CAMP HANDBOOK
Welcome to Camp
Dear Camp Family,
We're incredibly excited about this summer and everything it has in store for you and your family Each day promises to be full of new experiences, exciting learning, good friends, and great fun. To ensure you have the information you need to get started, we have put together this Camp Handbook. Please be sure to read this booklet, as it outlines important information about Camp
We look forward to spending our summer with you!
Melissa
Director, Summer at Far Brook
Summer at Far Brook Camp Handbook 2024
The Camp Handbook is intended solely for the use of Summer at Far Brook families as a resource and convenience to them It establishes rules and guidelines for our Camp that reflect our philosophy However, the Camp Handbook cannot cover every possible situation that a camper, staff member, or director may encounter during the course of the summer program. Many decisions, policies, and situations are left to the judgment of the staff and the administration Guidelines and rules may be altered under certain circumstances when the Camp deems it appropriate to do so. Please speak with a director if you would like to discuss or need clarification of any portions of the Camp Handbook.
Please note that when the word “parent” is used in the Family Handbook, it is considered to indicate both parents and guardians.
This publication is the property of Summer at Far Brook and Far Brook School and may not be used without written permission.
Summer at Far Brook - Far Brook School
52 Great Hills Road, Short Hills, NJ 07078
Phone: (973) 379-3442
Email: summer@farbrook.org
Website: https://www.farbrook.org/summer/
Statement of Purpose
Summer at Far Brook offers participants high quality, meaningful experiences that are consistent with Far Brook School’s values, extending the school’s mission beyond the academic year These values inspire participants to fuel their passions and awaken their curiosity by creating a supportive and caring camp community that cherishes love of learning, movement, creativity, diversity, and individuality
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Community
Diversity, equity, and a commitment to social justice are central to Far Brook’s identity, community, and educational mission. Embracing our society’s broad range of experiences, perspectives, and ways of being and knowing creates the best learning environment for students and the most enriching community.
General Camp Information
CAMP DATES
● SCHOOL'S OUT, STAY N' PLAY: June 10 - 14 (Far Brook Families only)
● SUMMER AT FAR BROOK: June 17 - August 9
CAMP HOURS
● Full Day - 9:00 AM TO 3:30 PM
● Half Day - 9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM
○ Half Day pick-up occurs at the Welcome Zone
● Extended Day
○ 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM
○ 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM
WHAT TO WEAR TO CAMP
● Campers should wear clothing that is appropriate for being active throughout the day. Closed toed shoes are required
● Sunscreen must be applied prior to campers arriving at camp.
● Hats are optional
WHAT TO BRING TO CAMP
● If campers are not participating in Simply Gourmet they should pack a lunch in an insulated lunchbox or cooler
● Campers must bring a refillable water bottle.
● Sunscreen labeled with their name on it
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● On water days, campers should bring a towel and water shoes or flip flops. Campers in Nursery 3 and 4 should wear their swimsuit to camp and all other campers should bring their swimsuit
○ Water Days
■ Day Camp: Wednesday and Friday
■ Sports/STEAM/Speciality Camps: Friday
■ Mentors/Young Leaders Program: Friday
● Nursery 3 and 4 campers should bring a rest mat with them on Monday. Rest mats will be sent home on Fridays to be washed
WHAT NOT TO BRING TO CAMP
● Cell phones
● Electronic games or toys
● Fidget spinners (unless previously arranged with the Camp Director)
● Soda or energy drinks
● Chewing gum
● Trading or Pokemon cards
● Camera
Extended Day
AM Extended Day: Activities include recess games and free play
PM Extended Day: From 3:30 to 4:30 PM campers will be divided into groups and will participate in sports, crafts, games, book club, playground, and more. At 4:30 PM campers will transition to activity stations, recess games, and story time
Extended Day Drop-off and Pick-up will occur in the Carpool Circle for all ages including campers who typically use the Welcome Zone.
Communication
Far Brook distributes various electronic publications to communicate with camp families. The major publications include the following:
● Welcome Email is sent every week in advance of Monday Every family enrolled for that specific week is emailed It advises parents of important camp information and details about upcoming events and activities. It is distributed via email.
