn’t need to end once their session is over. Health Screening Upon arrival at camp your camper will undergo a short health screening. We do this to ensure the overall health of the camp community. This process ultimately ensures your camper leaves camp as healthy as they began. We will ask about recent injuries, how they feel, and do a quick, non-invasive lice check. Medications Each camper must give any medications to our on-site medical staff for safekeeping at the start of the session. This includes vitamins, over-the-counter pain relievers, prescription medicine, homeopathic remedies, and/or herbal medications. Please make sure that all medications are in their original bottles and you fill out a Medication Authorization form. If your camper carries an inhaler or an EPI-pen, they must tell inform their counselor where they keep it, but they can keep it in their possession. Please make sure that you have filled out an Allergy/Asthma Action Plan form and that has been signed by a doctor. We have on-site medical staff who are trained and authorized to distribute medications. You will have a chance to speak with them as part of the check-in process. Medications will be kept in a secure place, and returned at the end of camp. We do carry some medications in our first aid kits. All of these medications are listed on the KSS Medical Form. Please make sure to review them and identify any medications you do not wish our staff to administer to your camper in case of injury or illness. Insurance Cost for treatment arising out of an accident or injury while at camp is the responsibility of the camper’s parent/guardian. Campers must have medical insurance, and proof of insurance must be provided to Keystone Science School on the KSS Medical form. If there is any question about this, please call the Camp Office at 970-455-4228. Illness In the event that a camper becomes ill or has an accident, we will contact parent guardians and/or designated emergency contacts via phone, email or writing. In the event of another child being diagnosed with a severe communicable disease, we will notify all families in writing, as well as the State Department of Health. Emergencies If a child is lost from their group or in case of an emergency, all parent guardians of affected students will be contacted immediately and the Emergency Action Plan will be implemented (which is fully outlined in staff training and KSS Risk Management Plan). Along with parent notification, the KSS Camp Director will be contacted and necessary local authorities and necessary emergency professionals. In some cases, emergency transportation and evacuation may occur in our insured KSS 15 passenger vans or by emergency transportation vehicles. Continuous child participant head counts will prevent ‘loss’ of a child, but in the case of a lost child procedures outlined in the Risk Management Plan will take in affect including the tiers of search. Health and Safety Registration and Paperwork 2018 February break Camp Fees Non-local: $75/day Local: $60/day Daily Lunch: $6 Free and Reduced Lunch: Free Registration Process To register for February Break Camp, please visit our website at www.KeystoneScienceSchool.org/ and click on our “Register Now” link on the Camp page. You will be able to access or set up your online Active account and register your camper. A 20% deposit is due upon registration. All deposits are non-refundable. Helpful Tip: If you save your credit card information you will be able to set up a balance payment plan and use it for extra session options including DVDs, overnights, drop-in days, and even additional sessions. Paperwork Supplemental paperwork is needed for all of our programs in addition to registration. Once you've registered online, please check your confirmation email, which will tell you exactly which forms are needed for your sessions. All paperwork will be attached to your confirmation email and can also be found on your online account. Once completed, we highly encourage you to scan and upload your paperwork to your online account. We will not accept hard copies of paperwork at drop off and pick up. For questions regarding registration and paperwork please call the camp team at (970) 455-4228 or email Camp@KeystoneScienceSchool.org. Your tuition balance and all paperwork is due by February 1. Any registrations that happen after February 1 will require full payment and paperwork at the time of registration. Cancellations We will hold 20% of your total camp cost for cancellations made 15 day before your session. Any cancellation made within 2 weeks (14 days) of the program is non-refundable. In the event of absence from closure of the camps due to natural disaster, act of war or terrorism, or for any other reason, financial loss will be shared equally between the camps and the parents. Filing a Complaint If you wish to file a formal complaint against Keystone Science School please address your complaint to: Colorado Department of Human Services: Child Care Licensing and Administration Division of Early Care and Learning, CDHS 1575 Sherman Street, 1st Floor Denver, CO 80203 Phone: 1-800-799-5876 or 303-866-5948 Fax: 303-866-4453 cdhs_oec_communications@state.co.us Meals Food Allergies We visit lots of cool places in and around the county for our programs. All of our 21+ counselors are certified to drive our 15-passenger vans and go through extensive driver training. We follow Colorado Car Seat Safety Laws and as such, we require campers 7 years old and under to sit in our provided booster seats. We play hard at Keystone Science School and we know that fueling our campers is the most important thing we can do to keep everyone healthy, happy and high energy! Please pack a healthy, balanced lunch for your camper. Lunches should meet one-third of your child's daily nutritional needs. Please avoid sugary snacks such as sodas and candy. KSS is a nut-free campus and as such, we ask that you please send your camper’s lunch free of any nut products. Keystone Science School provides a daily afternoon snack. Bag lunches are available for purchase ($6/day). Meals are nutritious, follow recommended daily allowances, and are prepared by our resident chef and camp staff. Travel and Meals Keystone Science School staff is prepared to manage common food allergies (nuts/dairy/gluten/etc.) if they are properly noted on your camper’s medical form. It is much harder to accommodate dietary restrictions if we’re not made aware of them in advance. Please communicate allergies and dietary restrictions to our Camp Team and note them on your camper’s medical form. SAMPLE KSS LUNCH MENU Sandwich Options: Bread: Wheat, Gluten-Free Meat: Turkey, Ham, Hummus, Soy-nut Butter and Jelly Cheese: Cheddar, Provolone Condiments: Mayo, Mustard Veggies: Lettuce, Pickes Additional Items Included: Salty Snack (e.g., Goldfish, Pretzels, Chips) Fruit (e.g., Apple, Orange, Pear, Applesauce) Veggie (e.g., Carrots, Celery) Dairy (e.g., Yogurt, String Cheese) Travel Keystone Science School 1053 Soda Ridge Rd Keystone, CO 80435 www.KeystoneScienceSchool.org Camp@KeystoneScienceSchool.org Seth Oglesby - Camp Director SOglesby@KeystoneScienceSchool.org, 970-455-4235 Ashlee Smith - Camp Logistics Coordinator ASmith@KeystoneScienceSchool.org, 970-455-4228 INFO PACKET SIGNATURE SHEET I have read the Day Camp Information Packet and understand and agree to all Keystone Science School policies and procedures. I authorize Keystone Science School to provide and/or seek emergency medical care for my child, in the event of an emergency. I authorize Keystone Science School to apply, or assist in the application of sunscreen (KSS provided) on my child. I authorize Keystone Science School to transport my child to and from scheduled activities in 15-passenger vans. I authorize my child to participate in all scheduled special activities. I have read and agree to our TV/video viewing policy. I would like to opt my child out of the following scheduled activities:_____________________ Day Camper Name(s): Parent Signature Parents, please read and initial each line below: Date