SCS Parent-Guardian Guide 2023

SUMMER CAMP SERIES

2023 parent/guardian guide

The Summer Camp Series offers something for every interest and ability, with 13 camp options for ages 5-15 years ranging from arts to science to nature. A fun, safe summer is our top priority.

WELCOME TO CAMP!

We are excited your camper will be joining Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation’s 2023 Summer Camp Series! Summer is a magical time for campers to enjoy the outdoors, learn something new, have fun and build friendships. But first and foremost, we know your camper’s safety + well-being is your priority, it’s ours too. Throughout the Parent/ Guardian Guide we’ll answer frequently asked questions and share details about day-to-day camp activities and expectations. Our summer camps provide wonderful memories for your campers and for you as parents/ guardians. We feel the time your camper spends away from home each day is very important to their growth as an individual, and we want to make it special with long-lasting, positive memories.

Your camper will come home each day eager to discuss the day’s events, so get ready to hear about all the exciting stories from camp! Campers will be involved in a wide range of activities each day that make camp more than a daycare program. They will experience the opportunity to develop skills, make new friends, and participate in enriching activities. The various types of camp activities include:

• environmental stewardship

• leadership development

• team building

• swimming

• active play

• academic enrichment

• field trips

• problem-solving

• character education

• service-learning

• and more.

Our R.I.C.H.E.R. principles teach campers and staff the character traits of RESPECT, INTEGRITY, CARING, HARMONY, EXCELLENCE and RESPONSIBILITY. We believe lives will be “R.I.C.H.E.R.” by learning and living these principles. The goal is to provide camp activities and experiences that reinforce the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles.

We hope you’ll be delighted with our camp programs, and we look forward to working with you and your family. Our supervisors and counselors have carefully crafted the weekly themes and activities to create the most enjoyable summer camp experience for your campers. Although we don’t take the place of parents/guardians, we can be a positive influence and our staff looks forward to serving as positive role models.

Have a great summer!

Jennifer Brown Summer Camp Series Director

THINGS TO BRING EACH DAY

Listed below are the items your camper will need. Please LABEL ALL ITEMS with your camper’s full name to help to reduce lost items. Please note that your camper’s Site Supervisor will be in touch regarding additional needs for specific camp week(s).

• A healthy, non-perishable lunch with drink. Refrigerators and microwaves are not available for campers’ lunches, please use ice packs if needed. Note: Some field trips may require a 100% disposable sack lunch.

• A separate, designated snack for the afternoon. Note: Some camps ask you to pack two snacks per camp day.

• Leak-proof, unbreakable, refillable water bottle.

• Appropriate clothing which includes tennis shoes and socks. Since campers will be involved in active play throughout the camp day, we do not recommend sandals or open-toe shoes. In addition, dress to get messy! Water games may be played on hot days so campers should NOT wear good clothes. Camp is held indoors and out, so dress for the weather! A jacket or sweater may be needed on cool mornings. A raincoat or poncho will be needed on rainy days.

• Bathing suit, towel, and a labeled bag for wet suit for swimming days at The Waterpark at the Monon Community Center.

• Spray sunscreen and insect repellent! Campers will be outdoors for a large portion of the day. Please apply sunscreen and bug repellent before arriving at camp. Please send extra sunscreen and insect repellent to camp every day. Please work with your camper on how to reapply these applications. If your camper has difficulties with this, please inform the Site Supervisor so staff can assist. Note: Staff can only assist with spray sunscreen.

• Backpack large enough to hold all items. CCPR is not responsible for any lost or stolen items. Staff may need to access camper belongings during the camp day.

Items to leave at home

Our summer camps are fully equipped with activities and games suited for each age group. Please do not allow your camper to bring toys from home, eliminating unnecessary problems. Campers may bring toys or items of special interest on sharing days or by special arrangement with camp staff. CCPR is not responsible for any lost, stolen, damaged, or traded items. Staff may confiscate an inappropriate item and return at pick-up.

• We prohibit drugs, alcohol, guns, knives, weapons (real or fake), or other items relating to aggression and/or posing a potential safety concern.

