City of Orillia
Parent Handbook
Welcome to our
Day Camps! This guide has been prepared to provide you with information regarding staff, daily activities/routines, and how to get your camper ready for the summer. Please take time to read this guide carefully with your child and keep it on hand for easy reference throughout the summer.
Program Conduct & Goals We aim to provide enjoyable activities in a safe and positive environment. We expect all campers to be courteous and respectful to all participants and staff; use non-offensive language at all times; support and appreciate each other; solve problems in a fair and peaceful manner; include others in activities; and play without bullying or teasing others.
Our Team Our camp staff are responsible for the well-being and safety of your children at camp. Their duties include coordinating engaging activities for the campers, developing new programs, and supervising campers to make sure they are safe and happy.
Leader Qualifications All leadership staff go through a thorough screening process including a formal and practical interview, reference checks and vulnerable sector screening. All staff are required to have their Standard First Aid & CPR-C Certificate, High Five certified, Rockwall trained and BMS (Behaviour Management Systems) certified.
What to Expect at Camp What Does a Day at Camp Look Like? All of our camp programs offer fun and creative experiences for a variety of age groups. Water play or swim days may also be available depending on the location and weather conditions. All day camps will enjoy indoor and outdoor games, arts and crafts, sports and more.
What You Need for a Week of Camp Camper Checklist
Parent Checklist
Please ensure that your child brings the following to camp each day:
Please review the following prior to the first day of camp:
● Nutritional lunch and drinks (nut free) ● Additional snacks for morning and
● Camper is registered for camp
afternoon (nut free) ● Refillable water bottle ● Indoor running shoes/closed-toe shoes (no flip flops or sandals) ● Sunscreen ● Bug spray (if they would like) ● Extra T-shirt on days with high UV ● Extra change of clothes (just in case) ● Bathing suit and towel for camps that go swimming
If you have registered in a theme, camp staff aim to do one to two themed activities a day. However, our goal is to provide a wide range of camp activities to keep your child active and engaged all week long. Please be aware that in addition to themed activities each camper will participate in a diverse selection of activities, including active and quiet games, arts and crafts, naturebased activities and outdoor activities when space and weather permit.
Newsletters Every Monday, parents/guardians will be shown a newsletter for the camp their child is enrolled in. The newsletter will include basic information regarding the camp day (see below for more details), what the theme is and if there are any field trips or themed days for the campers to participate in.
by the Thursday before camp starts ● Have signed up and paid ● Any doctor-prescribed medications in their original containers with expiry date and dosage for your child
Camp Hours Camp hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily. Campers are welcome on site five minutes before start time and should be picked up promptly at 4:30 p.m. Extended care can be registered for. Extended care hours vary by week. Please note: a late fee of $5.00/15 minutes will be charged for late pick-ups.
Lunches/Snacks Should be Nut Free! Typically, the camp day consists of two snacks and a lunch time. Please pack a litter-less lunch, snacks and drinks daily. We suggest a reusable water bottle (no glass please) so campers can fuel up and have energy throughout the day. Due to the number of nut related allergies, peanut butter, nuts and any food that contains nut by-products will not be allowed at camp. Please pack your lunches with care.
Footwear Closed-toe shoes are a must! Sandals and croc style sandals are not suitable for outdoor or indoor adventures. Please note: sport themed camps located at Barnfield and Rotary Place may go on the rockwall. Please ensure all campers have closed-toed shoes so they don’t miss out on the fun!
Sun Safety Sunscreen should be brought daily and applied regularly. We encourage you to show your child how to properly apply sunscreen. Staff will remind campers throughout the day to reapply their own sunscreen.
Location, Location, Location The location of camps will not change based on enrollment. However, the location of the campers may change throughout the day based on daily camp plans. All camps will remain at their main locations throughout the camp day (excluding Trip Zone). If for any reason the camp leaves their main location (ex. Barnfield surface, Orillia Room, etc.) to go outside or to another area within the location, a sign will be placed on a door or the sign in/out table letting you know where the camp is currently located and will have the camp supervisors’ phone number attached. Please be aware that if any camps go on field trips (ex. Travel to Opera House to watch the Theatre Arts Camp play), a sign will be placed at the main location with a phone number to contact and will be included in the camps newsletter.
Valuables & Personal Belongings Campers are not permitted to bring any valuables to camp. This includes cell phones, Mp3 players, iPods, large quantities of money, etc. The City of Orillia is not responsible for any lost or stolen items at any of our day camp locations. To avoid lost or stolen items, please ensure that everything your child brings to camp, including clothing, is labelled with their full name, or is easily identifiable to the camper. Please note: at the end of the week all items that have been left behind at each location and placed in our lost and found will be inventoried and moved to storage until the end of the summer. Unclaimed articles are given to a charitable agency on the last day of camp. We are not responsible for lost or missing items.
