INTRODUCTION
Welcome to The Keller Pointe’s Summer Day Camp Program for ages 6 to 11. This packet will inform you, the guardian, of our program and help your child get off to a great start.
THE KELLER POINTE SUMMER CAMP MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of The Keller Pointe Day Camp is to create a positive and supportive environment where children can embrace new challenges, explore opportunities, develop teamwork skills, and set meaningful goals for personal growth.
CAMP GOALS
Summer Camp aims to develop each camper’s confidence and leadership through participation in group activities. By working and playing together, campers will relate to one another and appreciate the differences that make each person unique.
CAMP RULES
• Campers will be courteous and respectful at all times.
• Campers will follow all instructions.
• Campers will participate with a positive attitude.
STAFF CONTACT NUMBERS
Customer Service Front Desk Representative (817) 743-4386
Renee Saettel Recreation Supervisor (817) 743-4304
Amanda Haase Recreation Specialist (817) 743-4308
STANDARDS OF CARE
The Standards of Care have been adopted by the City Council of the City of Keller. The Standards of Care are intended to be minimum standards by which the City of Keller Parks and Recreation will operate the City’s Youth Programs. The Programs listed in the Standards of Care are recreational in nature and are not licensed day care programs.
DAILY ACTIVITIES
Campers will be both indoors and outdoors, assuming the weather is acceptable. Please send a water bottle, sunscreen, towel and swim suit every day your child comes to camp. Campers must wear tennis shoes. Crocs and flip flops are not allowed. Please make sure to label or initial all personal items.
Each week we will be shaping the camp around a theme. Weekly schedules will be available to all parents on the Monday of that session. Please note that schedules are subject to change to more effectively manage the camp.
FIRST DAY OF CAMP
Just like the first day of school, the first day of camp can be extremely overwhelming for campers. In an attempt to ease some of those nerves your child might experience, the counselors will be sure to settle everyone in, introduce each kid as well as themselves, explain the rules of camp, and explain the daily routine of that week.
ATTENDANCE
Daily activities are very important to the overall camp experience and regular attendance is encouraged. If your child will be absent, please leave a message with the Recreation Specialist as soon as possible at (817) 743-4308.
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP TIMES
Participants may be dropped off at 7:00 a.m. and picked up no later than 6:00 p.m. There will be a $5 late fee for participants picked up after 6:00 p.m.; beginning at 6:15 p.m., there will be an additional $1-per-minute charge. In addition, emergency contacts will be notified if the child has not been picked up by 6:15 p.m. The late fee must be paid at the time of pick up. Each time a participant is picked up late within the same week, the late fees will double.
If your child has not been picked up by 7:00 p.m., the City of Keller Police will be notified. They will file a report and then release your child into the custody of Child Protective Services. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact The Keller Pointe Manager.
EARLY CHECK OUT/EMERGENCY PICK UP PROCEDURE
If you need to pick up your child between 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m., please provide the name of your child to the front desk staff, who will retrieve your child and bring him/her to the front desk. We ask that you please be patient with us as you child may be on a hike, at the pool or engaged in other activities that take time for us to gather and bring your child to you.
If your child becomes ill or is involved in an emergency at camp, we ask you to come to the center. Once you have arrived, please stop by the Customer Service desk and give them the name of your child. Camp staff will come to the desk and guide you to the location of your sick or injured child.
PARENT SIGN-IN/OUT
Parents are required to sign their child in and out each day. Camp instructors are not allowed to take students who have not been signed in by a parent or authorized person. Camp participants must be escorted to and from the building each day by you or your authorized person. Campers are not allowed to sign themselves in or out of the program; nor are they allowed to leave the site without the accompaniment of an adult, parent, or authorized person. A STATE-ISSUED DRIVERS LICENSE or ID MUST BE PRESENTED at EVERY PICK UP. We require this for the safety of your children
If an unauthorized person comes to pick up your child, the sign-in/out policy will be explained to them. You will be called and asked to verify their identity by providing their driver’s license number You will be required to add the unauthorized person to your authorization for pick up form the next time your child attends camp. You may also email permission to summercamps@cityofkeller.com Once permission is received, your child will be released to the person on site. If you are unable to grant permission, your child will not be released to the unauthorized person. If this person takes the child without permission, the police will be notified.