• Please do not allow your camper to bring in any electronic devices. Any electronic devices brought in by a camper or family is the responsibility of the camper and the camper alone. It is the family’s responsibility to retrieve confiscated property at sign-out. This includes cell phones and personal or school-issued tablets.

• Please do not allow your camper to carry money to camp unless it has been previously requested by written communication from the Site Supervisor for a specific program or field trip.

• Leave personal equipment (e.g., bats, hockey sticks, etc.) at home. Our camp will provide any necessary equipment.

• We love all animals, but please leave them at home too.

OUR SUMMER CAMP TEAM

Site Supervisors oversee all day camp staff, who have been working in our Extended School Enrichment before- and after-school programs, as well as seasonal staff recruited for their enthusiasm, experience, and skill set. We place a serious emphasis on training efforts, requiring our Counselors to complete rigorous pre-camp training in the areas of working with children, de-escalation techniques, group dynamics, communicable disease mitigation, safety, and programming. All staff go through background checks before hiring. CPR/AED and First Aid certification is required of all staff members as well as Stewards of Children (a child sexual abuse recognition and prevention program), CPI Verbal Intervention™ training, and Q.P.R. We take pride in the high expectations we set for our summer camp staff each year and evaluate them regularly.

REQUESTING MODIFICATIONS

CCPR’s Summer Camp Series is committed to being an inclusive program. We are dedicated to compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). By making reasonable modifications, our inclusion model allows participants of many ability levels to join our SCS programs. Please visit our website to view our full inclusion statement and request a reasonable modification for your camper. For general questions about our program process and inclusive services, please contact Aimee Rich, Inclusion and Engagement Supervisor, at 317.843.3866 or arich@carmelclayparks.com.

KEEPING MY CAMPER SAFE + SECURE

At Camp

Our campers’ safety is always our top priority. Camp staff is trained for 100% supervision, which means all campers are 100% under the supervision of staff, unless they are in the restroom. While using the restroom, staff will monitor from the entrance/exit to ensure only one camper is in a stall and that campers are using the facilities in a timely fashion.

Staff and campers will review emergency procedures the first day of every camp week, including fire, lockdown and severe weather.

At The Waterpark

You will communicate your camper’s swimming level during the registration process. The choices include beginner (red band), intermediate (yellow band), and advanced (green band). Based upon the color of the camper’s wrist band, they will be allowed to enter designated parts of The Waterpark. Red bands are limited to shallow activity areas whereas green bands can enter any area of The Waterpark. If you have any questions as to which pool areas your camper can enter based upon their band color, please consult your Site Supervisor. Parents/guardians can change their camper’s color band throughout the summer. All Waterpark lifeguards and camp staff are trained on which band colors can enter which areas and staff are positioned throughout The Waterpark to ensure campers are only entering areas in which their band color permits.

COMMUNICATION

• Prior to your camper’s enrolled camp week, the Site Supervisor for that camp will reach out to you via email with highlights and reminders regarding what to expect during your camper’s week.

• Site Leadership will email communication regarding any minor injuries or illnesses requiring a band-aid or ice pack. More serious injuries and illnesses will be communicated by phone call. If camper is ill, they must be picked up by authorized individual within two hours.

• Communication regarding positive behavior or behavior reports for improvement will be emailed.

• Prior to your camper’s first day, we strongly recommend you confirm your phone number and email address with your camper’s Site Supervisor to ensure accuracy.

• Parents/guardians may reach out at any time by phone to their child’s camp location. Emails are also a great way to communicate, although Site Supervisors have limited time while children are present to check email. The site cell phone will receive text messages, and many of our families like to communicate that way.

• Please feel free to call the camp site phone at any time to speak to your camper (contact information can be found on the last page). Please note that campers might be busy with an activity or outside playing, so they might need to give the parent/guardian a call back. Staff are always happy to relay any information to the camper as well, if preferred.

• Email is the primary tool to communicate emergencies and last minute changes to parents/guardians.

HOT WEATHER, SUNSCREEN + WATER BREAKS

Hot Weather: Outdoor play is an important part of our daily schedule. Please dress your camper appropriately for weather conditions. All campers will go outside daily, weather permitting. If your camper is not well enough to participate in outdoor play, please keep them at home. Please note on extremely hot days, outdoor time will be limited, and campers will be monitored for signs of heat-related illness. Staff will ensure adequate hydration and provide plenty of opportunities for campers to cool off indoors or in a shady area.