Safety Procedures Aquatics & Swimming The Recreation and Youth Services Division lifeguards and camp staff work together as a team to ensure the safety of all kids at camps when swimming at camp. All children who are swimming at camps must perform a swim test. Ratios are determined between camp staff and guards based on the result. Kids will be permitted to swim test once per day. Orillia Recreation Centre Children 7-9Y who pass a swim test require a 1:8 ratio and can be in both the shallow and deep end. Children 7-9Y who
fail the swim test require a 1:6 ratio and must wear a lifejacket in the lap pool, or remain in the shallow end without a lifejacket. Moose Beach Children 7-9Y who pass a swim test require a 1:8 ratio and can swim freely in the water due to its shallow nature. Children 7-9Y who fail the swim test must remain within arm’s reach of a counsellor but are not required to wear a lifejacket. All campers must stay within the designated camp area set out by the lifeguards. Each camp will be given 45 minutes of swimming time and 15 minutes of transition time. As an additional safety measure, buddy checks will be announced every 15 minutes, with lifeguards announcing “Buddy Check” clearly for all campers and camp staff to hear. At this time campers must exit the water immediately and stand at the entrance of the Universal Changeroom (at the Orillia Recreation Centre) and on the shore on the beach (at Moose Beach) with their buddy while camp staff do head counts. Camp staff will use buddy checks as bathroom breaks for campers who need to use it.
Medical Information & Medicine It should be noted that day camp staff can assist your child with administering medication (i.e. reminders and giving them the right dose), but they cannot administer medication for them. Participants must be independent and be able to administer their own medication. On the first day of camp, guardians will be required to complete a “Request
to Administer Medication” form indicating all prescribed medications and dosages that camp staff are to assist administering to the camper throughout the camp week. Guardians are required to ensure the camper’s medical history, emergency contacts, and the camper’s current doctor are up to date upon registration in camp. Medication must be stored in their original containers only and camp staff will keep them in a secure location. Staff will ensure that they wear the proper PPE while assisting children with their medicine. A Medication Administration Record will be filled out for the week your child is at camp.
First Day of Camp & Sign In/Sign Out Procedures On the first day of camp, a camp supervisor will be at a designated and identifiable sign-in/out table outside or inside the camp area. The parent/ guardian will sign the child in and sign all required forms as outlined by the supervisor. If the child is registered with inclusion, they should have completed the appropriate Participant Intake Form and have spoken to our Inclusion Coordinator prior to registering for day camps. Please visit orillia.ca/inclusion for more information on our inclusion program.
At the end of each camp day, a camp supervisor will check parent/guardian ID’s and sign-out the campers. The ID policy will be implemented (please see below for more information). The camp phone number for each designated camp will be posted at the sign-in table, and all parents/guardians are welcome to call that number to contact the camp supervisor. Campers over the age of 10, who have a completed participant release form from their parent/guardian, will have the ability to sign themself in and out at the beginning and end of each camp day (excluding Monday mornings as there is paperwork that the parent/guardian needs to sign). If you know in advance that your child will be absent, please notify the camp staff. Follow up phone calls will be made if a camper is absent and staff have not been notified.
Pickup Identification Protocol To ensure the safety of all participants, parents are required to indicate the name of all authorized individuals who are permitted to pick up the child. These names are provided upon registration. If any additional persons are to be added, guardians can complete an alternate pick-up authorization form.
All parents and/or authorized individuals are to sign-in and sign-out on the provided sheet each day the child is dropped off and picked up from camp. Only persons designated to pick up a child will be allowed to do so. Upon pick up, day camp staff will ask for photo identification in order to verify the individual who is picking up the child from camp. This is done every day regardless of if the camp staff know who you are. Please ensure you or the individual picking up the camper always has photo identification on them.
Heat Awareness Not all camp locations have access to air conditioning. Staff will ensure children are in a shaded area, have access to water and will focus on low intensity games and activities during heat awareness days.
Photo Release Photographs or videos of participants may be taken at any time for promotional purposes by City of Orillia advertising staff. If you do not wish to have your child’s photo/name used, please call 705-325-4786.
Camper Conduct Play Fair! The goal of our camps is to ensure that all campers have a rewarding, memorable, safe and fun experience. Providing a safe environment is a collaborative process. We ask the parents/guardians talk about the following camp rules and guidelines with their child(ren): • Respect others and their property • Hands off • Understanding conflict vs. bullying. • Listen to camp counsellors • Stay with your group • Use appropriate language • Have fun!