OPEN DOOR POLICY
Summer Camp has an open-door policy. Parents are welcome and encouraged to observe our activities at any time. We request that you limit the in-room/gym observation to 15 minutes due to our tight schedule.
LOST AND FOUND
Parents are always welcome to look in the lost and found bin if their camper is missing something. We ask that you remind your camper how important it is to keep track of their things and remember to label items with your child’s name. At the end of summer, unclaimed items will be donated to a local charity.
BREAKS
We have rest and water breaks built into the daily program. A camper may ask permission to stop and take a break at any time during the day.
SAFETY
Camp Counselors are the backbone of the program and we take extra care in choosing them. We strive to hire and train the best! We look for good role models with the following characteristics: high moral values, leadership abilities, a fun and outgoing personality, and a desire to work with children. We also require counselors to have current CPR and first aid training. Counselors receive pre-camp training that emphasizes risk management and emergency techniques to minimize the occurrence of accidents. Camps will have an average staff-to-participant ratio of 1:10. Currently, the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services require a 1:22 ratio. Nevertheless, The Keller Pointe Summer Camp ratio will never exceed 1:14. Staff-to-participant ratios will not allow us to provide one-on-one attention to individuals who need assistance with daily activities (i.e., eating, toileting, etc.), are a flight risk, or exhibit severe behaviors (i.e., hitting, biting, explicit behaviors, etc.).
LUNCH AND SNACKS
Lunch as well as a morning and afternoon snack will be provided. Chick-Fil-A, Jason’s Deli, Firehouse Subs, among other local restaurants will be providing lunch. All campers will receive the same kid friendly lunch. Food allergies and dietary restrictions will be addressed on an individual basis. It is the responsibility of the parent and/or guardian to provide allergy and dietary restrictions to the Recreation Specialist prior to the first day of camp.
DRESSING YOUR CHILD FOR CAMP
Children are engaged in various activities during the course of the day. Some activities may be messy or athletic in nature.
Children should be dressed in seasonably appropriate, comfortable clothing. A pair of shorts, tights, or leggings must be worn under all dresses.
Children are not permitted to wear open-toed or open-backed shoes, including flip flops and Crocs, except for the time that they are going to the pool. Rubber-soled sneakers are required for daily activities. Wearing jewelry of any kind is discouraged as it is a safety hazard to your child and his or her peers.
When walking to and from the pool, campers are required to wear shoes or sandals. Campers are also required to take a shower before getting into the pool; at this time, they may wear sandals so that they do not get their tennis shoes wet.
WHAT NOT TO BRING TO CAMP
Please do not send money, electronics, toys, balls, trading cards or games. If any item is brought from home, campers will be asked to put it in their backpack. The Keller Pointe is not responsible for any broken, traded, borrowed, or stolen property. We provide a land line phone that participants may use for emergencies.
WATER ACTIVITIES
We will swim at the Keller Pointe most days of camp. Please have your child bring a bathing suit, a towel, and sunscreen daily.
In accordance with H.B.59 (Cati’s Act), we prioritize water safety as a fundamental aspect of our programs. As such, parents will be asked to provide a written confirmation of their child’s swimming ability without a flotation device. Should a parent indicate that their child cannot swim unaided, we will require the child to wear a flotation device during any water-based activities.
Parents will have the option to provide their own US Coast Guard Approved Life Jacket. However, for added convenience, we will provide US Coast Guard Approved Life Jackets for any camper who is unable to swim without assistance.