Sunscreen: We are committed to keeping your camper safe from the sun. To help prevent sunburn, we recommend applying a base layer of sunscreen prior to arriving at camp. Campers spend a large amount of time in outdoor activities. Please apply 8-hour sunscreen that will last all day before arriving at camp. Please provide your camper with spray sunscreen in a bottle labeled with the camper’s full name to be kept with them throughout the day. Staff is only able to apply spray sunscreen. As needed, staff will aid in applying sunscreen.

Water Breaks: It’s important that campers stay hydrated this summer! Staff will offer regular, scheduled water breaks for all campers. We expect campers to bring a labeled, refillable water bottle to camp. Water will be onsite for campers who break or forget their water bottle. Staff is trained to monitor campers for signs of heat-related illness, and staff will take immediate first aid action if any camper presents with this condition. If a camper cannot continue with an out-of-camp activity, the parent/guardian will be contacted by phone call for immediate pick-up.

FIELD TRIPS: TRANSPORTATION + EXPECTATIONS

CCPR contracts with a transportation company to provide school bus transportation for all field and swimming trips. Campers are expected to behave on these school buses as they would on their bus during the school year. Staff will regularly remind campers of the bus expectations and will hold campers accountable to those expectations.

On field trips, staff will conduct regular headcounts to ensure all campers are present and accounted for during the entirety of the trip. Campers are expected to wear their provided camper t-shirt on field trip days so they are easily identifiable as CCPR campers. Staff will front-load campers with field trip expectations before the trip, so campers are well-aware of all expectations at their field trip destination.

If a camper cannot continue with an out-of-camp activity, the parent/guardian will be contacted by phone call for immediate pick-up. All field trips are weather permitting and subject to change without prior notice. Refunds will not be issued in the event camp is unable to offer stated field trip.

RESTROOM NEEDS

Campers will take regularly scheduled restroom breaks. Restroom breaks are always monitored by camp staff, and campers will never be put in a one-to-one situation. Campers will only use restrooms inspected for safety by camp staff.

Our expectation is that campers are able to take care of their respective restroom needs.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

We expect staff and campers alike to demonstrate the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles of RESPECT, INTEGRITY, CARING, HARMONY, EXCELLENCE, and RESPONSIBILITY. Campers who fail to exhibit these character traits will be counseled by our staff. We have trained all employees to use positive discipline approaches to modify behavior including redirection, personal reflection time, mindfulness exercises, and removal from activity until more positive choices can be displayed. We deeply respect children and will never participate in any forms of physical or corporal punishment, including spanking, hitting, using exercise as a punishment, etc.

Our goal is to keep you informed of your camper’s behavior choices, both positive and areas for improvement. When a camper makes a positive choice, they will receive a R.I.C.H.E.R. “Right”-up and you will receive an email or hard copy with details. Chronic or severe behaviors that require improvement to safely participate in camp programs will also be shared through an emailed behavior report and subsequent phone call, if warranted.

Please see our Behavior Consequence Rubric for a more thorough explanation of how we hold campers accountable for their actions.

SIGN-IN/SIGN-OUT PROCEDURES

Please ask camp Site Supervisor for specific sign in/out procedures.

Pick up/drop off Outside of the Designated Times:

• Drop Off: To accommodate camp drop off after 8:30 a.m. or prior to 4:00 p.m., please call the site cell phone to arrange the drop off location and time with the leadership team. You will be kept informed of the times the camp will be off-site for swimming and/or field trips. If your camper arrives after the bus leaves, then you will need to drop your camper off at the field trip destination or wait until the camp is back on-site to drop off.

• Authorized Pick Up: CCPR recognizes the need to provide a safe and secure site for all campers in our summer camp programs. As a result, CCPR will only release a camper to an adult who is listed on the “Authorized Pickup List” provided on EZChildTrack. Please ask your camper’s Site Supervisor if you need to make any changes to your authorized pick-up list. All requests must be made through the EZChildTrack system. Authorized adults picking up campers must provide picture identification that matches the name in the EZChildTrack system.