● Weekly Wrap-up is sent at the end of each week with details about the events and activities that took place and a folder of images from that week. It is distributed via email.
Arrival and Dismissal
● Please be on time for drop-off and pick-up.
● All children must wear a seatbelt, follow current mandates for child restraints or booster seats, and use seat belts independently. (Please practice this with your child before the start of camp.)
● Be Alert, Be Safe. The campus speed limit is 10 MPH.
● Cell phone use by drivers on campus is not permitted.
● There are three simple safety rules to remember during carpool:
1. Is the car in “PARK” while the child is entering or leaving the vehicle?
2. Are all doors and the trunk CLOSED before driving away?
3 Is it CLEAR ON ALL SIDES to drive away?
● Parking: On-campus parking is for staff members. Visitors should park only on the school side of Tall Pine Lane, or on other neighborhood streets No parking is permitted at any time in the driveway or carpool circle due to fire regulations.
● Do not park in front of residential driveways. Our neighbors must be able to safely enter and exit their driveways without vehicle obstruction
● Vehicles should not park within 10 feet of a fire hydrant, as per NJ State Law.
● When dropping off campers at the Welcome Zone, please refrain from double parking, as this causes congestion and is a safety hazard for students entering and exiting vehicles
ARRIVAL/MORNING DROP OFF
● Extended Day is available for all students between 8:00 - 8:45AM. Camper drop-off is available
via the Carpool Circle (and NOT the Welcome Zone).
● Regular camp arrival drop-off begins at 8:45 AM.
○ Drop Off is available at the Carpool Circle for students in Nursery 4 - Grade 10. Nursery 4 campers must be able to unbuckle and buckle themselves in order to use the Carpool Circle.
○ Parents of Nursery 3 campers should park on Tall Pine Lane (right side only) and walk their children to the “Welcome Zone.” Note: The entrance is located on Tall Pine Lane near the playground
● When exiting in the Carpool Circle, students must remain in their car until a staff member signals for them to exit Adults must remain in the car at all times
● Students will go directly to their homebase to join their group.
● If a student(s) arrives after 9:00 AM and there is no staff member to meet them, parents must walk their child to the Office for late sign-in.
DISMISSAL/AFTERNOON PICK-UP
Half-day Nursery 1:00 PM Welcome Zone (Tall Pine Lane)
Nursery 3/Nursery 4* 3:10 PM Welcome Zone (Tall Pine Lane)
Nursery 4/K 3:05 PM Carpool Circle
Grades 1 - 10 3:15 PM Carpool Circle
* Nursery 4 campers who cannot unbuckle and buckle themselves must use the Welcome Zone
● Staggered dismissal times are essential to maintain the smooth flow of afternoon carpool
● Please arrive at Far Brook for pickup at the designated time of the oldest child in your vehicle.
● Parents and caregivers (at the carpool circle) may not exit their cars during pick-up
● While on campus, drivers must keep the Pick-up Card on the driver’s side dashboard. This alerts the carpool caller of any campers they are picking up
● Carpool ends promptly at 3:30 PM. Remaining campers will be sent to Extended Day to await pickup
CHANGE IN DISMISSAL ROUTINE
Whenever a camper has a change in their normal method of afternoon transportation:
● Parents/caregivers must email summer@farbrook.org. The email should include:
o Camper’s full name
o Name of individual authorized to pick up your child
o Date of pick up change
● When camper carpools are scheduled, both families involved must send an email to @summer@farbrook.org by 12:00 PM. Half-day Nursery campers: emails must be received in the office by 10:00 AM.
EARLY PICK-UP
If a student must leave Camp before afternoon pickup:
● The parent or authorized person must notify the office before 3:00PM to pick-up the camper to
Summer at Far Brook Camp Handbook 2024
have time to prepare for dismissal.
● All early dismissals are from the Office
ATTENDANCE
Camper attendance is recorded by the camp office and is updated throughout the camp day. This is a collaborative effort between the Nurse, Enrollment Coordinator, and parents and requires full parental/caregiver compliance. It is essential for the safety and security of the students.