RESPOND/Behaviour Procedure All City of Orillia Recreation and Youth Services day camp participants are expected to behave and act respectfully and appropriately towards all other participants and staff for the duration of their time at camp. Behavior that directly inhibits staff or participants' safety during a City of Orillia Day Camp Program will be dealt with promptly by camp staff. Camp staff will deal with any unwanted behaviour promptly by the City’s RESPOND Procedure forms. DISCLAIMER: Serious behaviors may warrant an expedited response and could result in removal from the program
before completing all the steps of the policy at the discretion of the Recreation Program Supervisor. If a participant is removed from camp for the remainder of the summer, a full refund will be provided. Examples of serious behavior include but are not limited to: • Verbal Assault • Intimidation • Vandalism of the facility or other’s belongings • Aggression or violence towards others • Lewd or sexual behaviour • Threats or bullying RESPOND
R
Remove the camper from the situation
E
Explore participants’ point of view
S
Summarize their feelings and connect feelings to their behaviour
P
Present alternative behaviour
O
Open discussion with participant to develop strategies to manage behaviour
N
New strategies are put into practice
D
Determine if further action or supervisor involvement is necessary
It is the responsibility of the Camp Staff (incl. Camp Supervisor, Counsellor, and Inclusion Counsellors) to complete Steps one to three of the City of Orillia’s RESPOND Procedure.
Step 1: Camp staff will complete one RESPOND Plan Form in conjunction with the participant. The RESPOND Plan Form is an agreement filled out between participant and staff outlining strategies and tools to better equip the child to handle these challenging situations in the future. Every time a Respond Plan Form is completed the parents/guardians will be notified. Step 2: A second incident will require the camp staff to complete a RESPOND Incident Form. A RESPOND Incident Form is a more detailed description of the incident and requires a signature from a parent/ guardian. The camp staff will meet with the participants’ parents to review the RESPOND Plan Form and RESPOND Incident Form. In cooperation with the parents, staff will create a plan and next steps for the remainder of camp which will be documented on the RESPOND Incident Form. It should be clearly communicated to the parent/guardian that if incidents continue the child may be removed from day camp. Additionally, if the parent/guardian refuses to sign or participate in this process, the Recreation Program Supervisor will sign on their behalf. Step 3: If the behavior persists after a RESPOND Plan Form and a RESPOND Incident Form have been completed, or at the discretion of the Recreation Program Supervisor, the parent/guardian will be contacted to discuss a oneday suspension from camp. Step 4: If the inappropriate behaviour persists after the
participant returns to camp, the camp staff must contact the appropriate and a decision will be made in conjunction with the Recreation Program Supervisor on removing the participant from camp for the remainder of the camp week. If a decision to remove the child from camp is made, the participants guardian will be notified, the child will be picked up immediately, and a refund will be processed. If a camper’s inappropriate behaviour persists throughout future camp weeks, staff are to follow Steps one to three of the RESPOND Procedure with a shortened time frame of one RESPOND Incident Form. A decision may be made at the discretion of the Recreation Program Supervisor on the permanent removal of the child from all remaining weeks of camp. If permanent removal is decided upon, a refund will be processed.
Conflict Resolution vs. Bullying Is It Bullying? When some says or does something unintentionally hurtful and they do it once, that’s RUDE (conflict). When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and they do it once, that’s MEAN (conflict). When someone says or does something intentionally hurtful and they keep doing it even when you tell them to stop or show them that you’re upset, that’s BULLYING.
Understanding that the physical and emotional safety and security of the participants is always of first concern, all of our staff are trained through High Five to resolve conflicts using a childcentred approach. Understanding the difference between conflict and bullying is an important factor in resolving conflict in our programs. At the start of each week our staff will review the difference between bullying and conflict within our programs. The City of Orillia Recreation and Youth Services Division has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to bullying. In the unfortunate case that bullying exists, staff will follow our appropriate behaviour procedure. If conflicts arise in our camps, our staff are trained to use the Conflict Resolution Model (above). At the start of each week, staff will go over the appropriate response to conflict with the group, using this model. Conflict Resolution Mode
Conflict Resolution Model
1
First ensure safety and security of group and children in conflict.
2
Help diffuse the conflict.
3
Intervene if necessary.
4
Then work with children to resolve conflict. Ensure the group is cared for and remains active.
5
Children agree on the problem.
6
Children brainstorm solutions.
7
Children choose a fair solution for both parties.
8
Implement solution.
9
Inform parents/caregivers and/or contact a supervisor if conflict or bullying persists.
See You at Camp! We try to give you a really good picture of what to expect at our day camps, but of course we can’t touch on everything! What we can ensure is that your child will have an absolutely fantastic time at our day camp programs! If you have any additional questions outside the scope of this document, do not hesitate to reach out to one of our staff at the Orillia Recreation Centre: 255 West St. S., Orillia, ON L3V 5G9 recreation@orillia.ca 705-325-4386
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