Pick-up and Return to Camp during Camp Hours:

• Please see pick-up procedures above. We cannot allow a parent/guardian to remain on-site with their camper once they have been signed out of camp. If the camper is picked up mid-day, they may be signed back into camp except for illness or undesired behaviors.

• Please note that you are free to pick up and drop off your camper at any point in time during hours of operation. Be aware of times during the week when the camp will be off-site, as there will not be a staff member present to facilitate pick-up or drop-off when the camp is off-site.

If Late Picking up your Child:

SCS parents/guardians are encouraged to be on time for pick-up at the end of the day. Pick-up time from SCS is no later that 5:30 p.m. or 6:00 p.m., depending on the camp site. If a parent/guardian is late picking up their camper. There is an additional fee. All late fees are billed through the parent/guardian’s EZChildTrack account. The fee is $1.00 per minute, per camper. The parent/guardian will receive an automatic email from the EZChildTrack system, if a late pick-up fee is added to the account. After the fourth late pick-up, the parent/guardian will be required to have a meeting by phone or in person with the ESE Director or Asst. Director. If the parent/guardian is late four times, SCS enrollment will be suspended until a meeting takes place and all late fees are paid. The camper may no longer be allowed to attend SCS after the fifth late pick-up. Please note that if the parent/guardian asks someone else to pick up their camper and that person is late, the parent/guardian is responsible for the late fees and the late pick-up counts toward the allowed five incidents. Each summer will start with a “clean slate,” and the late pick-up count will reset. SCS reserves the right to evaluate participation if the late pick-up count exceeds five incidents over the summer. If the camper is not picked up within one hour after the program ends, and all emergency contact attempts have been exhausted, the local police will be notified and the camper may be immediately expelled from SCS.

LOST + FOUND

If you suspect your camper lost an item, please contact your Site Supervisor with a description of the lost item as soon as possible. We will make every effort to return lost and found items while your child is at camp. Please mark all items with the camper’s full name so they can easily be returned. If something is missing please contact us to check lost and found immediately. All unclaimed items will be donated to charity at the end of the month.

MEDICATION PROCEDURE

Whether a camper needs to take a medication regularly at camp or needs their emergency medicine close at hand during the summer, our staff have it covered. We will request a parent/guardian to complete our Medication Permission Log which will serve as the parent’s/guardian’s permission to give the medication as well as a log for when staff administer the medication. Any medication campers need while enrolled in camp should be provided in the original container and will be administered per physician’s instructions. Unless the medication is utilized for quick-relief, emergency purposes, the medication will be locked and stored on-site at camp. Emergency medications will stay with the adults supervising the camper for whom the medication belongs. With the parent’s/ guardian’s permission, older campers may self-carry emergency medications.

Camper allergies are disclosed by the parent/guardian at the time of enrollment. Staff keep a running list of all campers with allergies and are diligent in keeping these campers safe by monitoring them and all their camp activities.

Please contact the Site Supervisor if your camper has any outstanding medical needs and/or allergies. We work with each family on a case-by-case basis to ensure safe participation.

SCS does not provide over-the-counter (OTC) medications (e.g., Tylenol, Benadryl, etc.). Parents/guardians may provide OTC medication for their camper’s exclusive use at camp with a completed medication permission log.

RECOGNIZING + POLICY ON COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Communicable diseases are diseases that are transmitted from one individual to another and easily spread among children. Common communicable diseases among campers are head lice/nits, pink eye, ringworm, and chickenpox. You will be contacted immediately in the event your camper shows signs or symptoms of communicable disease. A doctor’s note may be required for the camper to resume camp participation. If staff suspect a camper has contracted head lice, an immediate call for pick up will be placed to the parent/ guardian to treat the infected camper and protect all other campers, staff, and parents. Infected campers will be separated until pick up.

• In the event nits/head lice are found among your camper, a parent/guardian must pick up the camper within one hour of the notification.

• The Site Supervisor will notify all parents/guardians of all head lice/nits cases when found or reported. If nits/head lice are found outside of camp and the camper has recently attended camp, parents/guardians must contact the Site Supervisor immediately so other parents/guardians can be properly notified. CCPR staff will never release the name of the affected camper.