Camper Expectations
Campers follow the 3 R’s: Respect Yourself, Respect Others, Respect the Environment
Should an incident occur that is escalated to the Camp Director the following variables will determine the level of response from the Camp: severity of the behavior, level of corroboration of the report, number/frequency of infractions committed by identified camper(s), age/developmental stage of the camper(s) involved (if relevant), and the full context in which the behavior occurred.
SwimQuest
Far Brook is partnering with SwimQuest Millburn to offer enrolled Day Campers in Nursery 4 - Grade 4 optional swim lessons Swim lessons will occur on Tuesday and Thursday mornings Campers will take bus transportation to SwimQuest and will be accompanied by Summer at Far Brook staff.
Lunch and Snack
We offer an optional lunch program through Simply Gourmet Orders must be placed 3 days in advance of the day you would like to receive the lunch service. We recommend lunches brought from home are packed in an insulated bag with an ice pack Lunch bags should be clearly marked with your camper's name on it. We ask families to refrain from sending in foods that contain food allergens.
We provide a snack each day at camp and during afternoon Extended Day. Snack options and ingredients will be sent to all families in advance You are also welcome to send in your own snack with your camper
Summer at Far Brook is a Tree Nut and Peanut-Conscious Camp We will work with parents, campers, and healthcare providers to minimize the risk of exposure and adverse reaction to allergens.
Hydration
Please send your camper with a reusable water bottle with their name on it. Hydration stations will be set up near activity areas, and our staff will offer frequent reminders and opportunities for water breaks during the day.
Birthdays and Celebrations
We ask families to refrain from sending in treats that contain food allergens We recommend Popsicle brand popsicles.
Health and Safety
CAMP NURSE
There is a full-time Registered Nurse on campus. The Nurse is an employee of the Camp, whose role is to work with the administration, faculty, and families to keep the Camp a safe, healthy environment. The Nurse can be a valuable resource in the areas of camper and staff education, risk management, and health and safety issues. The Nurse responds to all complaints that affect health and wellness, and the ability to function in camp.
EMERGENCY INFORMATION
It is necessary for the Camp to have emergency contacts for each camper in case of any extraordinary need requiring contact of parents or caregivers. This information is submitted via CampBrain at the time of online enrollment and should be updated by parents as necessary.
In the event of injury or illness that requires medical attention, attempts to notify a parent or emergency contact will be initiated immediately by the Nurse or assisting staff member. Therefore, updated emergency information is required yearly to ensure that information is current If it is impossible to reach a parent, the camper will be taken to St. Barnabas Hospital or to Overlook Hospital for treatment.
It is the parent’s responsibility to keep the camp office informed of any changes of family status, such as marital status, change of households including address and phone numbers, changes in caregivers, emergency contacts, insurance carriers, or hospital preference
REQUIRED HEALTH FORMS
The information requested is State-mandated data that requires completion by parents and their healthcare provider. This paperwork is submitted to the Nurse for administration review and recording in the camper’s Health Record, allowing Far Brook to identify the potential needs of our students as well as maintain State-established guidelines, monitored yearly by health department audits
All health forms must be received in the camp office prior to the start of your camper’s first day If forms are not received by that date, a camper’s ability to participate in camp may be jeopardized. There can be no exceptions and no refunds will be issued.
Please complete forms in full. If a question/condition does not pertain to your child, do not leave blank: indicate Not Applicable or NA. If you do not understand a question, please call the Nurse for clarification. The camper’s nickname, as well as his/her legal name, should be included
All forms and correspondence must be clearly legible This includes immunization records, healthcare provider notes, letters, and photocopies All participants must sign the Medical Waiver in CampBrain.
Your child cannot start camp until the forms have been completed and submitted to the Camp Nurse.
ILLNESS AND INJURY
Non-Emergency
The Nurse reports any sign of illness to the parent so that the camper may go home, rest, and start treatment before further symptoms develop or other campers are exposed to possible infection. If you are notified that your camper is ill or injured during camp hours, you must make arrangements to pick up your camper as soon as possible This arrangement should preferably be made by you If a parent cannot be reached, an emergency contact will be called. Please make sure that the emergency contact information you have given to the Camp is up-to-date and contacts have directions to Far Brook School
Parents are responsible for canceling playdates with other families.