WEATHER
The camp is an indoor/outdoor camp and will strictly adhere to the ozone alerts. The schedules will be adjusted to accommodate severe weather conditions.
PHOTOGRAPHY POLICY
Photographs are occasionally taken of participants and are used to promote our City Parks and Recreation Programs. If you prefer that you or your child not be photographed please notify the photographer.
TUITION AND PAYMENT POLICIES
Member Weekly Tuition:
$220 per week
Non-Member Weekly Tuition: $260 per week
Camp Registration Fee:
CAMP TUITION
$30 per week (non-refundable)
(This $30 fee will be added at checkout.)
All camp fees are due at the time of registration unless you opt for auto-pay. If you take advantage of the auto-pay option, payment will be charged on the below dates for each camp. Camp
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
Week 7
Week 8
Week 9
Week 10
REFUNDS
June 2-6
June 9-13
June 16-20
June 23-27
June 30-July 2
July 7-11
July 14-18
July 21-25
July 28- Aug 1
Aug 4-8
May 15
May 15
May 15
May 15
June 15
June 15
June 15
June 15
July 15
July 15
We will not prorate fees or provide credits due to withdrawals
WITHDRAW
If you need to withdraw your child from camp, please provide written notice 5 businessdays prior to the withdrawn week. If you give notice by the required day, you will receive a tuition credit or refund minus the $30 non-refundable deposit If withdrawal is less than 5 business-days from the start of camp, you will receive a tuition credit or refund minus the $30 non-refundable deposit and a $30 withdraw fee. Please email Amanda Haase at ahaase@cityofkeller.com or give written notice to the Recreation Specialist to make arrangements to withdraw a participant.
ABSENCES
Due to financial obligations of the program, payments or parts thereof will not be refunded because of absences, an unscheduled vacation, or withdrawals. A written doctor’s notification is the only time a refund is considered.
ILLNESS GUIDELINES
Any camper who arrives with the following conditions will be asked to leave: a discharge from the eyes or nose, a fever 100 degrees or higher, a condition resulting in vomiting or diarrhea within the last 24 hours. Children developing symptoms after arrival will be isolated, and the parents will be contacted to plan for pick up. Campers must be symptom free for at least 24 hours without the aid of medication to return.
Children will be asked to leave camp if they have been exposed to head lice and are untreated, or who have been treated but are not nit-free.
Please inform the staff if your child has been exposed to a communicable disease in another setting. A written notice from your physician will be required before your child will be able to return to camp.
If a child has a temperature higher than 103 degrees and the parent is unable to immediately pick up the child, 911 will be called. Staff illness guidelines are the same as those stated above.
SUNBURNS
Please send sunscreen with your child each day. All children will have sunscreen applied before going outdoors. Please alert the camp counselors of any heat-related illnesses your child may suffer. When campers are participating in water activities, they will be asked to re-apply sunscreen approximately one hour after entering the water. If your child has a light complexion or is prone to sunburn, please send an extra T-shirt and hat to wear on water days.
Participants with extensive sunburns will be allowed to participate in the program, but their outdoor participation will be limited.
MEDICATIONS
If your child requires medication while in camp care, we must have a completed medication form before a staff may administer medication. The medication must be a prescription in its original container, and the label must include the child’s name. We will only give the medication according to the directions on the container. We are not permitted to administer over-the-counter medications without written approval and directions from a physician. If you give your child medication before coming to camp, please inform a staff member so we are aware if side effects develop. Inhalers and peak flows must follow the same instructions as the prescription medication.
INJURIES/MEDICAL EMERGENCIES
By signing The Keller Pointe – Registration and Liability Waiver form, you have given The Keller Pointe employees the ability to secure medical care for your child in your absence. You will also assume liability for payment. We will make every effort to contact you at the number(s) you have provided on your child’s registration form. If we are unable to contact you at those numbers, we will call your emergency contact persons. Please keep us informed of any changes to your contact information.