REPORTING CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT

Staff are trained to look out for the signs and symptoms of child abuse or neglect. If abuse or neglect is suspected, CCPR staff are required to call the Department of Child Services to make a report.

SCS POLICIES

Information on waitlist, transfers, refunds and cancellations, and field trip policies can be found here: carmelclayparks.com/summer-camps/.

ABSENCES FROM CAMP

Absences from Camp

If your camper will be absent on an enrolled camp day, please contact your camp-specific Site Supervisor as soon as possible.

ADULT CODE OF CONDUCT

Adult Code of Conduct

Carmel Clay Parks & Recreation Summer Camp Series requires parents/guardians to behave in a manner consistent with the R.I.C.H.E.R. principles. Our goal is to provide campers with the most appropriate environment in which a child can grow, learn, and develop. Any violations to the stated code of conduct may result in parents/guardians being asked not to return to the program. CCPR reserves the right to remove a camper from the program based on inappropriate behavior of the parent or guardian.

• Swearing/cursing: Parents/guardians must not curse or use inappropriate language in CCPR programs, whether campers are present or not. This includes phone conversations and written communication with staff.

• Threats: Threats of any kind toward staff, campers or other parents/guardians will not be tolerated.

• Confrontational interactions: While parents/guardians may not always agree with staff or the parents/guardians of other campers, it is our expectation that all disagreements will be handled in a calm, respectful manner.

• Addressing campers: Parents/guardians are prohibited from addressing, for the purpose of correction or discipline, a camper that is not their own.

• Confidentiality: It is inappropriate for one parent/guardian to seek another parent/guardian to discuss their camper’s inappropriate behavior. All behavior concerns should be brought to the attention of staff. Staff will address the issue with the other parent/guardian. Staff is strictly prohibited from discussing anything about another camper with you.

• Violations of safety procedures: Parents/guardians are required to follow all camp safety policies and procedures as these are designed to protect the welfare and best interest of the campers and staff.

PAYMENT RESPONSIBILITY

• All account holders are responsible for payment of fees + ensuring all balances are paid in full.

• There will be one account for each camper attending our SCS.

CALL FOR IMMEDIATE PICK-UP

In the event a participant becomes ill or needs to be picked up for any reason (e.g. not meeting behavior expectations), the parents/guardians will be called and are expected to pick-up within one hour (60 minutes). If the parents/guardians cannot be reached, or have not arrived within an hour, camp staff will contact individuals on the camper’s authorized pick-up list, requesting immediate pick-up of camper.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Feel free to reach out to your camper’s Site Supervisor at any time throughout the summer.

Adventures in Art

• Monon Community Center East

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Monica Haddock

• 317.698.6576

• mhaddock@carmelclayparks.com

Camp Wayback

• Jill Perelman Pavilion

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Graham Cecil

• 317.418.6917

• gcecil@carmelclayparks.com

Chillville

• Jill Perelman Pavilion

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Jennifer Gray

• 317.418.1396

• jgray@carmelclayparks.com

EnRoute

• Clay Middle School

• 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Amanda Craig

• 317.698.7950

• acraig@carmelclayparks.com

Kids at Play + In the Zone

• Aletto Family Sports Center

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Valeska Simmonds

• 317.258.6504

• vsimmonds@carmelclayparks. com

Outdoor Explorers

• Jill Perelman Pavilion

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Alyssa Holsten

• 317.679.9867

• aholsten@carmelclayparks.com

Science of Summer

• Monon Community Center East

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Joey Castillo

• 317.698.0816

• jcastillo@carmelclayparks.com

Success on Stage

• Monon Community Center East

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Jennifer Hammons

• 317.698.4966

• jhammons@carmelclayparks.com

STEAM Team

• Wilfong Pavilion

• 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Cyndi Canada

• 317.418.8475

• ccanada@carmelclayparks.com

The Summer Experience

• Creekside Middle School

• 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Allison Werich

• 317.418.5267

• awerich@carmelclayparks.com

Under the Sun

• Carmel Middle School

• 7 a.m.-6 p.m. (planned activity time from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.)

• Site Supervisor: Jarred Crossley

• 317.258.8266

• jcrossley@carmelclayparks.com

• General

• 317.843.3865

• ese@carmelclayparks.com