Parents should make advance plans for someone to care for their child if it is necessary to keep the camper at home or if they are sent home during the day.
The Nurse responds to complaints of illness or distress and may notify a parent about non-emergency issues or situations based on staff member’s assessment/recommendation. The Nurse will refer to the emergency information parents provided for information regarding whom to contact.
Medications can produce side effects such as headache, upset stomach, nausea, skin eruptions, etc., that may present themselves during camp hours With this in mind, please alert the Nurse of all medications taken and the history of their effects
WHEN TO KEEP A CAMPER HOME
Parents must notify the Nurse or the camp office by 9:00 a.m. each day a camper is absent from camp by phone or email. Parents are asked to keep a camper home if there is any doubt about the camper being fit and ready for camp Unusual fatigue may be a sign of impending or continued illness Do not send your child to school if they are sick or appear to be coming down with an illness or have a skin rash.
A day of rest can be restorative A camper should be kept at home whenever:
● there are signs of a fresh cold or sore throat, vomiting, or diarrhea
● a communicable disease is suspected (please notify the Nurse if your child has been exposed outside of school)
● streptococcal infection
● an undiagnosed rash is present
● your child has a fever
● your child has not been fever-free for 24 hours
● there has been an emotional upset or undue fatigue which suggests that remaining at home might be better than attending school
● lice
If you suspect illness, please monitor your child’s temperature Far Brook’s definition of fever is a body temperature equal to or greater than 100.5º Fahrenheit or 37.6º Celsius.
After any illness, the parent must consider the camper’s rate of recovery and whether they may be subject to relapse, or make others ill, if they return too soon.
● In case of a communicable disease, quarantine guidelines of the Millburn Health Department are followed by the Camp.
● The camper returning to camp after health issues should be ready for full activity, both indoors and out, unless a healthcare provider instructs otherwise. Written notification of limitations is required. A parent’s request will be considered.
CAMP POLICY ON MEDICATIONS
During camp hours, medication can be administered to a camper:
● at any time by parents or caregivers, who must sign-in at the camp office The group will be notified to send the child to the Nurse’s office for administration
● by the Nurse only if specific procedures as noted below are followed and an Authorization for Medication Administration form, Asthma Treatment Plan – Student form and Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan form, as appropriate, has been completed by and signed by a parent and the child’s healthcare provider
All medications require an Authorization for Medication Administration form. This includes prescription medication (including inhalers and Epi-pens) and medication prescribed for attention skills or related conditions
Asthma treatment additionally requires PACNJ’s Asthma Treatment Plan – Student form
Allergy care additionally requires FARE’s Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Emergency Care Plan form
All changes in prescription medication or dosage need to be communicated in writing to the Nurse, as soon as possible.
These forms may be emailed to the Camp from the healthcare provider’s office to the Camp’s confidential fax number, (973) 241-7500. Forms must be received and noted by the Nurse before administration of medication or treatment can be permitted
Each camper must supply their own medication, as required by the State, in the original pharmacy container with their name listed on the label
TOILET TRAINING
All campers MUST be fully toilet trained and have graduated from training underwear or pull-ups. SAFB staff cannot assist children with wiping Should a child have a potty accident, the Camp Nurse or Camp Director will assist the camper.
EXTREME HEAT
A Heat Advisory Protocol is implemented when the temperature is 90° or above OR when the National Weather Service issues a Heat Advisory. Campers will be moved indoors and activities will be modified as needed. Drink logs will be in effect. Campers will be required to stop activities, drink water, and cool down every 20 minutes
Safety and Security
● Camp Directors conduct campus walk-throughs consistently throughout the day
● Far Brook staff wear a Far Brook lanyard with ID and camp staff wear a SAFB staff shirt with the camp logo and name tag
● Monthly fire and security drills are conducted
● Training is conducted with staff prior to camp and throughout the summer
● Every door is locked and requires a key fob to enter
● Security cameras are on campus
● A PA system is used in the event of an emergency
● All staff are connected by walkie talkie
Should you have any questions about the contents of this document please contact the Camp Office via email at summer@farbrook.org.