CUSTODY SITUATIONS
From time to time, staff is placed in a situation regarding a custody dispute. Without a court order, The Keller Pointe staff cannot deny a parent access to his or her child. If a custody document is present, staff will notify the guardian parent of any contact made by the unauthorized parent. Staff will also notify the authorities, no exceptions.
Staff is instructed not to put themselves or children in jeopardy in order to mediate a family dispute or attempt to enforce a court order. If a parent chooses to leave a child in the care of The Keller Pointe’s Summer Camp with a court order in force, the custodial parent will be required to sign an acknowledgement stating The Keller Pointe’s inability to physically obstruct a hostile effort to take the child from the center.
Non-custodial parents cannot act as a parental volunteer on fieldtrips or other center events without written permission from the custodial parent.
DISCIPLINE POLICY
Our policy centers on a “positive discipline” philosophy. We use positive reinforcement as well as redirection. Prevention of problems is the key to a happy summer for the campers. At the beginning of camp, participants are given the rules and the consequences for breaking those rules. If a serious incident takes place (i.e., violence against a person or property, a false 911 call or fire alarm, etc.) the child may be sent home immediately without going through the steps listed below.
No form of physical correction, including spanking, shaking, or withholding snacks, will be allowed under any circumstance.
If a camper breaks the rules, the following consequences will be administered:
Verbal Talk to the participant and explain what he/she did wrong and why it was Report wrong. We will explain what actions will be taken if the behavior continues. They will be asked to tell the counselor how they will handle the situation in the future. A discipline report will be completed documenting the verbal warning.
1st Report The participant will be reminded of what rule they broke. The camper will be taken out of the activity and placed in time-out for up to 1 minute per year of age. A camp counselor will complete a discipline report. The parents will be notified at pick up.
2nd Report A camp counselor will take the child out of the activity and complete a discipline report. The Recreation Supervisor will be notified and intervene by helping the child to understand their actions and better direct their feelings. A second discipline report will be completed, and the parent will be notified by phone of the report and informed that the next incident will result in a three-day suspension
3rd Report The parent will be notified of the third discipline report. They will be asked to pick up the camper immediately. The camper will be suspended for three days. In order for the child to return to camp, the parents and camper must meet with Recreation Supervisor, and/or The Keller Pointe Manager.
Additional The camper will be dismissed from the camp for the remainder of the Report season.
Violence is taken very seriously. Any child whose behavior is deemed as a threat to him or herself or to other children may be removed from the program until staff believes the problem no longer exists. If a camper were to engage in physical violence or cause a false 911 call or fire alarm, a discipline report will be filled out, and the child will be sent home immediately with three days of suspension. Accounts will not be credited for any suspended days.
DISCIPLINE PICK-UP/CHECKOUT PROCEDURES
If you are required to pick up your child due to a disciplinary action, please do so in a timely manner by stopping by the Customer Service desk. Please give them the name of the child you are picking up and a staff person will come to the desk and guide you to the location of your child.
FIELD TRIPS
Field trip locations, venue waivers, time of departure, and return time will be provided in weekly newsletters. On field trip days, campers should wear their summer camp T-shirt and The Keller Pointe identification wristband. Drop your child off no later than 8 a.m. on field-trip days. If the buses have already left for the field trip, you will need to make alternate arrangements for your child’s care that day. Also, venue waivers must be completed and signed before your child will be allowed on the bus.
Campers will travel in buses. The buses are air-conditioned and we follow all the safety procedures outlined by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. When taking a field trip, we abide by the following guidelines:
1. We carry a list of all children being transported and leave one copy with The Keller Pointe Manager on Duty.
2. We store a form in the bus that lists the names and phone numbers of the Center and Camp Director.
3. We carry a list with parents’ telephone numbers and emergency contacts for each child.
4. A fire extinguisher, approved by the local fire marshal, is secured in the bus.
5. We carry a first aid kit.
6. Attendance is taken every time the bus is loaded and unloaded.